Kori Ellis
12-16-2004, 01:56 AM
Buck Harvey: No Elliott? If evil had been family
Web Posted: 12/16/2004 12:00 AM CST
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121604.1D.COL.BKNharvey.fa64023.html
San Antonio Express-News
Sean Elliott smiled broadly when the Spurs announced they will retire his jersey, and then he talked about what he loves.
"Family atmosphere," he said.
Not the Kobe Bryant kind of family atmosphere. The Gregg Popovich kind. And it was there again Wednesday evening when the Spurs overcame Orlando in the fourth quarter.
Then the Spurs were led by a homegrown lineup that has played a total 64 games for other NBA teams.
The five Magic players on the floor then? A total of 1,997.
Spurs' fans embrace this family, and they embrace the idea that their group is different. This is underscored every time Latrell Sprewell opens his mouth.
But Elliott's No. 32 jersey could have been taken in San Antonio by the time Elliott became a pro. This No. 32 could have changed other events, too. The No. 50 already hanging in the SBC Center, for example, likely would be elsewhere, too.
The greatest change, though, would have been something few in San Antonio can imagine today.
Karl Malone as family?
This reality almost happened. In 1985 the Jazz and the Spurs finished with identical, awful records. To determine the draft order, the league flipped a coin. No one thought much when the Jazz won.
Then draft night came, and a muscular kid from Louisiana Tech started to drop. The Spurs watched and prayed that Malone would fall to them, but the Jazz used their coin-flip advantage and took Malone with the 13th pick.
What would have been the best Spurs draft in history up until that time became the worst. Picking next, the Spurs claimed a smallish, erratic scorer named Alfredrick Hughes.
Hughes lasted a season in San Antonio. Malone went on to become the second-highest scorer in NBA history.
There are no guarantees Malone would have done the same in San Antonio. John Stockton wasn't here, and Spurs management wasn't as efficient then.
But it's not hard to think that Malone would have raised the Spurs to a non-lottery status by 1987. That would have taken the Spurs out of the running for David Robinson, and who knows what would have followed without him. Relocation?
Still, a hard-working power forward would have won over a few fans. Sure, Malone would have bloodied opponents along the way. But he also would have been the face of the franchise, promoted on billboards, photographed reading to children, sold as one of "ours."
It's the nature of the business. Franchise marketing departments want their players to be seen as good citizens, and the opposition gets the anti-family treatment.
Malone, wearing No. 32, sure did. Some announcers in town called Utah the "Evil Empire."
Elliott smiled at that Wednesday. "Every fan in every city," he said, "likes to think he's rooting for the good guys."
Players see things more clearly. Even Robinson, tormented by Malone and once decked by him, said in 2003 that the Spurs should try to sign Malone.
As for Utah being evil: That franchise is the one Popovich modeled the Spurs after.
Wednesday, at the press conference announcing Elliott's jersey retirement, Popovich talked about how Elliott had been one of those who set a tone for the franchise. A standard had been set, Popovich said. Respect for the game, being punctual, realizing the responsibility to fans and teammates.
Malone didn't meet this?
The same Popovich who believes in a certain kind of player also believes in more than image. He long had an interest in Sprewell, who he knew and liked in Golden State. And the sense of family didn't stop Popovich from signing the most personally flawed player of this Spurs' era, Vernon Maxwell.
Malone doesn't compare to Mad Max, nor has he ever been a bad influence for the basketball teams he's played for. He's simply been on the other side.
Does that make him a bad guy? Or someone the Spurs shouldn't want? "If Karl Malone had been here 15 years," Popovich said, "they'd have loved him."
It almost happened.
For another No. 32.
Web Posted: 12/16/2004 12:00 AM CST
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA121604.1D.COL.BKNharvey.fa64023.html
San Antonio Express-News
Sean Elliott smiled broadly when the Spurs announced they will retire his jersey, and then he talked about what he loves.
"Family atmosphere," he said.
Not the Kobe Bryant kind of family atmosphere. The Gregg Popovich kind. And it was there again Wednesday evening when the Spurs overcame Orlando in the fourth quarter.
Then the Spurs were led by a homegrown lineup that has played a total 64 games for other NBA teams.
The five Magic players on the floor then? A total of 1,997.
Spurs' fans embrace this family, and they embrace the idea that their group is different. This is underscored every time Latrell Sprewell opens his mouth.
But Elliott's No. 32 jersey could have been taken in San Antonio by the time Elliott became a pro. This No. 32 could have changed other events, too. The No. 50 already hanging in the SBC Center, for example, likely would be elsewhere, too.
The greatest change, though, would have been something few in San Antonio can imagine today.
Karl Malone as family?
This reality almost happened. In 1985 the Jazz and the Spurs finished with identical, awful records. To determine the draft order, the league flipped a coin. No one thought much when the Jazz won.
Then draft night came, and a muscular kid from Louisiana Tech started to drop. The Spurs watched and prayed that Malone would fall to them, but the Jazz used their coin-flip advantage and took Malone with the 13th pick.
What would have been the best Spurs draft in history up until that time became the worst. Picking next, the Spurs claimed a smallish, erratic scorer named Alfredrick Hughes.
Hughes lasted a season in San Antonio. Malone went on to become the second-highest scorer in NBA history.
There are no guarantees Malone would have done the same in San Antonio. John Stockton wasn't here, and Spurs management wasn't as efficient then.
But it's not hard to think that Malone would have raised the Spurs to a non-lottery status by 1987. That would have taken the Spurs out of the running for David Robinson, and who knows what would have followed without him. Relocation?
Still, a hard-working power forward would have won over a few fans. Sure, Malone would have bloodied opponents along the way. But he also would have been the face of the franchise, promoted on billboards, photographed reading to children, sold as one of "ours."
It's the nature of the business. Franchise marketing departments want their players to be seen as good citizens, and the opposition gets the anti-family treatment.
Malone, wearing No. 32, sure did. Some announcers in town called Utah the "Evil Empire."
Elliott smiled at that Wednesday. "Every fan in every city," he said, "likes to think he's rooting for the good guys."
Players see things more clearly. Even Robinson, tormented by Malone and once decked by him, said in 2003 that the Spurs should try to sign Malone.
As for Utah being evil: That franchise is the one Popovich modeled the Spurs after.
Wednesday, at the press conference announcing Elliott's jersey retirement, Popovich talked about how Elliott had been one of those who set a tone for the franchise. A standard had been set, Popovich said. Respect for the game, being punctual, realizing the responsibility to fans and teammates.
Malone didn't meet this?
The same Popovich who believes in a certain kind of player also believes in more than image. He long had an interest in Sprewell, who he knew and liked in Golden State. And the sense of family didn't stop Popovich from signing the most personally flawed player of this Spurs' era, Vernon Maxwell.
Malone doesn't compare to Mad Max, nor has he ever been a bad influence for the basketball teams he's played for. He's simply been on the other side.
Does that make him a bad guy? Or someone the Spurs shouldn't want? "If Karl Malone had been here 15 years," Popovich said, "they'd have loved him."
It almost happened.
For another No. 32.