spursupporter
12-08-2005, 04:59 AM
Johnny Ludden
Express-News staff writers
For the second time in three years, the Spurs have been named the top U.S. sports franchise in ESPN The Magazine's annual Ultimate Standings fan poll.
The Spurs, who also won the honor two years ago, ranked ahead of every NBA, NFL and MLB team. The NHL was not included in this year's poll because of its recent lockout.
More than 30,000 fans participated in the online poll, which grades franchises on fan relations, ownership, players, affordability, stadium experience, coaching and championships. In an eighth category, "Bang For the Buck," researchers at the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center measured how efficiently teams converted fan dollars into victories.
The Spurs finished first in fan relations, ownership and players. Coach Gregg Popovich ranked third among the 92 coaches.
"I think the standings are a great reflection on the character that our players espouse in their every-day lives," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "I think it's a great reflection on the relationships they have with their fans, and I think it's an affirmation of the culture that David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson and Pop brought to San Antonio and Tim (Duncan), Manu (Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) and the rest of the guys have continued."
In the poll's four years, the Spurs have never finished worse than third overall. The Detroit Pistons, who ranked first overall in last year's survey, finished second this year. The NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers were third.
The New Orleans Saints finished last.
Elliott praises Mourning: Count former Spurs forward Sean Elliott among those least surprised at the high level at which fellow kidney transplant recipient Alonzo Mourning has been playing this season.
Mourning, who received a transplanted kidney two years ago this month, went into Wednesday leading the NBA in blocked shots, at 4.0 per game. Since Shaquille O'Neal sprained his ankle in the second game of the season, Mourning has started, averaging nearly 30 minutes a game.
"I'm not surprised at all," said Elliott, the first athlete ever to play with a transplanted organ, in 1999. "He's a big, strong guy. I figured if I could do it, he could play for a long time."
Mourning has struggled some in the second game of back-to-back sets, particularly when the Heat played at Denver the night after beating the Kings in Sacramento. For the most part, though, he has had no difficulty with the heavy workload.
"You feel so much better (after the transplant)," Elliott said. "If I hadn't had the knee injuries nagging at me late in my career, I could have played lots of minutes. You're just as healthy and normal as anybody else. The biggest thing I had to worry about was staying hydrated. But (Mourning) could go out there and play a double-overtime game if he needed to."
The two players speak on a regular basis and share the goal of making others aware that transplant recipients need not be limited.
"He's playing with a lot of energy," Elliott said, "and that speaks well about what people can do with the techniques that are available now for transplantation. Heck, if my knees felt good, I could still go out there and play."
Express-News staff writers
For the second time in three years, the Spurs have been named the top U.S. sports franchise in ESPN The Magazine's annual Ultimate Standings fan poll.
The Spurs, who also won the honor two years ago, ranked ahead of every NBA, NFL and MLB team. The NHL was not included in this year's poll because of its recent lockout.
More than 30,000 fans participated in the online poll, which grades franchises on fan relations, ownership, players, affordability, stadium experience, coaching and championships. In an eighth category, "Bang For the Buck," researchers at the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center measured how efficiently teams converted fan dollars into victories.
The Spurs finished first in fan relations, ownership and players. Coach Gregg Popovich ranked third among the 92 coaches.
"I think the standings are a great reflection on the character that our players espouse in their every-day lives," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "I think it's a great reflection on the relationships they have with their fans, and I think it's an affirmation of the culture that David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson and Pop brought to San Antonio and Tim (Duncan), Manu (Ginobili) and Tony (Parker) and the rest of the guys have continued."
In the poll's four years, the Spurs have never finished worse than third overall. The Detroit Pistons, who ranked first overall in last year's survey, finished second this year. The NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers were third.
The New Orleans Saints finished last.
Elliott praises Mourning: Count former Spurs forward Sean Elliott among those least surprised at the high level at which fellow kidney transplant recipient Alonzo Mourning has been playing this season.
Mourning, who received a transplanted kidney two years ago this month, went into Wednesday leading the NBA in blocked shots, at 4.0 per game. Since Shaquille O'Neal sprained his ankle in the second game of the season, Mourning has started, averaging nearly 30 minutes a game.
"I'm not surprised at all," said Elliott, the first athlete ever to play with a transplanted organ, in 1999. "He's a big, strong guy. I figured if I could do it, he could play for a long time."
Mourning has struggled some in the second game of back-to-back sets, particularly when the Heat played at Denver the night after beating the Kings in Sacramento. For the most part, though, he has had no difficulty with the heavy workload.
"You feel so much better (after the transplant)," Elliott said. "If I hadn't had the knee injuries nagging at me late in my career, I could have played lots of minutes. You're just as healthy and normal as anybody else. The biggest thing I had to worry about was staying hydrated. But (Mourning) could go out there and play a double-overtime game if he needed to."
The two players speak on a regular basis and share the goal of making others aware that transplant recipients need not be limited.
"He's playing with a lot of energy," Elliott said, "and that speaks well about what people can do with the techniques that are available now for transplantation. Heck, if my knees felt good, I could still go out there and play."