Colmumn: On the Alamo and Duncan's Last Stand

[MarkTravis]

Column*

Hey guys!

I hope everyone here is as excited as I am for the rematch. I'll be in San Antonio and Miami to cover these games and I can't wait.

I'm sure you guys have digested a ton of previews over the past few days, so I went with a little different approach to the series. I wrote about the Alamo, revenge and Tim Duncan's last stand.

Let me know what you think!

http://butthegameison.com/4927/remember-the-alamo/

[exstatic]

Hey dude! Don't spam our forum with your blog crap! That's what I think!

[MarkTravis]

Hey dude! Don't spam our forum with your blog crap! That's what I think!

Thanks! This blog crap has me credentialed to cover the Finals. Your words mean a lot!

[exstatic]

Thanks! This blog crap has me credentialed to cover the Finals. Your words mean a lot!

Goody two shoes for you shoes!

[Spur|n|Austin]

Column*

Hey guys!

I hope everyone here is as excited as I am for the rematch. I'll be in San Antonio and Miami to cover these games and I can't wait.

I'm sure you guys have digested a ton of previews over the past few days, so I went with a little different approach to the series. I wrote about the Alamo, revenge and Tim Duncan's last stand.

Let me know what you think!

http://butthegameison.com/4927/remember-the-alamo/

You're from Oklahoma, write for Corpus Christi Caller-Times, a fan of the Lakers, and now you're writing about the Spurs.

Thanks for sharing dude

[MarkTravis]

You're from Oklahoma, write for Corpus Christi Caller-Times, a fan of the Lakers, and now you're writing about the Spurs.

Thanks for sharing dude

Pretty close! I am from Corpus and go to school at Oklahoma State. I actually grew up in a family of Spurs fans but rebelled against them because I liked Kobe. That said, it doesn't take away from my ability to appreciate what the Spurs have done, as is a problem for other Laker fans, and I think it would poetic and fitting for Duncan and Kobe to both finish with the same amount of championships. I actually have never been more excited for a team to win the Finals than San Antonio this season. Everything about it would just feel so right.

[4down]

The narrative of Pop and Duncan riding off into the sunset together is cliche by now. And it contradicts Duncans stated desire to play until "the wheels fall off" and their readily apparent compe iveness. You also didn't mention the juicy detail that Santa Ana's secondary surname is Lebron which would have added a modi of irony in using the "defending the Alamo" route. By insisting if they win it will be their final go, you're still just shutting the door on the Spurs after this year, thus following the same beat down narrative your blog post decried.

congrats on press credentials, though. Seriously thats great buddy. Totally jealous.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Pretty close! I am from Corpus and go to school at Oklahoma State. I actually grew up in a family of Spurs fans but rebelled against them because I liked Kobe. That said, it doesn't take away from my ability to appreciate what the Spurs have done, as is a problem for other Laker fans, and I think it would poetic and fitting for Duncan and Kobe to both finish with the same amount of championships. I actually have never been more excited for a team to win the Finals than San Antonio this season. Everything about it would just feel so right.

I just had a flashback that you wrote something during last years Finals and shared here too right?

[MarkTravis]

The narrative of Pop and Duncan riding off into the sunset together is cliche by now. And it contradicts Duncans stated desire to play until "the wheels fall off" and their readily apparent compe iveness. You also didn't mention the juicy detail that Santa Ana's secondary surname is Lebron which would have added a modi of irony in using the "defending the Alamo" route. By insisting if they win it will be their final go, you're still just shutting the door on the Spurs after this year, thus following the same beat down narrative your blog post decried.

congrats on press credentials, though. Seriously thats great buddy. Totally jealous.

The gist I've gotten from talking people around the team is that Pop and Duncan would indeed call it a career if they win it all this season. Did not know that about Santa Anna's name though. Pretty cool detail!

[MarkTravis]

I just had a flashback that you wrote something during last years Finals and shared here too right?

Yup! I covered last year's Finals as well. I assume it was my Duncan piece, which might be the best thing I've ever written judging by feedback and total hits.

http://butthegameison.com/3476/the-doctrine-of-duncan/

[xmas1997]

Thanks! This blog crap has me credentialed to cover the Finals. Your words mean a lot!

"Remember the yellow rope"!
Actually nice slant.
However I would prefer a different outcome than what happened at the Alamo so long ago.
And actually I would be super happy to have back-to-back championships, it's the only thing the Spurs haven't accomplished, but first things first, win #5.

[Jimcs50]

Good job, Mark.

You have a good surname for writing on the Alamo, btw.

[BillMc]

The gist I've gotten from talking people around the team is that Pop and Duncan would indeed call it a career if they win it all this season. Did not know that about Santa Anna's name though. Pretty cool detail!

How confident is this "gist." I don't doubt what you're hearing, just that a few recent articles (especially the Stein piece on Timmy and Pop in ESPN) have people like Malik Rose and Robert Horry, friends of Duncan's, saying he's not considering retirement at all. You've actually got me a little worried about this now...

Anyway, good luck covering the finals. I'm a writer too (just not a sports journalist), but in this case I'd love to be one. Enjoy your work.

[BillMc]

Good job, Mark.

You have a good surname for writing on the Alamo, btw.

True.

[SnakeBoy]

Nice work!

[Spur|n|Austin]

How confident is this "gist." I don't doubt what you're hearing, just that a few recent articles (especially the Stein piece on Timmy and Pop in ESPN) have people like Malik Rose and Robert Horry, friends of Duncan's, saying he's not considering retirement at all. You've actually got me a little worried about this now...

Anyway, good luck covering the finals. I'm a writer too (just not a sports journalist), but in this case I'd love to be one. Enjoy your work.

Jeff ZillgittVerified account‏@JeffZillgitt

Tim Duncan on retirement: I've not come to that point yet. ... It’ll happen when it happens. I’ll feel it, I’ll know it & I’ll call it a day

10:54 AM - 4 Jun 2014


Sorry, still not sure how to embed twitter quotes.

[spurs10]

Good job, Mark.

You have a good surname for writing on the Alamo, btw.

Good luck Mark! The information that "Lebron" is Santa Ana's secondary surname is quite surreal. The Alamo and this Finals is indeed a great analogy, if we win and can re-write history!

Thanks for your support!