Phenomanul
06-13-2013, 09:27 AM
The way hall-of-famer David Robinson tells it, the atmosphere permeating the San Antonio Spurs wasn’t always one of professionalism and accountability.
Back in 1989, when the U.S. Naval Academy graduate nicknamed the Admiral joined the National Basketball Association franchise that’s become synonymous with selflessness, fundamentals and excellence, players routinely showed up for practice reeking of booze.
“How much do you have to drink to sweat alcohol?” asked Robinson, who after his NBA career co-founded Admiral Capital Group and whose Wall Street friends and advisers include JPMorgan (JPM) Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon and Avenue Capital Group LLC CEO Marc Lasry. “It was a bunch of total foolishness.”
Back then, Robinson says, teammates didn’t know what to make of the rookie who showed no inclination to join their carousing. The other Spurs took to calling him L-7, which Robinson at first thought was a term of endearment.
Laughing at how naive he was back then, Robinson makes an L with his left thumb and forefinger, and then a 7 with his right, his thumb at the top. He connects them to form a square.
“By the end of the week I realized they were making fun of me,” said Robinson, whose Spurs lead the Miami Heat 2-1 in the best-of-seven National Basketball Association Finals, which resumes tonight in San Antonio. “If I was going to be here, the culture was going to have to change.”
Keep reading.... http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-13/nba-s-robinson-jumps-to-admiral-as-dimon-calls-him-triple-threat.html?cmpid=yhoo
Back in 1989, when the U.S. Naval Academy graduate nicknamed the Admiral joined the National Basketball Association franchise that’s become synonymous with selflessness, fundamentals and excellence, players routinely showed up for practice reeking of booze.
“How much do you have to drink to sweat alcohol?” asked Robinson, who after his NBA career co-founded Admiral Capital Group and whose Wall Street friends and advisers include JPMorgan (JPM) Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon and Avenue Capital Group LLC CEO Marc Lasry. “It was a bunch of total foolishness.”
Back then, Robinson says, teammates didn’t know what to make of the rookie who showed no inclination to join their carousing. The other Spurs took to calling him L-7, which Robinson at first thought was a term of endearment.
Laughing at how naive he was back then, Robinson makes an L with his left thumb and forefinger, and then a 7 with his right, his thumb at the top. He connects them to form a square.
“By the end of the week I realized they were making fun of me,” said Robinson, whose Spurs lead the Miami Heat 2-1 in the best-of-seven National Basketball Association Finals, which resumes tonight in San Antonio. “If I was going to be here, the culture was going to have to change.”
Keep reading.... http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-13/nba-s-robinson-jumps-to-admiral-as-dimon-calls-him-triple-threat.html?cmpid=yhoo