Buck Harvey: Ginobili goes down — how long until he goes?

[T Park]

If Kobe went out and re-injured his finger worst than it was before, would the Lakers be pissed? Probably not.For Kobe it was more of a ego thing than representing his country which Manu was doing.
Point is, we've got 2 months before preseason starts. We don't know how bad he's hurt. For all we know it could've just tweeked it which causes more pain than normal.
I can't hate Manu for what he did. He's given us so much the last 6 years that if he retired tomorrow, I wouldn't be mad.

The they would't

They would say "While you were screwing around with this team, you could've gotten the finger fixed, been rehabbing it, and been 100% for the regular season opener or close to it."

[ArgSpursFan.]

No you can't consider, working for your employer selfish, while volunteering to play in something that doesn't benefit your employer one iota.

He was advised and asked to stay home and not play, he disobeyed that and defied that request, so he should be treated accordingly

get a life mofo

[Jobbs]

The they would't

They would say "While you were screwing around with this team, you could've gotten the finger fixed, been rehabbing it, and been 100% for the regular season opener or close to it."

I haven't heard Phil Jack or anyone over in their FO say Kobe stay home.

[T Park]

I haven't heard Phil Jack or anyone over in their FO say Kobe stay home.

Phil won't say it.

But I gaurantee if you asked him he would say what I said.

Mark it down.

[SequSpur]

Fuk.. Buck Harvey is fukin dead on. Unbelievable.

[ArgSpursFan.]

ginobili was stupid to play in games 1 and 2 of the WCF and pops was stupider for letting him play

ginobili was stupid all by himself to try and play in the olympics

(stupid if he wanted to keep playing in the nba) but he knew the risk of playing in the olympics and went ahead and did it and possibly got real hurt, so it's the spurs turn to make a decision

I really hope He gets traded.seriusly
SA don't deserve a guy like Ginobili.Period

[beirmeistr]

I'm so sorry to hear Spurs folks reacting like this. He has proven over and over again that patriotism is more important to him than money. I would have thought that folks in San Antonio would respect that, perhaps even understand it.

Ginobili in Argentina is the equivalent of Tiger Woods in America right now. If Tiger had said he would not play for an American team because Nike was afraid he would hurt himself, folks would be blaming him for not being patriotic enough. I respect the guys who play for their countries. Ten million buys the loyalty it buys. It buys, for Manu, all the grit and drive and talent he has every single night of the season for his nba team. It buys a willingness to put his team before himself and his own statistics by playing hurt when necessary, by coming off the bench behind a guy like Finley who hasn't Manu's youth or talent, by never whining or crying when others on the team get more press and adulation. He doesn't owe the Spurs or San Antonio one other thing. He entered into his contract with them, and they with him, as an economic transaction. Manu has more than lived up to his end of the agreement. The Spurs are quick to point out the "business" aspect of the sport when it is to their advantage in negotiations. They, and we, should expect the same from the athletes we pay to play here.

His country didn't engage in a bidding war to buy his loyalty. It didn't have to. He is true to his nation of birth. Isn't that something we should applaud???

Manu got hurt during the regular season in San Antonio. So should the Argentines say that he shouldn't have played so hard for the Spurs because he had the Olympics coming up? C'mon guys. Country is bigger than salaries or nba seasons.

Buck Harvey has really sunk to a new low. I wasn't certain that was possible.

Excellent post.

[exstatic]

What do you think would the the reaction at the average company if an employee disregarded the wishes of management and did something that cause him to miss considerable work time? They'd be fired.

I always thought Manu was smart, but he must not have been paying attention for the last 6 years. You defy Pop at your absolute peril. I'm guessing he just went off the untouchable list. They won't just move him, but I think if the right deal for a really good young player comes along, he's history. I don't think that would have been the case before this summer.

[wildbill2u]

Lame article

We don't even know how serious is Manu's injury and Harvey is writing an article like he has a career ending injury.

The fact is that these type of injuries can become chronic if they are severe and the weakened ankle is liable to be reinjured more easily every time stress is put on it.

Have we seen this over the years with Manu's left ankle. Yes we have.

That being said, you ride on the horse that brung you. Forget about all that Manu brings to the table when he is healthy and you are left with the unappetizing fact that an oft injured Manu is not great trade bait for a player with similar abilities.

How many of you have scoffed at the Rockets Yao and T-Mac for being useless because they have a history of injuries?

[ducks]

manu would almost fit perfectly with the rockets
always hurt

[smeagol]

Great job Ginobili.... The epitome of selfish.

I have read some stupid coming from you over the years, but this one wins the gold medal.

You can hang it around your neck and wear it proudly

[timvp]

First of all, I'd never trade Manu. That is just crazy talk. No team is going to give you a player close to as good. You trade Manu now and you'd be lucky to get 60 cents on the dollar. More importantly, he's an amazing player combined with the perfect mental makeup to be a Spur. I wouldn't even trade him if they Spurs got a player of the same skill level due to the intangibles he brings ... much less selling him low like the Spurs would be doing.

Secondly, it's both dumb and pretty unfair to have expected him not to play for Argentina. I never thought for one second he'd rest this summer. Argentina basketball is the thing he'll remember most fondly after he retires from the game. You can't tell him not to play in the Olympics and not to defend his gold medal. In a perfect world, of course we'd hope that he spent the summer in a jacuzzi getting a foot massage for three and a half months but that is unrealistic. The only thing the Spurs could do was hope he didn't get hurt. Unfortunately he did.

Now the best thing to do is just deal with it and move on. Do what needs to be done to have him healthy by the playoffs. The regular season doesn't matter -- as we saw last year. Ginobili was SuperManu last year in the regular season but burning him out in March ended the Spurs' season. If he needs surgery or months upon months of rest, do it. It may be tough to make the playoffs with a limited Manu but it's impossible to win a championship with a limited Manu, so hope TD and TP carry the Spurs during the regular season.

I do think this injury is pretty damn serious. For him to sit out against the United States (and it sounds like the bronze medal game, too), he must have really F'ed it up. In 2002, he played on a decimated ankle. During the playoffs he played. I think he'd put up with more pain during the Olympics than he would during the playoffs just because the Olympics is one-and-done while the playoffs is a grind. If he doesn't play in the bronze medal game, I'm guessing there is something really wrong and he's going to need time to recuperate.

Overall, I'm not pissed at Manu or the Spurs for how this was handled. Everything went how it was going to go. The Spurs had to caution Manu but Manu had to ultimately play. If I'm mad at anything regarding Manu, it isn't the Olympics ... it'd be not coming ready to play in Game 1 against the Lakers. I don't know if his head was in Beijing back then or what but his lack of focus that game was something I've never seen out of him. He even admitted after the game that he wasn't ready to play. Watching the tape recently, he played like his brain was somewhere else. If I'm the Spurs, I get him the medical help he needs but I also demand that he now gives his full concentration to the Spurs. His Argentina national team time should be over. This has to be the end of that road. Now it is Spurs for the rest of his career.

The scary thing is that when Manu was around 27 and 28 years old, a lot of Spurs fans said that Manu plays so hard and so reckless that he'll be broken down by age 31 or 32. Well now he's 31. I'm sincerely hoping he has more gas left in the tank. I personally think he does but that he and the Spurs have to be smart about it. The Spurs can't have him carry the team during the regular season and Manu can't sacrifice his body in games that don't matter. If it takes playing him 20 to 24 minutes and skipping back-to-back games in the regular season to have him fresh by the playoffs, that's what needs to happen. Healthy Manu plus TD and TP in the playoffs is a team that has great championship potential. Hobbled Manu ends the Spurs chances.

Bottomline is this sucks but there is no reason to rush to judgment or sell Manu when his value is low. Get him healthy, figure out how to keep him healthy for the playoffs and go try to win championship number five.

[smeagol]

@ timvp

[Emmanuel Ginobili 20]

He will be fine just because this guy is a warrior among all the warriorers.Just be cool Spurs fans.I talked to him after the game he told me he will just be fine before the regular season started.

[smeagol]

If I'm the Spurs, I get him the medical help he needs but I also demand that he now gives his full concentration to the Spurs. His Argentina national team time should be over. This has to be the end of that road. Now it is Spurs for the rest of his career.

This is what I was thinking, even before the Olympics started. And I'm sure Manu was thinking this too. He already skiped the Olympics qualifiers. I'm sure this is the end of his NT career.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Trade Manu for Beno

[ducks]

This is what I was thinking, even before the Olympics started. And I'm sure Manu was thinking this too. He already skiped the Olympics qualifiers. I'm sure this is the end of his NT career.

I would think huh

[ducks]

Trade Manu for Beno

trade manu for a healthy ?

[DPG21920]

I have already said most of the same things Timvp, I just hate that the Spurs have pretty much the only superstar in the league that you can not play starters minutes or amount of games. It puts so much pressure on other players and almost gives you the mindset that he is fragile.

Like if you think you are going to get hurt, you will type deal. But you do not trade him unless it is a top tier player (Howard, Lebron, ...) which is not happening.

[The Franchise]

Manu for Monta Ellis.

[The Franchise]

Just kidding.

[T Park]

I'm sorry, I can't agree with he should've been allowed to play.

You put a significant investment into him, you rely on him very heavily as a franchise, that means hes an employee who should respect your wishes when it comes to offseason endeavors.

I have read some stupid coming from you over the years, but this one wins the gold medal.

You can hang it around your neck and wear it proudly

If insulting me makes you feel better, whatever.

[DPG21920]

Manu for Monta Ellis.

No way. The only way you trade Ginobili is if you get a no brainer, home run deal. Monta is the kind of deal the Spurs would get for Manu that would be getting lower value than he is worth. That is the perfect example of an offer the Spurs would get that they should say no to.

[T Park]

Manu for Monta Ellis.

Throw in Stephen Jackson and you've got a deal.

[dbreiden83080]

Oh yes i loved the whole idea that "Manu is playing for his country and the with the Spurs, some things are more important than money"

Right easy as to say when you get paid healthy or injured. Manu never should have done this. Anyone who encouraged him to play in the Olympics in my opinion was wrong. We all saw how hurt he was in the playoffs. Man was out there hobbling around on one foot and letting scrub defenders shut him down. Now he gets hurt again, same ankle injury that plagued him last year and in the playoffs. Who knows what shape he will come into camp like?? What a horrific decision Manu made this Summer.