4 Rings

[FromWayDowntown]

I woke up this morning thinking about 4 rings. I don't own them; I didn't earn them; I actually played virtually no role in their acquisition. But I watched a group of men work their asses off to win them; I saw that group of men earn them; I know the roles each played in their acquisition.

Of late, the accomplishments of those men have been downplayed, diminished, and derided in some corners. They're called Sp*rs or Sterns or any number of other equally juvenile things. Ironically, they've been branded in those terms by people who (I suspect) haven't ever watched a group of men work that hard to accomplish something and who've never appreciated the degree to which a championship pedigree is earned. The suggestion that those men have just "had things given to them" is sickening to me. Honestly, while I try not to let things said by fans of other teams bother me much, I cannot stand the suggestion that these men haven't earned the fruits of their hard work and sacrifice.

The burning ire that listening to such nonsense creates in me has, I think, fueled me. But it also gives me perspective.

I expect the Spurs to win.

I expect the Spurs to win not because some higher power wills it, but because those men understand specifically that nothing is given to a team a playoff time -- that everything is earned.

I expect the Spurs to win not because teams will be intimidated by banners or designations, but because all of the things that those banners and designations stand for are the things that a team and its players must be about when the games matter the most.

I expect them to win not because the Spurs franchise has won four championships, but because the men who wear the Spurs uniform understand fully the work and sacrifice that it takes to reach that pinnacle.

Earlier this week, I hoped the Spurs would win. Thinking more and more about those 4 rings, those 4 trophies, those 4 banners, those 4 celebrations -- thinking more and more about all that made those things possible, I changed my mind.

I expect the Spurs will win.

Believe.

5.

[easjer]

Let it be.

Believe.

[stretch]

after this postseason the spurs will have only 3 rings

[ancestron]

after this postseason the spurs will have only 3 rings

Huh?

[stretch]

yup

[ancestron]

ok. that makes sense.

[SpursFanFirst]

My guess is that Stretch is saying one of the Championships is tainted. :sleep

[rAm]

If the spurs win a back-to-back title this season, they will go down as one of the top - 5 teams of all time.

If the spurs lose in the playoffs this season, they will be disrespected just as they always have been for a long time.

While this isn't our last shot at a title with the big 3, we will have to do A LOT of work to get a new group of young players fit to win a title before the Duncan dominance era is over.


:lobt: Let's show the league us veterans can still rock some faces! :lobt:

[coachmac87]

people we got this shit on lock....spurs gonna repeat. were about to see the best we have ever seen the spurs. if anybody has something to prove its us! nobody thinks we can repeat and show we are legit champs. people respect the spurs but TRUST me they will respect us more if we repeat and we will be called the back2back champs every time we are mentioned and it will give us a swagger come 09 playoffs....i cant wait to see what are team looks like after this offseason...yall people getting ready for that repeat???? im lookin forward to tha 3peat.....:lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt: 6!

[DarrinS]

Good post. I agree.


The worst thing that could ever happen to us, as a fanbase, is that we start to feel ENTITLED to a championship. That mentality is what really irks me about Suns fans. To them, their team never loses. They just get robbed, or "jobbed", or whatever.


I'm fired up about this series and I hope the Spurs can send those bitches on early vacation -- AGAIN.



:flag:

[ancestron]

people we got this shit on lock....spurs gonna repeat. were about to see the best we have ever seen the spurs. if anybody has something to prove its us! nobody thinks we can repeat and show we are legit champs. people respect the spurs but TRUST me they will respect us more if we repeat and we will be called the back2back champs every time we are mentioned and it will give us a swagger come 09 playoffs....i cant wait to see what are team looks like after this offseason...yall people getting ready for that repeat???? im lookin forward to tha 3peat.....:lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt: 6!

easy there turbo

[1Parker1]

Win or Lose, Spurs are going to make it go down to the wire and give it their all. I have no doubts about that.

Not many fans who's teams exit the playoffs year in and year out can say that about their team. I don't expect the Spurs to fold, I don't expect them to get frazzled, I don't expect them to get intimidated. If a team is to beat them 4 times out of 7, they're going to have to have give it their all and hope lucky bounces go their way.

[coachmac87]

Win or Lose, Spurs are going to make it go down to the wire and give it their all. I have no doubts about that.

Not many fans who's teams exit the playoffs year in and year out can say that about their team. I don't expect the Spurs to fold, I don't expect them to get frazzled, I don't expect them to get intimidated. If a team is to beat them 4 times out of 7, they're going to have to have give it their all and hope lucky bounces go their way.


exactly people always forget how we exited the time we didnt win the ship...

fuckin dallas played their best and ass off and they only won because of the spurs fucked up with manu foul....

and then the lakers .4 that was just one of the best games ever but it doesnt get all the talk because people kno that fisher couldnt have got that shot off in that time......

its gonna take all of your effort and then u just gotta pray spurs gonna hand it to ya or spurs just get cheated lol

[coachmac87]

12) Which team will win the NBA title?

33.3% Boston Celtics
25.9% Los Angeles Lakers
8.8% Phoenix Suns
8.0% Detroit Pistons
6.9% San Antonio Spurs
3.1% Utah Jazz
2.9% Dallas Mavericks
2.8% New Orleans Hornets
2.2% Cleveland Cavaliers
1.6% Denver Nuggets
1.2% Houston Rockets
1.0% Orlando Magic
0.7% Philadelphia 76ers
0.6% Atlanta Hawks
0.6% Washington Wizards
0.3% Toronto Raptors

Total Votes: 73,920

poll on espn.......and people say the suns are the team that has something to prove in this series...cmon please people dont think we can repeat!!!!!! lets prove it!!

[stretch]

My guess is that Stretch is saying one of the Championships is tainted. :sleep

actually i didnt say that at all

[ambchang]

Well said FWD. Don't worry about what other teams say, the Lakers were labelled as getting favourable calls on the 3-peat (Game 6?), Bulls as well (push off Russell, Jordan), the Pistons were dirty first then lucky in 04, bitter fans will always find excuses.

[Dex]

Great post. :clap

We, as Spurs fans, have become completely spoiled in our expectations.

Even some of our own fans act like we are entitled to be in the post-season, reach the Finals, and have a shot at the championship. These people must not have seen a lot of seasons before Tim Duncan, when the Spurs were usually a good bet to make the playoffs, but seemed to be an even better bet to get kicked out. We were like the Wizards of the 90s.

To me, it is amazing what this team has been able to accomplish. The Spurs have become the epitome of consistency and patience, and the model NBA Franchise. Even though the Run & Gun craze, team after team is eventually lining up to follow the Spurs winning formula. Whether the League wants to admit it or not, this team has helped revive the true values of how basketball should be played.

Even without taking the four titles into consideration, this team has been at the top of the heap for the last ten years. Minus the Duncan-less 2000 playoffs, they have never gone down without a fight. We may have lost in great battles to the threepeat Lakers, or against the incredible .4, or to the late foul on Dirk Nowitzki. The point is that even when this team HAS failed to reach the Title, it takes amazing efforts by their opponents to put them away. To me, that is just as impressive as anything.

Here we are, on the brink of 5. People are debating playoff matchups, and cursing the stacked Western Conference, and worrying about Shaq vs. Tim VI. And all I see is a chance for the Spurs to make history.

No one ever said this was supposed to be easy. No one ever said there would be any guarantees. To be the best, I always thought you had to prove that you could beat the best.

But I do know that this team has given more to us, as a fanbase, than any other team has in the past decade. It has been amazing to see the sports franchise I grew up watching become a Dynasty of the game. Success has become the expectation. Due to that, this team deserves to have us stand behind it completely, win or lose.

But that is where the Spurs and their fans have become similar. Losing is not an option. Not until you've already dropped the fourth game and the lockers are getting packed away. And that is why I am not afraid of these pending playoff matchups, or of the Fat Cactus. What is meant to be will be.

And the Spurs know that just as well as the fans.

Believe^5.

[Bruno]

Great post. :tu

[duncan228]

I expect the Spurs will win.

Believe.

5.

Thanks FWD. Great post. :toast

[JustSpurs]

:flag:

[ancestron]

Five banners sure would look good hanging in the At&T center

[BiZNicK]

Sometimes I wish I could play with the Spurs and help out as much as I could...

Though that thought fails of coarse...since I can't even dribble consistantly..lol

[Vince]

As long as we have Matt Bonner.... we'll be fine....:tongue

[ancestron]

As long as we have Matt Bonner.... we'll be fine....:tongue

and Damon Stoudamire's precision sharp shooting. :fro

[TampaDude]

5

[Solid D]

I woke up this morning thinking about 4 rings. I don't own them; I didn't earn them; I actually played virtually no role in their acquisition. But I watched a group of men work their asses off to win them; I saw that group of men earn them; I know the roles each played in their acquisition...

Here, here FWD! Along with some of the great speech-makers over the course of human events...Abraham Lincoln, General George Patton, Knute Rockne, and John Belushi...FromWayDowntown hits nothing but net!

[timvp]

:tu

The Spurs got this.

[T Park]

Im feeling the confidence :smoking

[Spurs Brazil]

Great post

:lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt::lobt2:

:flag:

[Dirk Nowitzki]

I woke up this morning thinking about 4 rings. I don't own them; I didn't earn them; I actually played virtually no role in their acquisition. But I watched a group of men work their asses off to win them; I saw that group of men earn them; I know the roles each played in their acquisition.

Of late, the accomplishments of those men have been downplayed, diminished, and derided in some corners. They're called Sp*rs or Sterns or any number of other equally juvenile things. Ironically, they've been branded in those terms by people who (I suspect) haven't ever watched a group of men work that hard to accomplish something and who've never appreciated the degree to which a championship pedigree is earned. The suggestion that those men have just "had things given to them" is sickening to me. Honestly, while I try not to let things said by fans of other teams bother me much, I cannot stand the suggestion that these men haven't earned the fruits of their hard work and sacrifice.

The burning ire that listening to such nonsense creates in me has, I think, fueled me. But it also gives me perspective.

I expect the Spurs to win.

I expect the Spurs to win not because some higher power wills it, but because those men understand specifically that nothing is given to a team a playoff time -- that everything is earned.

I expect the Spurs to win not because teams will be intimidated by banners or designations, but because all of the things that those banners and designations stand for are the things that a team and its players must be about when the games matter the most.

I expect them to win not because the Spurs franchise has won four championships, but because the men who wear the Spurs uniform understand fully the work and sacrifice that it takes to reach that pinnacle.

Earlier this week, I hoped the Spurs would win. Thinking more and more about those 4 rings, those 4 trophies, those 4 banners, those 4 celebrations -- thinking more and more about all that made those things possible, I changed my mind.

I expect the Spurs will win.

Believe.

5.



You know what motherfucker? I woke up today thinking about something the spurs DONT have...67 wins in an 82 game season! 67 wins motherfucker! :clap:clap:elephant:elephant

[TampaDude]

You know what motherfucker? I woke up today thinking about something the spurs DONT have...67 wins in an 82 game season! 67 wins motherfucker! :clap:clap:elephant:elephant

You know what else the Mavs have that the Spurs don't? The memory of being a #1 seed and getting bounced in the first round by the #8 seed. :lmao

[Dirk Nowitzki]

You know what else the Mavs have that the Spurs don't? The memory of being a #1 seed and getting bounced in the first round by the #8 seed. :lmao

Lol past playoff smack

[sandman]

Lol past playoff smack

Well, you did beat GS this year...

For one of the final playoff spots.

War 7th seed smack talking!

[WildcardManu]

You know what motherfucker? I woke up today thinking about something the spurs DONT have...67 wins in an 82 game season! 67 wins motherfucker! :clap:clap:elephant:elephant

:lmao past playoff smack