Spurs ranked third in ESPN's 2012 Ultimate Rankings (For all sports)

[JsnSA]

http://www.nba.com/spurs/news/120907_ultimate_rankings

I didn't see this posted yet and apologize if I missed it.

I have just glanced over the recent magazine issue but the spurs keep popping up over and over as they discuss various topics related to these rankings.

SA is also listed as the team of the decade with Pop as the Ultimate Coach. I assume the coach ranking is for this year.

One section lists the Ultimate Winners and Losers for 8 different categories (One winner and 1 loser for each) and the Spurs are listed as winners of 4 of the 8:

Ownership
Coaching
Players (effort and likability)
Fan Relations

Other categories were Title Track, Affordability, Stadium Experience and Bang for the Buck.

The overall ultimate rankings had OK Thunder first and the Packers second with the Spurs, Pacers and Grizzlies making up the top 5.

There is also a nice little graph showing the Spurs as the top team over the last decade in these rankings compared to the Knicks who are always one of the worst and Blue Jays and BlackHawks who have bounced around.

[hooperflash]

how did we not get number 1? We have a coyote as our mascot and a dancing bear on the squad. C'mon maaan! Lol

[ace3g]

So it came as no surprise that the magazine celebrated a decade of its rankings by naming the Spurs its “Team of the Decade.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/09/08/spurs-named-team-of-the-decade-in-espn-the-magazines-issue-that-is-all-about-sports-franchises-good-and-bad/

[Kidd K]

how did we not get number 1? We have a coyote as our mascot and a dancing bear on the squad. C'mon maaan! Lol

They've been catapaulted to the top with 3 super high draft picks in 3 straight years. Now that they have to pay them, their ability to trade or sign players will become extremely restricted (and I suspect they will run into the same issue of free agents not wanting to go play for them like we have). Especially since they have two 20+ FGA/game players on the team already. I expect them to sputter now after this next season, and slide down in those ranks once they lose Harden to a max deal some team will likely offer him.

[Clipper Nation]

Clippers listed as a much better franchise than the Lakers... well done, ESPN, for finally getting a list right, tbh....

[DMC]

What? So ESPN considers the Spurs an "old friend" but shits on them coverage wise throughout the season?

What a friend.

[crc21209]

Very well deserved is all I can say. We have probably the best group of guys in all of sports, from Pop to RC to the players themselves.....:tu

[Seventyniner]

What? So ESPN considers the Spurs an "old friend" but shits on them coverage wise throughout the season?

What a friend.

With friends like that, who needs enemies?

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

"Since Duncan joined the Spurs in 1997, San Antonio has compiled the best record in the NBA with a 830-352 record giving them a winning percentage of .702, the best mark of any team in the four major professional sports over the last 15 years. The Spurs record during that span ranks as the best 15-year run of any team in NBA history."


The greatness that is Tim Duncan cannot be stated enough. SA fans have had it easy these last 15 years.

[jag]

What? So ESPN considers the Spurs an "old friend" but shits on them coverage wise throughout the season?

What a friend.

Many at ESPN respect the accomplishments of the franchise but that doesn't mean casual fans want to watch the Spurs on prime time, or read about them on ESPN's homepage. Their broadcasts are geared towards getting ratings, not helping out an "old friend". Casual fan would rather watch/read about Lebron, Kobe and Dwight, than Gary Neal, Danny Green and three relatively low-key stars.

I don't understand why this still needs to be explained to Spurs fans.

[DMC]

Many at ESPN respect the accomplishments of the franchise but that doesn't mean casual fans want to watch the Spurs on prime time, or read about them on ESPN's homepage. Their broadcasts are geared towards getting ratings, not helping out an "old friend". Casual fan would rather watch/read about Lebron, Kobe and Dwight, than Gary Neal, Danny Green and three relatively low-key stars.

I don't understand why this still needs to be explained to Spurs fans.
My point is that all throughout the season there's constant whining here about how ESPN shits on the Spurs, yet when they give the Spurs some kind of meaningless tribute, suddenly ESPN is the voice of God.

There's some credence to that claim; the Spurs having won more rings in the past dozen years than any small market team in history, and 2nd only to LA, presumably would get more air play. They don't, and it's for the reasons you stated. To me, that means ESPN's take means shit. I don't care about their ratings, they either report on the NBA or they do tabloid journalism. The latter seems to be more their style. Who cares what kind of award a tabloid hands out unless your last name is Kardashian?

Name one other sport that "the best" gets no coverage.

[ace3g]

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/09/13/nba-ties-map-out-spurs-success/#7345101-17

[007nites]

Duncan, Parker, and Manu all made it to the top 40 players list of ESPN 2012-2013. They might even narrow it down to top 30.

[therealtruth]

"Since Duncan joined the Spurs in 1997, San Antonio has compiled the best record in the NBA with a 830-352 record giving them a winning percentage of .702, the best mark of any team in the four major professional sports over the last 15 years. The Spurs record during that span ranks as the best 15-year run of any team in NBA history."


The greatness that is Tim Duncan cannot be stated enough. SA fans have had it easy these last 15 years.

I hate to say it but regular season greatness is not as good as playoff greatness. Nobody cares about the regular season.

[Dex]

I hate to say it but regular season greatness is not as good as playoff greatness. Nobody cares about the regular season.

Those four titles didn't do it for you? Climbing to the 4th best team, championship-wise, in the span of a decade?

Spurs weren't going to become the Lakers or the Celtics over 15 years, and they didn't have Michael Jordan. I'm still damn proud of what they accomplished, and consider myself fortunate for having gotten to witness it.