Notorious H.O.P.
10-06-2005, 05:54 PM
SI.com - Don't Mess With Texas (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/kelly_dwyer/10/06/southwest.review/index.html)
After being ignored and hated on all these years, I don't know if I can stand any more "Spurs Love" from the media.
Reviews for the rest of the division at SI.com
San Antonio Spurs
Losses: Devin Brown (Jazz), Linton Johnson (Nets), Tony Massenburg.
Gains: Michael Finley (free agent), Fabricio Oberto (free agent), Nick Van Exel (free agent), Jawad Williams (free agent).
Offseason goals: Make sure every player knows when training camp starts; try to add two former All-Stars.
What really happened: I think they pulled it off.
This is the 30th team we've reviewed, and I can't think of a bigger disparity between the loss/gain columns for any of the previously touched-upon squads. Finley may not play a minute, and Van Exel may be washed-up, but it still amazes that a championship squad has the smarts to add these type of talents. Nutty. In the draft, they plucked 18-year old bruiser Ian Mahinmi, a project who will season himself overseas until the Spurs bring him stateside. Beyond that, Coach Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford topped themselves by adding Oberto, the best available foreign big man -- a player coveted by half the teams in the league. Brilliant. Another stellar offseason from the team that gets everything right.
Outlook: Anyone who doesn't think the Spurs are a mortal lock for their fourth championship should be ... well, after about 30 teams, the yuks tend to dry up.
(Mock applause fills the Internet)
Plan on another championship party on the Riverwalk next June.
After being ignored and hated on all these years, I don't know if I can stand any more "Spurs Love" from the media.
Reviews for the rest of the division at SI.com
San Antonio Spurs
Losses: Devin Brown (Jazz), Linton Johnson (Nets), Tony Massenburg.
Gains: Michael Finley (free agent), Fabricio Oberto (free agent), Nick Van Exel (free agent), Jawad Williams (free agent).
Offseason goals: Make sure every player knows when training camp starts; try to add two former All-Stars.
What really happened: I think they pulled it off.
This is the 30th team we've reviewed, and I can't think of a bigger disparity between the loss/gain columns for any of the previously touched-upon squads. Finley may not play a minute, and Van Exel may be washed-up, but it still amazes that a championship squad has the smarts to add these type of talents. Nutty. In the draft, they plucked 18-year old bruiser Ian Mahinmi, a project who will season himself overseas until the Spurs bring him stateside. Beyond that, Coach Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford topped themselves by adding Oberto, the best available foreign big man -- a player coveted by half the teams in the league. Brilliant. Another stellar offseason from the team that gets everything right.
Outlook: Anyone who doesn't think the Spurs are a mortal lock for their fourth championship should be ... well, after about 30 teams, the yuks tend to dry up.
(Mock applause fills the Internet)
Plan on another championship party on the Riverwalk next June.