Time to exit, Peter.

[wildbill2u]

We'll see what happens down the stretch when it becomes apparent the Spurs aren't a legit championship contender. By this point maybe Spurs fans have wisened up. Maybe that will spark a change.

When Spurs 'fans' wisen (sic) up" --Do you mean they will sudddenly realize the Spurs aren't a legit Championship contender every year by some inherent Devine right?

Do you really think that 'fans' caterwauling for a legitimate contender for a Championship every year will entice some new rich patron to come in and take over the team from Holt and run it to meet their demands?

So what will these 'wisened' fans do?...stop supporting the team by going to other big-time entertainment venues? Like what? Puff Daddy's Traveling Rap All-stars? You think that will "spark a change?"

I'll tell you what kind of change that will spark. The team will be sold and I doubt there are any rich fools in SA willing to cater to the whimsical desires of fans.

The Spurs came close to leaving before until Holt stepped in and bought all the problems of a basketball franchise in the smallest market in the league. We ought to be down on our knees praying that HE never 'wisens' up.

[Marcus Bryant]

He's been paid back for that and then some.

Anyways, perhaps when fans realize that this team doesn't have much of a chance to win #4 they'll opt not to show up or tune in.

[dknights411]

Geez Marcus, are you emo or something? Besides, it's gonna take a LOT for Duncan not to re-up with the Spurs (and by a lot, I do not mean this current stretch.)

IMHO, Peter Holt has already given San Antonio so much (the AT&T Center, 3 rings, ect...) that he deserves a lot better than this.

[ploto]

Wow. Spurs paid the lux tax last year. That negates the 5 seasons prior in which they did not. When you consider that the team controls all of the revenues from the facility they play in, it's appalling. The voters didn't grant that so they could do milk it. It was so the team would have every advantage, be it from a basketball friendly arena to no fiscal limitations every season.

The supporting cast could be significantly better if there was not this barrier to taking on deals with more than one more season left on them.

People have no idea how much money the Spurs are making- do they?

Despite playing in the league’s third-smallest market, the Spurs are worth $390 million, 11% higher than last year and $37 million above the league average. Thanks to the team's on-court success and the first-rate AT&T Center, the Spurs turned an operating profit (in the sense of earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation) of $11.7 million, compared with $6.9 million for the average NBA franchise.
LINK

[Trainwreck2100]

Why, did the spurs all of a sudden stop making a profit?

[Bruno]

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/32/...ns_Income.html

Spurs profit is the 15th in the league. A 3% profit is far from being cheap.

[Mr. Body]

What I like is how the front office makes cost-cutting moves like dumping Malik, not resigning Nazr Mohammed, and dumping Rasho's contract, and then we don't get to see any of that as basketball fans.

[Extra Stout]

People are acting as though Peter Holt is sacrificing himself financially for the Spurs. The value of the Spurs has increased over 400% since he bought the team. He has made gobs of cash.

This increase in value came about because the Spurs got a new facility built, from which they retain the lion's share of the revenues. Peter Holt did not pay for that. Sure, Peter Holt worked hard to get the franchise where it is. And in return, his net worth has swelled by a couple hundred million dollars, largely at taxpayer expense.

But now, after all of that, the team is pinching pennies, and it is directly affecting the product on the floor. And Holt can get away with it, because despite playing in a state-of-the-art facility with a sweetheart deal that any owner would be stupid to walk away from, the inferiority complex among the backwater rubes of San Antonio is so deeply imbedded that they actually fear the Spurs will move if anybody says anything bad about Peter Holt.

There is only one Tim Duncan. One his days are done, the Spurs probably are going to suck for a long time. These last few years of his prime are extremely precious. But, maybe Holt figures that in addition to being backwater rubes, San Antonians might also be front-runners, and that revenues will plummet once Duncan is gone, so he better get out while the getting is good.

Maybe that explains why the team seems to be maneuvering its finances for a sale, rather than putting the best possible team out on the floor for the few remaining years they will still be among the elite. So the remaining years of one of the 10 best players in league history are being squandered. Maybe his roots are so deep now that he doesn't leave no matter what they do. Or maybe he is still all about winning, and sees the handwriting on the wall.

I don't buy this idea that they have to start planning now for the post-Duncan era, and maintaining flexibility for that. It is simple -- they are going to suck for a while. They will not be back among the elite until they get lucky and draft another superstar to build around.

[Kermit]

i sure wish that superstar would be kevin durant. maybe he'll stay in school for a couple more years.

[Marcus Bryant]

What I like is how the front office makes cost-cutting moves like dumping Malik, not resigning Nazr Mohammed, and dumping Rasho's contract, and then we don't get to see any of that as basketball fans.

Right. From a basketball perspective those weren't the great moves many in this forum made them out to be when they went down. Think the Spurs couldn't have benefitted from having a couple of young prospects learning the system over the last couple of years? Plus instead of having a NBA player like a Mohammed or a Rose you have no one.

Also, the assumption from the rose-colored glasses crowd in here is that the Spurs will use the flexibility from the expiring contracts of supporting cast players to replenish that cast. When they don't, there'll be new excuses. Or maybe more of the 'they won 3 les and you expect more?' claptrap.

GO SPURS GO!

[Marcus Bryant]

People are acting as though Peter Holt is sacrificing himself financially for the Spurs. The value of the Spurs has increased over 400% since he bought the team. He has made gobs of cash.

This increase in value came about because the Spurs got a new facility built, from which they retain the lion's share of the revenues. Peter Holt did not pay for that. Sure, Peter Holt worked hard to get the franchise where it is. And in return, his net worth has swelled by a couple hundred million dollars, largely at taxpayer expense.

But now, after all of that, the team is pinching pennies, and it is directly affecting the product on the floor. And Holt can get away with it, because despite playing in a state-of-the-art facility with a sweetheart deal that any owner would be stupid to walk away from, the inferiority complex among the backwater rubes of San Antonio is so deeply imbedded that they actually fear the Spurs will move if anybody says anything bad about Peter Holt.

There is only one Tim Duncan. One his days are done, the Spurs probably are going to suck for a long time. These last few years of his prime are extremely precious. But, maybe Holt figures that in addition to being backwater rubes, San Antonians might also be front-runners, and that revenues will plummet once Duncan is gone, so he better get out while the getting is good.

Maybe that explains why the team seems to be maneuvering its finances for a sale, rather than putting the best possible team out on the floor for the few remaining years they will still be among the elite. So the remaining years of one of the 10 best players in league history are being squandered. Maybe his roots are so deep now that he doesn't leave no matter what they do. Or maybe he is still all about winning, and sees the handwriting on the wall.

I don't buy this idea that they have to start planning now for the post-Duncan era, and maintaining flexibility for that. It is simple -- they are going to suck for a while. They will not be back among the elite until they get lucky and draft another superstar to build around.

The epitaph.

[ChumpDumper]

So who are you going to elect as the new owner?

[Marcus Bryant]

Maybe you.

[ChumpDumper]

I was going to apply for a job with the new D-League team in the valley, but I will accept the nomination if drafted.