Gervin on Bruce, Foreigners, NBA Moms, and the League (from ESPN The Mag)

[Rick Von Braun]

I'll try to explain why this article was confusing for me...

Ice Storm

Before TD, Pop and Manu, The Iceman defined the Spurs way. Now, George Gervin speaks up about his team and his game.

I came from Motown, but I found a home here in San Antonio. The Spurs have always been great about working in the community and have always brouhgt in guys with character. No one brings in more ex-players for functions or gives them more jobs in the organization.

He is praising the Spurs organization, their involvement with the community, and more importantly, the opportunity they give former players (read: old folks like Iceman) to be involved in the organization. So far, so good.

These guys know doing something for someone else makes you feel good. That's why my favorite player is Bruce Bowen. He talks to ids about literacy. He went back to get his degree. He sets a positive example.

Lots of other Spurs' players do the same thing (except for going back to school to get a degree), and AFAIK, they are very active with the community, including most of the foreign players in the team. Nice words for Bruce.

Bruce is one of the few guys on our team who isn't a foreigner, who gets a lot of playing time. I've got nothing against the foreign players - in the league or on our team - but they don't understand the history of America. I see the attraction for coaches: the foreign guys want to fit in, and you need to have guys that play their role. American players are just not as manageable. The need vision. bruce has it. He knows the history.

I am very confusing by this ambiguous statement. What does it mean? Are foreign players bad for the league then, because the don't know the history of America. Foreign players are more managable, but they are worst in the long run for America. We better take good old American players that know the history of the game.

Gervin suddenly jumped all over the place, and it is not clear what he actually meant with this.

Go back to the 50s and 60s. A black guy had to go through to get a fair shake. And we've got this young fella in Indiana going into the stands over a cup of ice?

Now, it is a race issue, because look at all the social struggles black players had to overcome over the last 50 years. Gervin is all over the place, and I still don't know where he is going. So far, I still don't see a clear thesis statement.

That's where the league could better utilize the 50 greatest players. Running us around the country and calling us legends and giving guys a chance to hear the roar of the crowd again is nice, but I want more than that. I don't need anybody to tell me I'm one of the 50 greatest. Give us a shot at our young pros. What we went through can help them. If they don't want to listen, we can say to them, check my stats. You don't think I know something about this league?

It almost seems that he is pissed off that he doesn't have a job as an advisor for young stars. Gervin, the reality is that if a star doesn't want your advice, he will not take it, wether you like it or not. These are professionals, and it is responsability of the teams that hire them to advice and guide them correctly. Those players are the teams' employees.

Many young players will never see their potential. I see some of their mothers in the stands, wearing jerseys and bling and jumping up and down, and I think, we've got babies raising babies. My mom used to watch like a lady. Give your mom a nice life and everything she ever wanted, but keep her off the TV.

While I agree 100% with what he is saying, this is a tautology. He is jumping all over the place, and I still don't know where he is going. Is he pissed off at the league for not giving him a more prominent role as an advisor to young talent? Is he upset that foreigners are getting a more prevalent role in the league? It is very confusing and he is mixing up a lot of things.

Yeah the league is at all-time highs in attendance and making money. How's the product? You hear a different clap now than when I played. You get the corporate clap, the polite golf clap. In HemisFair Arena, it got so loud, it was like an earthquake. We had the hardworking, 9-to-5 guys coming to forget about their day. Now you have to be with the right company to get a good seat. It's a place to talk business.

Once again, I agree 100%, but what is his point?

Don't get me wrong, I love the Spurs. I just love the game - and what it means - a bit more.

So now, it seems he is against the Spurs somehow. Hey, "I love the Spurs but I love the game more". WTF? Are the Spurs one the culprits of the things that are bad in basketball? What does he mean? May be the Spurs are guilty of hiring too many foreign players and not many good old young black Amercan players. Is that it?

I have a tremendous respect for the Iceman as a player, and I am pretty sure his intentions are good, but the above statements are still very confusing.