2011 Texas Rangers all over again :(

[Spurs rock]

http://youtu.be/Go1raoqHZkU

:depressed

[Dingle Barry]

As a Cardinals fan, that was some of the most awesome shit of all time. Deep Freese!

[LakerLanny]

2013 Toronto Maple Leafs come to mind also, blowing a 3 goal lead with 5 minutes left in a Game 7? That and the Rangers is very comparable to what happened to the Spurs last night.

[elmanutres]

how be we play game 7 first before we make comparisons

[hater]

what comes to mind is France losing to Italy on penalty kicks after your best player ever was baited to headbut someone and gets ejected

[Sean Cagney]

how be we play game 7 first before we make comparisonsHopefully they make up for it then, otherwise we will be comparing all summer.

[SpursFanInAustin]

I'm a Braves fan, and I compare that to the 1991 Braves losing in 11 innings to the Twins. Pop pulling Duncan/Parker out of the game was the equivalent to Bobby Cox putting in Charlie Leibrandt to face Kirby Puckett and the rest is history, so I know how you feel.

[midnightpulp]

2013 Toronto Maple Leafs come to mind also, blowing a 3 goal lead with 5 minutes left in a Game 7? That and the Rangers is very comparable to what happened to the Spurs last night.

And the Bartman game and 18-1.

Us Spurs fans can't get too dejected, though. If you offered me in '95 after Hakeem brutalized the Admiral that the Spurs would win 4 titles on the condition that I'd have to experience an all-time heartbreaking Finals loss, I'd take that deal in an instant.

You started the thread about this series defining the Spurs historical legacy, but now I think that narrative has shifted to defining us as fans. Spurs are a relatively young franchise who've won more titles than franchises that have been around since the inception of the NBA. We've been fortunate to win two lottery picks that led to the drafting of two great big man, one which became the backbone of a quasi-dynasty. We've been fortunate to root for a team that perennially makes the playoffs. We've been fortunate that the injury bug hasn't changed the destiny of the franchise, like the Trailblazers. And we've been fortunate to never really experience a heartbreaking loss of this magnitude. .4 and the Manu foul are pretty much blips on the radar as far as all-time crushing losses go.

Maybe the Duncan-era Spurs won't enter the annals of the historically great alongside Magic's Lakers, Russell's Celtics, and Jordan's Bulls, but also maybe we as fans haven't yet paid the price to deserve the team we root for to stand alongside the fans of those teams who had some truly heartbreaking stuff to deal with (Lakers fans during the 60's; the '84 Finals; Game 4 of the '08 Finals; Celtics fans with the Len Bias and Reggie Lewis deaths; and Bulls fans might finally pay the basketball gods for the Jordan-era with the Derrick Rose injury).

The basketball gods came to collect payment last night for the 4 titles they gave us, but we can take solace that they didn't forever forsake us like they seem to be doing to the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and the Sacramento Kings.

[LakerLanny]

And the Bartman game and 18-1.

Us Spurs fans can't get too dejected, though. If you offered me in '95 after Hakeem brutalized the Admiral that the Spurs would win 4 titles on the condition that I'd have to experience an all-time heartbreaking Finals loss, I'd take that deal in an instant.

You started the thread about this series defining the Spurs historical legacy, but now I think that narrative has shifted to defining us as fans. Spurs are a relatively young franchise who've won more titles than franchises that have been around since the inception of the NBA. We've been fortunate to win two lottery picks that led to the drafting of two great big man, one which became the backbone of a quasi-dynasty. We've been fortunate to root for a team that perennially makes the playoffs. We've been fortunate that the injury bug hasn't changed the destiny of the franchise, like the Trailblazers. And we've been fortunate to never really experience a heartbreaking loss of this magnitude. .4 and the Manu foul are pretty much blips on the radar as far as all-time crushing losses go.

Maybe the Duncan-era Spurs won't enter the annals of the historically great alongside Magic's Lakers, Russell's Celtics, and Jordan's Bulls, but also maybe we as fans haven't yet paid the price to deserve the team we root for to stand alongside the fans of those team's who had some truly heartbreaking stuff to deal with (Lakers fans during the 60's; the '84 Finals; Game 4 of the '08 Finals; Celtics fans with the Len Bias and Reggie Lewis deaths; and Bulls fans might finally pay the basketball gods for the Jordan-era with the Derrick Rose injury).

The basketball gods came to collect payment last night for the 4 titles they gave us, but we can take solace that didn't forever forsake us like they seem to be doing to the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and the Sacramento Kings.

Great post, well stated. I had tried to blot the 84 Finals and Game 4 of 2008 out of my memory, thanks for reminding me!

Nothing was worst than the 84 Finals....losing to the Celtics again after never beating them in the Finals when we knew for sure we had the better team makes me angry to this day. Thank God we beat them in 1985 on their home floor, that was still the sweetest Laker title ever....nothing will ever compare to that.

[midnightpulp]

Great post, well stated. I had tried to blot the 84 Finals and Game 4 of 2008 out of my memory, thanks for reminding me!

Nothing was worst than the 84 Finals....losing to the Celtics again after never beating them in the Finals when we knew for sure we had the better team makes me angry to this day. Thank God we beat them in 1985 on their home floor, that was still the sweetest Laker title ever....nothing will ever compare to that.

And that's how we'll feel if the Spurs lose this series. At first, I thought Miami was the better team, but the better team doesn't fall behind by 13 in a close out game six on their home floor, go up by 3 with 2 minutes left and then finds itself down by 5 a minute later. Miami tried to give the Spurs the title and the Spurs simply muffed it.

And it stings, but I think it's a sting this fanbase needed, and which is now why I understand why some opposing fanbases call us entitled brats. Nothing has ever really went wrong in Spurs land until last night, and since we never had a truly heartbreaking loss to deal with, this fanbase over exaggerates games like .4 and the Manu foul, which were painful but not necessarily soul crushing.

[T Park]

As a Cardinals fan, that was some of the most awesome shit of all time. Deep Freese!


Haha yes it was.

[SpursDynasty21]

As a Cardinals fan, that was some of the most awesome shit of all time. Deep Freese!

I'm a Cardinals fan, too. The Cardinals were a team that never gave up. Let's hope the Spurs are the same.

[Budkin]

Can't believe no one brought this up but how about the 86 Red Sox? I was on the other side of that as a Mets fan. It was euphoria for me but absolute agony for Sox fans. One strike away. They showed the locker room and the champagne being wheeled out. Then had to take it all down. Almost exactly what happened last night. Please God, don't let the Spurs fall into that box of infamy. Please?

[midnightpulp]

Can't believe no one brought this up but how about the 86 Red Sox? I was on the other side of that as a Mets fan. It was euphoria for me but absolute agony for Sox fans. One strike away. They showed the locker room and the champagne being wheeled out. Then had to take it all down. Almost exactly what happened last night. Please God, don't let the Spurs fall into that box of infamy. Please?

This loss will never compare to the '86 World Series for the simple fact the Red Sox were on a 68 year long title drought and have already previously experienced some of the most heartbreaking losses in baseball history.

Us Spurs fans really are newcomers to heartbreak, so we've been pretty damn lucky.

If this happened to say the Phoenix Suns or the Utah Jazz, it would've been on that level for sure.

[pgardn]

And that's how we'll feel if the Spurs lose this series. At first, I thought Miami was the better team, but the better team doesn't fall behind by 13 in a close out game six on their home floor, go up by 3 with 2 minutes left and then finds itself down by 5 a minute later. Miami tried to give the Spurs the title and the Spurs simply muffed it.

And it stings, but I think it's a sting this fanbase needed, and which is now why I understand why some opposing fanbases call us entitled brats. Nothing has ever really went wrong in Spurs land until last night, and since we never had a truly heartbreaking loss to deal with, this fanbase over exaggerates games like .4 and the Manu foul, which were painful but not necessarily soul crushing.

3-1 up against the Washington Bullets , destined to be the first ABA team in the finals, and lost 4-3.

We had game 5 won, and Billy PAultz was called for a moving screen after James Silas had hit a shot I think. We had that game bagged.

My dad went nuts. Total choke. My worst Spurs nightmare because I was young and was sure we were in. Lessons in humility make a better fan.

[midnightpulp]

3-1 up against the Washington Bullets , destined to be the first ABA team in the finals, and lost 4-3.

We had game 5 won, and Billy PAultz was called for a moving screen after James Silas had hit a shot I think. We had that game bagged.

My dad went nuts. Total choke. My worst Spurs nightmare because I was young and was sure we were in. Lessons in humility make a better fan.

Exactly.

And it's a lesson some of the younger Spurs fans needed. The Robinson/Duncan era has been pretty smooth sailing overall, providing much more joy than heartbreak.

[JJBarea]

I made the comparison as soon as the Spurs lost. It's almost uncanny. Those 2011 Rangers and these 2013 Spurs have come as close as humanly possible to winning a championship and not getting it. Only difference is, that Rangers team is history. The Spurs live to fight for a game 7. No more parallels. Get it done, Spurs.

[dallasmaverickslose]

http://youtu.be/Go1raoqHZkU

:depressed

If I recall correctly, the Rangers lost that series.

Now... Here's some BREAKING NEWS! The Spurs still have another game to play! That means... The series has NOT BEEN DECIDED YET!

Get your chin up son. Root for this team with confidence. No regrets.

[Budkin]

And the Bartman game and 18-1.

Us Spurs fans can't get too dejected, though. If you offered me in '95 after Hakeem brutalized the Admiral that the Spurs would win 4 titles on the condition that I'd have to experience an all-time heartbreaking Finals loss, I'd take that deal in an instant.

You started the thread about this series defining the Spurs historical legacy, but now I think that narrative has shifted to defining us as fans. Spurs are a relatively young franchise who've won more titles than franchises that have been around since the inception of the NBA. We've been fortunate to win two lottery picks that led to the drafting of two great big man, one which became the backbone of a quasi-dynasty. We've been fortunate to root for a team that perennially makes the playoffs. We've been fortunate that the injury bug hasn't changed the destiny of the franchise, like the Trailblazers. And we've been fortunate to never really experience a heartbreaking loss of this magnitude. .4 and the Manu foul are pretty much blips on the radar as far as all-time crushing losses go.

Maybe the Duncan-era Spurs won't enter the annals of the historically great alongside Magic's Lakers, Russell's Celtics, and Jordan's Bulls, but also maybe we as fans haven't yet paid the price to deserve the team we root for to stand alongside the fans of those teams who had some truly heartbreaking stuff to deal with (Lakers fans during the 60's; the '84 Finals; Game 4 of the '08 Finals; Celtics fans with the Len Bias and Reggie Lewis deaths; and Bulls fans might finally pay the basketball gods for the Jordan-era with the Derrick Rose injury).

The basketball gods came to collect payment last night for the 4 titles they gave us, but we can take solace that they didn't forever forsake us like they seem to be doing to the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and the Sacramento Kings.

:tu damn good take mid! Gonna bookmark this and read it to cheer me up if we lose. Really puts things in perspective.

[TheGreatYacht]

Put it this way, if the Heat hadn't done that pus*y shit of joining forces to buy a ring, then the Spurs would be the 2013 NBA champions by default. OKC might have been the 2012 NBA champions or maybe in even the Spurs because the cHeaters (Lebron) would not have gone to the NBA finals therefore $tern and the ref$ would not have screwed us on Game 6 @ OKC last year. All of the above is the reason why I hate the cHeat and Lebron with a passion. I used to admire Lebron when he was in Cleveland but once he pulled "his decision" and decided to become a fag*ot flopper, that is when I started to hate him. I can't stand the hype that Lebron gets from the media. ESPN made me become a Kobe and Lebron hater, just like my boy Bruce Blitz.

[Budkin]

For me personally the only other thing that comes close to this is the Scott Norwood missed FG in Superbowl XXV. 1 foot to the left and the Bills are champions. Instead it starts an embarrassing streak of lost Superbowls that will come to be referenced as the inability to close the deal again and again. Next to last night that was probably the worst sports moment ever for me. I was in high school but it was the first time I saw grown men tearing up over a game. The only thing is this time the Spurs get a do-over.

[midnightpulp]

For me personally the only other thing that comes close to this is the Scott Norwood missed FG in Superbowl XXV. 1 foot to the left and the Bills are champions. Instead it starts an embarrassing streak of lost Superbowls that will come to be referenced as the inability to close the deal again and again. Next to last night that was probably the worst sports moment ever for me. I was in high school but it was the first time I saw grown men tearing up over a game. The only thing is this time the Spurs get a do-over.

Last night's loss really does pale in comparison to Norwood's missed FG, since the Bills had 3 extra shots at a Superbowl victory and never redeemed themselves.

The Spurs loss is definitely a stinger, but the 4 titles really do go a long way in treating the psychological wounds we're all feeling right now.

Just ask yourself this: If a "basketball god" descended from the Heavens and offered you a deal of 4 more titles in the next 15 years on the condition that you would have to suffer a chokejob like this all over again in pursuit of the 5th, you'd take it. We'd all take it.

Make no mistake, I'm still pissed, agitated, and demoralized, and we might even be more demoralized tomorrow night, but that's the price you sometimes have to pay as a fan.

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

Exactly!

As a Rangers fan, that World Series defeat was DEVASTATING.

[Budkin]

Exactly!

As a Rangers fan, that World Series defeat was DEVASTATING.

Man I can't believe you might have to go through this TWICE! Let's hope the gods have mercy!

[Arcadian]

:lol baseball

[senorglory]

One big difference... Who the fuck cares about baseball?!