Not that I'm aware of (and you'd think that I'd be aware of).
I wrote this back in January so maybe that's what you remember. But if they did use it, I honestly don't remember seeing it or posting it.
I was actually trying to put a finger on what the Spurs had lost. The aura, the presence, the prestige that had instilled respect and a certain fear-factor for the opposition. When I hit on the word "prestige", I thought about the movie and went to look at some quotes to see if there was something I could maybe tie in. (It had been a while since I had seen it and I needed a bit of a refresher.)
Once I read that quote the piece pretty much wrote itself. I never predetermine how I'm going to write anything, I let whatever it is just flow naturally and whatever it is it is. But in this one instance, with this particular quote, it gave me somewhat of a skeleton and the means to just fill in the gaps.
So, no. It's not plagiarized, if that was even what you were implying. But if Tim or Graydon used the quote at some point, well ... great minds think alike.
Great write up Blackjack...Never saw this thread til now.
Nice Bump..
As for Pop, he needs to make the right adjustments. If he doesn't and stubbornly goes to Mason/Bogans/Bonner as the main nucleus off the bench, Spurs are in a lot of trouble.
I'm lighting candles, dusting off my rosary and praying Pop realizes this before it's too late.
More Temple, More Blair, More Dyess, Less Bonner and to with Mason/Bogans and small ball.
Amen,'Tres. Amen.
I couldn't help but watch that game and think to myself: This looks to be the norm and not the exception if Pop stays the course. For all the added talent and raised expectations that came with said talent, the Mavs are a better team as well. And they're as well-equipped as ever to give the Spurs nightmares.
Really, the teams look to be almost exactly where they were in relation to last year: The Mavs are just too good for the Spurs to get by without a supporting cast. Last year's Tony and half-of-a-Tim might as well be this year's Big 3 with the upgrades of the Mavs. What we saw from the Mavs and Spurs in Game 1 seems more or less what each team's proven to be: Dallas a legit contender and the Spurs an inconsistent, ill-fitted (skill set and age/experience of their best players) and inopportunely injured team; if it's not one thing with these Spurs it's another.
So Pop's gotta realize he's seen this movie before. He knows how this ends should he choose to follow the same path. It's time to nut up or shut . . .
It's time to leave Mason in baggage, use the Centerpiece to balance the hues and textures of the bench, get Blair in the game as much as possible, and break GT in with some trial-by-fire. Playoffs style.
Bonner's pretty much a necessary evil in this series but it should be in small doses. This is what you paid 'Dyess for. It's time to put your best available talent on the floor and let the chips fall where they may; the intangibles and intelligence of their the supporting cast isn't capable of overcoming their shortcomings anymore. At least with that approach you've got a shot (and a pretty decent one should George find his health).
Chips fall where they may, or season ends before May. ... What's it going to be, Pop?
Pop has been one of the greatest coaches in the NBA for some time now, but his strength has never been making adjustments on the fly. He's come up with excellent defensive schemes that made use of his personal at the time in a very effective and efficient manner.
The problem now is that he's lacking those players yet he still tries to win in the same way.
While Pop has been a great coach, I don't expect great things from him any longer. He is what he is and I don't see that changing.
No, expecting him to suddenly become a different coach than the one we've known for the past decade plus is simply wishing for miracles to happen. We saw last year how he refused to play Hill and how that proved to be a mistake. We saw Sunday how he misused Blair and how he refuses to realize that Mason and Bogans provide nothing to this team at all. That is who Pop is and I don't see that changing in this series or ever.
In order for the Spurs to win this series players like Mason, Bonner, and Bogans will have to hit shots and the Big 3 will have to play well because the chances of Blaor Hairston or Temple playing meaning minutes are about as much as Pop giving up wine.
Whether it be Van Exel, Horry, Vaughn, or Finley, Pop has shown a propensity for going to veterans who clearly have their gas tanks on empty far too much. He loves his vets and he doesn't trust young players to do what he feels needs to be done.
We've all seen this before, many times and for years. Don't give yourself hope it will change. Just pray Mason and Bogans play well. However small the chances of that happening are, they're greater than the chances Pop will bench them in favor of younger players.
I actually don't disagree with any of that. I think we all know what needs to happen, as much as a message board coach and GM can know what needs to happen, and that simply knowing won't lead to this coach doing.
The one thing that gave me hope, at least as it pertains to seeing the youth play, was hearing the way Sean was talking and the way Pop utilized Temple down the stretch (in essentially must-win games). But I'd never bank on Pop straying from what's become the norm in recent years or that he'd allow the Hill situation of last year to effect his decisions this year. Again, you'd hope it would ... but you know better.
I just can't wait to see the triumvirate of Bonner, Mason and Bogans out there. Oh, and it's especially pleasing to see 2 of the 3 in a small ball lineup against the Mavs. Can this get any better? No, I don't think so.
I don't believe the upgrade of Butler and Haywood equal the return of Manu and a more fit Tim Duncan by a long shot. The Spurs played sloppy and paid the price.
That being said, thank you to Blackjack for the thoughtful words. I believe we will bounce back on Wednesday, if they play great and win...so be it.
Nicely written, but dramatic & unnecessary. Movie meets the unfactual. This is real life...For the most part of the post, it displays very poor metaphors. Come on guys, do we really need to do this? Kind of cheezzzyyy is it not ?.....
The way Dallas wins is truly, "sleight of hand." I saw the game and while the Spurs made far too many mistakes early on, all it took to get a W, was 2 more minutes of consistent, mistake free ball. I say that Dallas wins that way because it's an illusion that they are very good defensively and that ultra-efficient.
I expect that in game 2, the Spurs will give us those needed minutes of consistent, mistake free ball and we come back to AT&T 1-1.
Nice write-up Blackjack :thumbsup
Nahh
You know what?
Everybody says the old spurs trick does not work and we [they] are not gonna see a bunny.
Pop is sweating on a stage while people watching him trying to get the bunny of the hat. The thing is the bunny already escaped and Pop did not noticed.
for whatever reason I still think pigeon will fly of that hat. Imagine that. What a trick. Nobody would expect that. Pure genius Pop magician superstar hero!
Even manu would not need magnets in this series.
Okay but seriously can we cover Mason with the towel
then remove it
then having Lebron on spurs bench and mason in starting five in Cleveland?
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