Julian Mozo (Ole' Argentine reporter) is on the Ticket right now

[Kori Ellis]

All i know is if we have 3 argentineans in the city, I am ing moving to Maine.

Do you need helping packing?

[BigDiggyD]

Ludden is the mouthpiece for the Spurs. If he didn't play along, he would get zero scoops. If he became antagonistic then the result is O'Keeffe, Kevin.

Maybe he is, maybe he isnt. I don't like to matter of factly state where something came from unless its cited on paper. He has more sources than just the Spurs and didnt state where he got it from.

Expectations have risen for Spur 2nd round picks due to Ginobili, Manu.

Which are grossly misplaced. If the bar has been raised that high for you on picks taken in the 50's then that is just an issue you have to deal with.

The jury is out on that one until both show how well their game translates to the NBA. Oberto's bigger but his shooting touch is lacking somewhat. For whatever reason, the Spurs went with Oberto this summer. My guess is that it is because this was the last time he was willing to come over and because they could put Scola on hold for another year.

Exactly, so if you were a gambling man, would you rather put 2.5 million on the team captain of the world champion Argentinian team who is close friends with Manu (can vouch for his demeanor) and has physical dimensions and attributes that have a better CHANCE to translate well into the NBA OR, assuming he was willing to make the same profit as Oberto (which is probably false), someone you will have to pay 5 or 16 million (depending on which buyout is true) to cover salary and buyout.


Ohh and on the subject of dirty things the Spurs have done to their players. How about Avery Johnson. They promised him they would take care of him in 2001 and then turned around and gave him just 8 million!! That was only like a 250% pay raise!! Ohh wait.. thats a good thing...

[timvp]

that's if Scola even wants to play for the Spurs, with all these rimors of him being pissed off and felling like he got stabbed in the back

Scola doesn't have a choice. He's stuck in Tau and he's stuck with the Spurs.

He can whine all he wants, but the Spurs hold his rights.

[TheTruth]

All i know is if we have 3 argentineans in the city, I am ing moving to Maine.

That may be the stupidest ing thing you have ever said.

[Mavs<Spurs]

Kori's article (from Johnny Ludden I think) talked about Scola and Oberto. It pointed out that Scola was our 2002 second round selection. But the part in bold about the buyout really confused me.

It basically said that Scola had two contracts. The buyout in his first contract was $14.5 million (hate to say it, but seems kinda dumb to sign this if you want to get to the NBA, doesn't it) based on where he was drafted in the first round . [What ???? They just said (correctly) that Scola was drafted in the second round- totally lost me at this point] Somehow, the contract was revised and made more affordable (the type of buyout that most of us were thinking of-ie something realistic). Yet, because the deal didn't specify anything about being selected in the second round, Tau officials claim that Scola must pay the original buyout price if he wants to leave for the NBA or wait until his contract expires in 3 years when the buyout is reduced to $1 million and the Spurs are limited to spending $350k based upon NBA rules on buyouts.


Is it that in the original if he had been drafted higher (like in the first round) the buyout would have been higher? But since he wasn't and the contract was revised, it was thought that his buyout would be less? Nevertheless, since Tau somehow is trying to argue that since the second contract doesn't specify second round (and a lower buyout), that the buyout from the first contract still holds. Is that even close to the idea? None of this makes any sense.
I'm not an attorney, but unless you can show why the later contract doesn't apply, it would seem like the law would give it more weight.

Why revise a contract if you don't intend to honor the revision?

Doesn't sound like Tau could win and even in arbitration, any fair arbitrator would allow the reduced buyout.

Anyways, can someone please explain all of this clearly. Thank you very much.

[Solid D]

Luis just had his good friend invited to the prom and he wasn't invited, yet. Most people would feel slighted, envious, hurt and angry all rolled into one in this situation....especially if led to believe they were going to be invited.

Negotiations can get cruel, especially when third parties like agents and team owners throw their weight around. (See Stephen Jackson, DA, maybe even Lamond Murray).

[TheTruth]

Negotiations can get cruel, especially when third parties like agents and team owners throw their weight around. (See Stephen Jackson, DA, maybe even Lamond Murray).

Lamond Murray can eat it.

[Marcus Bryant]

Maybe he is, maybe he isnt. I don't like to matter of factly state where something came from unless its cited on paper. He has more sources than just the Spurs and didnt state where he got it from.

When Ludden makes a statement like that it most certainly came from the front office.

Which are grossly misplaced. If the bar has been raised that high for you on picks taken in the 50's then that is just an issue you have to deal with.

Apparently you have some issues because you couldn't comprehend that I was not saying that I thought he had to live up to Manu's game, but that that Manu's fame and game has raised the bar for Spur draft picks among some parts of the fan base.

Exactly, so if you were a gambling man, would you rather put 2.5 million on the team captain of the world champion Argentinian team who is close friends with Manu (can vouch for his demeanor) and has physical dimensions and attributes that have a better CHANCE to translate well into the NBA OR, assuming he was willing to make the same profit as Oberto (which is probably false), someone you will have to pay 5 or 16 million (depending on which buyout is true) to cover salary and buyout.

I had no problem with that decision. Just pointing out that was how the decision was arrived at.

Ohh and on the subject of dirty things the Spurs have done to their players. How about Avery Johnson. They promised him they would take care of him in 2001 and then turned around and gave him just 8 million!! That was only like a 250% pay raise!! Ohh wait.. thats a good thing...

Doesn't change how the other went down. If you don't think it went down like that you have some issues to work out.

[SequSpur]

1+1 = 2

[SequSpur]

Luis just had his good friend invited to the prom and he wasn't invited, yet. Most people would feel slighted, envious, hurt and angry all rolled into one in this situation....especially if led to believe they were going to be invited.

Negotiations can get cruel, especially when third parties like agents and team owners throw their weight around. (See Stephen Jackson, DA, maybe even Lamond Murray).

what? is this special ed class? were you left out of the prom?

hyperbole?

comparison/contrast?

WTF?

[Sense]

I think we have the most passionate fans...

[TheTruth]

I think the 14.5 mil buyout was false, and it is more around 3.5 mil.

[Kori Ellis]

themanurules --

Ludden's article is saying that the original contract (signed in 1997) had a $14.5M buyout. The contract was revised to include lower buyouts over time (but everything that was specified was stated for him being a first round pick). According to Ludden, Tau is saying that since no reductions were specified if he was a second round pick, then the original buyout applies.

[Kori Ellis]

I am merging this in with the other thread.

[Solid D]

what? is this special ed class? were you left out of the prom?

hyperbole?

comparison/contrast?

WTF?

I felt you needed some imagery...something with which you could relate and feel supported as a whole person instead of one who is ridiculed and beguiled.

[TheTruth]

what? is this special ed class? were you left out of the prom?

hyperbole?

comparison/contrast?

WTF?

you were never stood up at the prom?

[strangeweather]

The reason that I don't think the Spurs/Ludden are lying about the $14.5M buyout is because that buyout would make his rights very difficult to trade. So if they are trying (or going to try) to trade his rights, why would would they spread the misinformation of that jacked price? So there has to be some truth to it.

It's possible that the original buyout was $14.5 million, the current buyout is prorated (down to $3 million or whatever), the Spurs told Ludden that, and Ludden just messed up the details in his story. Contract details are complex, and reporters are notoriously inaccurate at getting the details into print correctly, even when they've talked directly with team capologists who know all the details.

Edited to add: it's also possible that the $3.2 million figure being reported in Argentina is actually what Scola was in the process of negotiating with Tau, but had not yet finalized.

[strangeweather]

They turned him into a malcontent and whipping boy because of that contract.

So if they won't sign someone to a contract that's too high for their real worth, the front office is mistreating the player, but if they do sign them to a contract that's too high, then recognize the obvious down the road, they're also mistreating the player? I think you're holding the FO to unreasonable standards.

[strangeweather]

Oh I believe he's pissed. I've talked to both Julian and another Argentine reporter (right now on the phone) and they both have said the same thing (they've both talked to his manager). But even Julian said on the radio that maybe he's just pissed initially but after he cools down, he'll see it differently.

If I thought I was going to the NBA, then suddenly found out I wasn't, I'd be pissed too. Hopefully you're right and he'll cool down and take a longer view of things.

[BigDiggyD]

When Ludden makes a statement like that it most certainly came from the front office.

OK.. I will just take your word for it. Then when I see a direct quote I will believe it.

Apparently you have some issues because you couldn't comprehend that I was not saying that I thought he had to live up to Manu's game, but that that Manu's fame and game has raised the bar for Spur draft picks among some parts of the fan base.

Right, hopefully you can understand that if you do not specify that you are speaking on behalf of other Spurs fans then I will assume you are speaking for yourself.

I had no problem with that decision. Just pointing out that was how the decision was arrived at.

Fair enough... that is your opinion of how it went down and I can certainly follow the logic.

Doesn't change how the other went down. If you don't think it went down like that you have some issues to work out.

OK.. you have compelled me to see if I can find further information on that. Its not how I remember it but I may have had my Silver and Black goggles on. Since you have clearly articulated that all of the local media is in the back pocket of the Spurs I obviously can no longer accept what they have written as having any truth to it and will need to learn to accept that how the players and their agents describe it is the true unbiased gospel.

[danyel]

All i know is if we have 3 argentineans in the city, I am ing moving to Maine.

Someday people will realize that Sequ is the biggest troll around and will stop answering his posts.

[SequSpur]

Troll?

WTF?

Don't be pissed because you have commodores, dirt floors and no chips a hoy.

[kolko]

Kori, do you have the mp3 of it?

[Kori Ellis]

Kori, do you have the mp3 of it?

No, sorry but I'll see if I can get it.

[danyel]

Don't be pissed because you have commodores, dirt floors and no chips a hoy.

Exhibit B. Sequ the troll.