Why should I not feel that the Spurs are going to dominate the league...

[Marcus Bryant]

...for the next 3 to 5 seasons?

Someone talk me out of it. Quick.

[boutons]

shit happens

[Marcus Bryant]

Good, but I need something better.

[boutons]

big, hot shit happens

[FromWayDowntown]

Uh, because we are talking about the Spurs franchise, after all.

History, history, history

[Medvedenko]

Injuries...apathy...arrogance...hey it happened in Laker Land...

[Solid D]

Over confidence sets you up for a big disappointment.

Next thing you know......

Ghost Writer is healthy, alive and posting again. :fro

[ShoogarBear]

"Dominate" means at least winning the championship.

Thinking three-peat when you haven't even won one it very bad.

[Nikos]

Lack of supporting talent around Duncan :cooldevil

[tlongII]

As soon as Duncan goes down for any significant amount of time the Spurs will suffer BIG TIME! That is bound to happen at least once during the next 3 to 5 years.

[ALVAREZ6]

Injuries...apathy...arrogance...hey it happened in Laker Land...


No arrogance in San Antonio.

Tim, Manu, Parker, Rasho, Bowen...

not a single spurs player is arrogant, or a show off of any type.

[ALVAREZ6]

the Spurs are gonna be a major power house for the next 3 to 5 years, no reason not to, all the starters have good contracts for years to come,

[Rummpd]

Here is the 2-3 way Spurs not winning multiple championships next 5, I can see one more no matter what!:

One of the following picks up another 1-2 true unselfish stars in this order and to me a healthy motivated on a new team Kidd is the scary wild card ala what Nash has meant to the Suns: Wolves, Kings (don't discount them at all yet), Rockets (could you imagine suddenly Kidd + what they have), Pistons, Pacers barring jail time, Heat, Suns/Seattle (maybe sign and trade Allan) and/or Dallas gets a real coach (Johnson not) + a true defensive and offensive center.

Others = is most scary thought I cannot dismiss what happens if 3 years Yao heads off of dissapointing Rockets to Lakers and actually gets motivated big time + one other star ala Kidd + Kobe = instant scary potenital threat!

Also, as much as I hate Jackson if he joins such a team = he knows how to jump on loaded teams and they would have an immediate credibility of a 9 championship coach.

However, odds are Spurs 2 championships in a row next 5 and they could win 3 easy if Scola or that Lithunian guy pans out and Parker/Beno keeps progressing etc.

MadDoc

[tlongII]

Lack of fan support.

[SpursFanInAustin]

Because we didn't sign Jamal Crawford!

:fro

[Rummpd]

NBA conspiracists will wonder if the ratings in a Spurs + Pistons or other series are again really low and next year a West or East team suddenly gets loaded ala my post above = sudden massive change salary cap rules, very stupid or unusual trade exception winked at by league among multiple teams, and or most probable league rules changed or whistles blow hard will really get the
Art Bell hotlines ringning"

I really don't believe it myself but yet back of mind?

Who cares we will still have a very classy and great team rest of this decade at least.

MadDoc

MadDoc

[ducks]

rasho gets hurt

[Rummpd]

"rasho gets hurt"

Rasho's value cannot be diminished despite the critics. What other team can put a top (in my book 1) three player + a top 15 big man and that is what he is (top 15 true big give me a list of 14 better!) for all his critics on the floor at the same time. The results are speaking for themselves, Rashosoft is an integral part of a great, great team.

[Rick Von Braun]

Fans (or posters) that don't believe in the talent we already have in this team.

With the core locked for a long time, and some good potential players developing abroad, the Spurs are going to get better every season, whether you like it or not.

Believe damn it!

[picnroll]

Likely two first round draft picks next year, albeit late first round.

[whottt]

1.The NBA isn't rooting for their smallest market to be a dynasty...they might tolerate it for a bit because of the Spurs potential to be an international attraction...but ESPN is going to absolutely hate it...There will be rule changes.

2.Injuries...As someone else mentioned...more success means more games, less rest...players can age fast and you can't count on our core to stay healthy...you have to keep assuming things will change and plan for disaster.

3.Rising expectations...if you think Spurfans are spoiled now...just wait till they get a few titles under their belts...and not just Spur fans either...media expectation will be greater...any loss wil be a total disaster and sign of an impending team collapse...for an example of this...just look at the Lakers....some of those morons celebrated Shaq leaving because they thought he was holding Kobe back...I gurantee you that within a few titles there will be fans that think Duncan is a weakness on this team...and the media loves that kind of controversy, they'll blow it out of proportion until all the players do is answer stupid questions like that...A dynasty will have a lot more pressure on it...

4.Simply...dynasties are hard to do...countless times teams seem to be set up for a dynasty and the end result is underwhelming...like the Lakers and the Cowboys...Things like salary caps and desire for parity on behalf of the league brass really make putting one together much more difficult...

If we rip off two titles in a row you can expect the league to make some rule changes designed to hurt our team more than any other...

And if dynasties in general are hard to pull off...small market dynasties are virtually impossible...

There have only been three true small market dynasties in all the pro-sports combined...The early NFL Packers, the 70's Steelers, and the 80's Edmonton Oilers...

2 of them predated mass appeal and truly big budgests in those sports...and one of them benefitted greatly from a lack of competitive Free Agency that also kept them from having budget issues...and that last one left a lot of bitter players in the wake of such an awesome dynasty.

5.Replacing the nuts and bolts....It's one thing to keep a group of stars together...it's another thing entirely to keep key complimentary pieces with them...especially when complimentary pieces start realizing how important they are and wanting to be paid...or when they just get old.

It wasn't Emmitt or Michael or Troy that leaving that killed the Cowboys offense..it was the retirment of Jay Novacek...Losing key supporting players like Russell Maryland, Larry Brown and Ken Norton didn't help either. It wasn't an on court injury to Kobe or Shaq that derailed the Laker train...if anything can be blamed on the court...it was maybe the loss of Rick Fox.

Another example of this type of thing...Stephen Jackson, Mario Elie.


6.And finally...the loss of key executive or coach, either to age, another franchise, or desire...

Just try and think about what would happen to this franchise without the services of Gregg Popovich...and I don't mean as the coach...I mean as defacto head honcho...he is the architect of this small market miracle more than any other, he was given a good situation, this is true...but he's played the hand he was dealt as well as it can be played and he has been lucky on top of it......he's better as an organization architect than he is a coach...Without Pop this situation becomes a whole lot more challenging for so many different reasons...and it will be hard to replace him as a coach as well.


Still with all that...the Spurs are in a pretty unique situation.

#1.They have their stars locked up long term and as well as most of their key supporting pieces. They also have a new CBA coming up and being one of the small markets should have input into a new CBA that favors them for the immediate future.
#2.Pop isn't going to stop preparing for the worst...he's already got picks set up for the future and a minor league system overseas.
#3.We still aren't on the radar of the national media and that's a good thing when it comes to planting a dynasty, as much as it pisses us off when we watch Sportcenter...
#4.The league has serious international ambitions, it's no secret they want NBA franchises in other countries.....there is plenty of reason for them to hold off on trying to bring the Spurs down to earth...for a few seasons anyway...even if we aren't a national success.
#5.Our international core and Duncan...these guys are just a little bit different than the typical American Stars...They may not be as suceptible to the media pressure as American players are. Most players would not be able to handle the in your face style of Pop...but Parker just looks at Pop like he is crazy when he is having a meltdown and doesn't take it personally....he seems oblivious to the fact that he could be insulted over Pop's actions...As for Duncan...he's a got a degree in psychology IIRC...he'll just toy with the media, won't get caught up in their mind games, and he will just ignore them if they get to pushy.

This is a unique situation...even if we don't make it as a dynasty...we at least get a shot at it...which is a hell of a lot more than most teams get...especially one in a market this size...so might as well strap in for the ride and as Drob would put it...enjoy the journey...it's going to be fun.

[Das Texan]

stern will fix it to where we will not dominate for more than one year at a time winning a title.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

No arrogance in San Antonio.

I have to disagree here, I'd argue that outside of the Seattle game the rest of our losses this year can and were attributed to our arrogance going into the game.

[Rummpd]

Spurs were also arrogant and or apathetic vs Sonics and will destroy them next game.

MadDoc

[Ghost Writer]

Um, because we're still not 100% sure that either Manu or Parker can be depended on to get it done in the playoffs as #2 options. It's not the same team without Robinson.

Of course, Shaq is in the East, so maybe our band of merry men is good enough now.

[T Park]

Manu or Parker can be depended on to get it done in the playoffs as #2 options.

who were the number 2 options in o3??

oh yea, them on some nights.


I think Ginobili is proving, that in the playoffs he can be relied on for every night contribution.

Parker?? Not yet, Ginobili?? Yes.

Thats why its critical that Barry (who im not worried about, talk about ice in the veins with those two free throws) and Devin learn to play together.

We might out of necessity have to see

Barry Brown Ginobili Rose Duncan sometimes.


1, Parker and Beno are ineffective (its honestly not realistic to expect Beno to be a stud in the playoffs)
2. Bowen could shoot bad, but who knows what you get
Philly, he stunk, Detroit, great.

Maybe this team sometimes needs the spotlight to perform big?

[SequSpur]

Parker is going to need a backup in the playoffs, he can't play 48 minutes a game. And usually the opponents guards are big names and I am not confident that Beno even after 82 games is going to be ready for that.

The Spurs should deal.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I think the biggest threat is in the possible rule changes. The Pistons are struggling with the refs clamping down on anything that looks remotely like the D they played last year. If the Spurs win look for a reversal of opinion on the changes that have allowed some version of a zone defense that the spurs used to slow the Nets to a crawl in 03. The spectre of injuries is always over every team's head as well