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View Full Version : Summer 2003: "You and Timmy."



Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 04:25 PM
"You and Timmy" should be the Spurs' free agent recruiting pitch. "You and Timmy" will be counted on to lead this team to future glory. "You and Timmy" are the ones this team is going to lean on be successful. "You and Timmy" will be the face of this team for the rest of the decade.

"You and Timmy" makes it clear to the free agent that they won't be an afterthought, just another player on the team, but will be regarded as a star. "You and Timmy" also serves as a reminder that Duncan is still the franchise player and you are fortunate to have the opportunity to join a player like him in his prime. If there is a player who the Spurs will need to make this pitch to it is Jermaine O'Neal, in my opinion. Kidd knows what playing with Duncan means for his career and his twice-frustrated quest for a title. Ditto for Payton. Think Elton Brand is ready to get the hell out of Dodge? But Jermaine O'Neal is the Pacers franchise player in the center-less Eastern Conference. Individual glory is all but guaranteed for the rest of his career should he remain a Pacer. The Spurs need to sell O'Neal on the uniqueness of the opportunity of joining a player like Tim Duncan in his prime. Having David Robinson talk to him about his own championship frustrations prior to Duncan's arrival would be a good start. Bringing out George Gervin would be a great touch as well. Pointing out that great players on championship teams are often remembered more than great players on non-championship teams is also a good point to make. The bottomline is that the Spurs need to show him that they want him badly and that he has a real opportunity to distinguish his career in a league in which so many great players over the years have been desperate to be called.....a Champion.

scott
06-17-2003, 04:38 PM
Nice to see you talking some sense, SF.

Let's have the O'Brien sitting in a corner on the plane when we go to pick O'Neal up in Indianopolis in a few weeks too. Couldn't hurt.

Jimcs50
06-17-2003, 04:48 PM
Just ask him if everyone would know who Scottie Pippen was if he was playing on the Pacers or Cavs in the 90's , even if his numbers were better.

Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 04:50 PM
I always make sense. Some just fail to heed what I say.

SAmikeyp
06-17-2003, 05:10 PM
I like that idea Scott.

SaraPet
06-17-2003, 05:14 PM
"ME and Timmy"

Yeah, I like the sound of that! :eyebrow

baseline bum
06-17-2003, 05:20 PM
Picturing Duncan on Jermaine O'Neal's doorstep with an O'Brien trophy in each hand

Come on Jermaine, I'm running out of hands. You'll need to come here to carry the third.

Ghost Writer
06-17-2003, 05:23 PM
What about the free agents who don't want to be second fiddle to Timmy and want to get paid the most to be the #1 option on their team?










Question.




:cooldevil

CrazyOne
06-17-2003, 05:24 PM
And what a picture that is, Base... That would be the signing of the decade if the Spurs can convince him to bolt Indy.

Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 05:25 PM
Excellent idea bbum. Perhaps it should be Ice, DRob, and TD boarding that plane on the night of June 30th. The three current and future Spurs Hall of Famers going to pick up the 4th.

The Spurs need to show him love but definitely avoid overwhelming him. I'm sure that the front office has spent time finding out what they can about their free agent targets. They need to do a good job.

Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 05:31 PM
Also, I'm pretty sure that the Spurs should find no problem getting help locally during the recruitment process. McCombs is always big on getting involved with something that is 'good for San Antonio' like Hemisfair or that new Toyota plant, for example. He did help out with Derek Anderson's visit to SA in the summer of 2000.

Ghost Writer
06-17-2003, 05:33 PM
Call me a skeptic, but today's superstars always talk about winning a championship as being the #1 priority, but who actually puts that ahead of money?



The Spurs are fresh off a title and they have money to sign one of these superstar free agents to a max contract.

There's a warm weather city, a new arena, a new practice facility, a young nucleus in place and a MVP to carry most of the burden.


The Spurs shouldn't have to woo anyone; these free agents should be begging the Spurs to pay them to win here!

:cooldevil

Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 05:41 PM
What makes you think one hasn't been doing so already?

T Park Num 9
06-17-2003, 05:45 PM
I gaurantee right now jason Kidd is wishing he could just stay in town.


Jermaine Oneal and Tim Duncan together= 4 peat.

Ghost Writer
06-17-2003, 05:51 PM
"What makes you think one hasn't been doing so already?" — Marcus
I already explained that. Superstar free agents talk about going to a team that will give them a title, but usuallyy stick with the one that'll give them the most money.

This shouldn't be a hard sell for the Spurs. I we can't get a star with max money, a new arena, a new practice facility, a warm weather town, a MVP teammate, a title-worthy nucleus... we never will.



:cooldevil

Marcus Bryant
06-17-2003, 05:58 PM
Good. Then end this talk of settling for crap like Olowokandi.

Jimcs50
06-17-2003, 06:07 PM
Charles Barkley put it ahead of money when he went to Houston, but the Rockets crashed and burned anyway...but he turned down a lot more money from Denver and Dallas to go to Houston for the 1 million and a good chance at the brass ring

SAmikeyp
06-18-2003, 12:55 AM
Come on Jermaine, I'm running out of hands. You'll need to come here to carry the third.

great idea....get the plane ready!!!!

Ghost Writer
06-18-2003, 10:40 AM
I'll believe the superstar of the Spurs choosing comes here to play when I see it.

In the meantime, I am prepared for the coming of Olowokandi.


Despite having everything in the world to offer these free agents, still:


We're the Spurs.™