Rummpd
08-31-2005, 11:36 PM
Two stories to share on Spurs - one on how you can help.
How do they Do This?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Peter Rumm, MD
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Sep 1, 2005, 00:05
How do they do this?
That is right, we are discussing today the same "small market", 2 for 3 years (and 3-7 year) NBA Championship Team that many of you love to hate and diss. You know who I am talking about now don't you?
That is ok if that is your perception. I prefer to side with some true NBA and loyal fans of what I feel remains among the classiest organizations and most successful on so many paramaters in all of sports.
Furthermore, as a writer and fan I am going to let you in again on a real secret: Brace yourself for another championship year and learn to enjoy it = these are truly now the "not really boring no more San Antonio Spurs".
Now ask yourself some additional questions:
How does a team that has seemingly in a stealthy way, come on strong in typical quiet fashion and dominate the off-season and pick not only the clutch play of a Nick Van Exel but also a veteran all star in Michael Finley?
How do they keep player after player like a Duncan, Ginobili, Parker and Horry from potentially more lucrative offers?
How do they make even a Glenn Robinson play into the system last year?
How do they keep winning and adding to a historic winning percentage since one Tim Duncan joined them and after the still great David Robinson retired?
How do they keep drafting late picks like the Beno Udrih's, Tony Parker's or Manu Ginobili's and/or end up picking up a international star in Fabricio Obierto "on the sly"?
How did they really convince Isiah Thomas and the Knicks to trade Nazr Muhammed for Malik Rose (who I for one, still have a lot of respect for, but honestly NBA fans, Mr. Muhammed fits the Spurs needs more)?
How do they, as now 3x recent champions, continually fly under the national press radar - when they in reality will most likely (when all is said and done) be the historical team of the 1999-09 decade and not the vaunted Lakers?
How do they get players to buy into teamwork, defense and getting involved in the community?
How? Through sheer class, great coaching, a great front office, organizational pride and hard work that is how!
Take a deep breath other teams, fans, and players and sit back and prepare to see the Spurs add to their hardware in not only the upcoming season but for years to come. They will be severely tested by the Pacers, Pistons, Mavericks, Suns, Heat, Rockets, Nuggets and perhaps others but surely now Tim Duncan will not finish his career with "only" 3 titles.
In summary, I have a way to remember and relish these "boring" Spurs. Meanwhile, I am teaching a way of remembering my passion for them from afar* to my 7 y/o boy(In my personal opinion, he can do a lot worse in life than learning to respect and root for this franchise):
S Solid
P - Professionalism
U Under-appreciated
R Resilient
S - So Good you Forget how Good these 3 Times Champions Really Are and Can Be!
*I live in Philadelphia but still will travel near and far to see the Spurs and the player for the ages, Duncan play.
Thanks NBA Players and How You Can Also Help!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Peter Rumm, MD
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Aug 31, 2005, 22:13
Talk about doing it right the NBA players have already got involved in the relief efforts!
Thanks to all that are involved, you really are role models for our nation and our youth. Thanks also to other NBA fans who I am sure are doing there part already in so many ways, and my heart goes out to anyone personally affected.
What can you do yourself to get involved? As a sportswriter but also as a Director of a Center on Public Health Readiness and Communication (at Drexel School of Public Health) and former health official in several sectors I have some recommendations for you:
1) Work through organized relief efforts those organized by the Red Cross, civic organizations like Rotary, major businesses etc. are usually cost-effective and really help.
2) Right now what is most likely needed is not on-site volunteers (except when called upon by usually previous planned arrangements) but fiscal and/or behind the scenes support.
3) Realize that relief efforts and ongoing support will go on not for days but for months, it will take that long to not only heal in a physical sense but also in terms of the enormous emotional toil it will take. There will be plenty of opportunities for many people to get involved long-term and help sustain and mitigate the after effects, which will go for years.
4) Support governmental efforts with the understanding that while not always perfect, they are substantial, even when faced by such a huge historic disaster with such severe flooding.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security fortunately has created (through a presidential directive and a huge national effort) a revised National Disaster Response Plan - that is I am sure helping guided a lot of current coordination among so many agencies and sectors.
Believe me, besides what you see in the news, our governments and other organizations are quietly shifting loads of logistical and personnel support to the affected area.
For more information, here a few good sites: The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org; www.fema.gov (The Federal Emergency Management Agency) www.apha.org (American Public Health Association - an association for public health), www.dhs.gov (Homeland Security), www.dhhs.gov and it agencies including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov; and the American Association of Schools of Public Health at www.asph.org (.)
I am personally on the Board of Trustees for another association of concerned professionals of public health advocacy doctors called the American Association of Public Health Physicians and our web site is at www.aaphp.org (.)
I am also a Fellow of American College of Preventive Medicine at www.acpm.org that is the formal professional organization for doctors trained in public health fields.
As a member of the larger American Medical Association, I know their web site can be accessed at www.ama.org and they have a real expert in preparedness in Dr. James James, the former health officer of the City of Miami.
All these organizations should have staff or at least e-mail portals who can help direct inquires.
Or if you have an urgent concern feel free to e-mail me and I will try to help at [email protected] (or if it very time sensitive and related to my Centers work at [email protected] (.)
Thanks for caring it is really in times like this that people, communities and nations really shine; and the NBA and its players are setting a fine example!
How do they Do This?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Peter Rumm, MD
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Sep 1, 2005, 00:05
How do they do this?
That is right, we are discussing today the same "small market", 2 for 3 years (and 3-7 year) NBA Championship Team that many of you love to hate and diss. You know who I am talking about now don't you?
That is ok if that is your perception. I prefer to side with some true NBA and loyal fans of what I feel remains among the classiest organizations and most successful on so many paramaters in all of sports.
Furthermore, as a writer and fan I am going to let you in again on a real secret: Brace yourself for another championship year and learn to enjoy it = these are truly now the "not really boring no more San Antonio Spurs".
Now ask yourself some additional questions:
How does a team that has seemingly in a stealthy way, come on strong in typical quiet fashion and dominate the off-season and pick not only the clutch play of a Nick Van Exel but also a veteran all star in Michael Finley?
How do they keep player after player like a Duncan, Ginobili, Parker and Horry from potentially more lucrative offers?
How do they make even a Glenn Robinson play into the system last year?
How do they keep winning and adding to a historic winning percentage since one Tim Duncan joined them and after the still great David Robinson retired?
How do they keep drafting late picks like the Beno Udrih's, Tony Parker's or Manu Ginobili's and/or end up picking up a international star in Fabricio Obierto "on the sly"?
How did they really convince Isiah Thomas and the Knicks to trade Nazr Muhammed for Malik Rose (who I for one, still have a lot of respect for, but honestly NBA fans, Mr. Muhammed fits the Spurs needs more)?
How do they, as now 3x recent champions, continually fly under the national press radar - when they in reality will most likely (when all is said and done) be the historical team of the 1999-09 decade and not the vaunted Lakers?
How do they get players to buy into teamwork, defense and getting involved in the community?
How? Through sheer class, great coaching, a great front office, organizational pride and hard work that is how!
Take a deep breath other teams, fans, and players and sit back and prepare to see the Spurs add to their hardware in not only the upcoming season but for years to come. They will be severely tested by the Pacers, Pistons, Mavericks, Suns, Heat, Rockets, Nuggets and perhaps others but surely now Tim Duncan will not finish his career with "only" 3 titles.
In summary, I have a way to remember and relish these "boring" Spurs. Meanwhile, I am teaching a way of remembering my passion for them from afar* to my 7 y/o boy(In my personal opinion, he can do a lot worse in life than learning to respect and root for this franchise):
S Solid
P - Professionalism
U Under-appreciated
R Resilient
S - So Good you Forget how Good these 3 Times Champions Really Are and Can Be!
*I live in Philadelphia but still will travel near and far to see the Spurs and the player for the ages, Duncan play.
Thanks NBA Players and How You Can Also Help!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Peter Rumm, MD
for HOOPSWORLD.com
Aug 31, 2005, 22:13
Talk about doing it right the NBA players have already got involved in the relief efforts!
Thanks to all that are involved, you really are role models for our nation and our youth. Thanks also to other NBA fans who I am sure are doing there part already in so many ways, and my heart goes out to anyone personally affected.
What can you do yourself to get involved? As a sportswriter but also as a Director of a Center on Public Health Readiness and Communication (at Drexel School of Public Health) and former health official in several sectors I have some recommendations for you:
1) Work through organized relief efforts those organized by the Red Cross, civic organizations like Rotary, major businesses etc. are usually cost-effective and really help.
2) Right now what is most likely needed is not on-site volunteers (except when called upon by usually previous planned arrangements) but fiscal and/or behind the scenes support.
3) Realize that relief efforts and ongoing support will go on not for days but for months, it will take that long to not only heal in a physical sense but also in terms of the enormous emotional toil it will take. There will be plenty of opportunities for many people to get involved long-term and help sustain and mitigate the after effects, which will go for years.
4) Support governmental efforts with the understanding that while not always perfect, they are substantial, even when faced by such a huge historic disaster with such severe flooding.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security fortunately has created (through a presidential directive and a huge national effort) a revised National Disaster Response Plan - that is I am sure helping guided a lot of current coordination among so many agencies and sectors.
Believe me, besides what you see in the news, our governments and other organizations are quietly shifting loads of logistical and personnel support to the affected area.
For more information, here a few good sites: The American Red Cross at www.redcross.org; www.fema.gov (The Federal Emergency Management Agency) www.apha.org (American Public Health Association - an association for public health), www.dhs.gov (Homeland Security), www.dhhs.gov and it agencies including the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov; and the American Association of Schools of Public Health at www.asph.org (.)
I am personally on the Board of Trustees for another association of concerned professionals of public health advocacy doctors called the American Association of Public Health Physicians and our web site is at www.aaphp.org (.)
I am also a Fellow of American College of Preventive Medicine at www.acpm.org that is the formal professional organization for doctors trained in public health fields.
As a member of the larger American Medical Association, I know their web site can be accessed at www.ama.org and they have a real expert in preparedness in Dr. James James, the former health officer of the City of Miami.
All these organizations should have staff or at least e-mail portals who can help direct inquires.
Or if you have an urgent concern feel free to e-mail me and I will try to help at [email protected] (or if it very time sensitive and related to my Centers work at [email protected] (.)
Thanks for caring it is really in times like this that people, communities and nations really shine; and the NBA and its players are setting a fine example!