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It's On.
Buck Harvey: Selling to himself: New start for Rose
Web Posted: 10/03/2004 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
Columns of silver and black balloons stand on either side of his locker. Malik Rose isn't about to pop what they represent.
He's smiling and happy and "excited" about training camp that starts this week. He talks to the cameras for a while, and then he walks onto the floor of the SBC Center to the sound of an excitable PA announcer.
"Malik's in the building! Malik's in the building!"
It wasn't just a promotion. Considering the franchise's intentions the past six months, Rose being in the building qualified as news.
But the bigger news is how Rose handled himself Saturday, and how he plans to treat a franchise that, ultimately, will want to move him.
He wasn't the only Spur who drove through the heavy rain for what they call "Saturday Seat Sale." Manu Ginobili posed for pictures in the locker room, Devin Brown shot free throws with kids and Bruce Bowen gave a clinic.
All of them seemingly enjoyed what they were doing, especially Bowen. Taking on kids one by one, playing casual defense about 50 times, Bowen picked out the one who wore a Lakers T-shirt —and didn't stop pressing the dribble until the child was out of bounds.
"Sorry," Bowen said, laughing. "Couldn't help myself."
It's the at ude of the core of these Spurs. They understand the player/fan relationship is nothing to dismiss. And Rose, says the franchise's public-relations staff, ranks with any for his work in the community.
But this time was different. This time, when asked to sell tickets, Rose could have just as easily said he would — as long as they were for the Knicks or Bobcats.
Just business, right?
That's what the Spurs were saying last winter. Then, they thought they had a trade-deadline deal, sending Rose to the Knicks. The Spurs also wouldn't have minded if Charlotte had later taken Rose in the expansion draft.
Part of that was the result of Rose's relationship with coach Gregg Popovich. But whatever came between them is apparently gone, or at least until Rose throws away a pass next week. Both say their talk after the end of last season made things right.
"We spoke from the heart," said Rose. "It was a really, really good closing meeting."
Still, no matter what they said to each other, Rose's contract can't be hashed out in a meeting. Nearly from the day he signed the deal, the Spurs saw the contract as a burden. It carries through 2009 after Rose's agent announced last season they would take the option on the last year.
Why do that five years early? It comes with a trade kicker worth a few million.
It's too much to pay someone who played so few minutes last season. But the contract becomes especially onerous when Tony Parker signs his extension. Then the Spurs will own a half-dozen high-level salaries, with two of them near the top in the league.
Logic says they will have to remove something, and logic says that will be Rose.
Rose sees the possibilities, and he also sees the new bodies that are coming to camp this week. A lot of them play his position.
A year ago he would have been bothered by it. He says he took it personally when he heard of last February's trade talks.
He got some perspective talking to Avery Johnson and David Robinson, among others. And this summer a friend gave him a book called "Mind Gym."
Written by a sports psychologist, the book outlines the mental side of sports. Rose, taken by it, says the book will be "my Bible" this season.
Right now, he leans on a basic premise of "Mind Gym." Rose says he tries to focus on "what I can control."
Rose can control his weight, and he says he has lost about 10 pounds. He thinks extra weight took away some of his explosion, the trademark of a small rebounder, and he thinks he has it back now.
He can control working to get better, and he thinks he has.
And he can control how he approaches this season, worrying about what he does instead of where he does it.
"I'm here for a reason," he said between the silver and black balloons.
Then he went to the floor, took the microphone, thanked fans for coming out in the rain and announced: "We're healthy, we're back and we're ready."
"Mind Gym" at work.
It's On.
Damn. Why can't we all just get along
Love it!
Now just give the man his minutes back . . .
LOL. Avery was ran out of town by Pop. Pop tried to sign Webber over David before someone stepped in and slapped him upside the head. Things don't change. I have yet to hear Pop say anything related to Malik Rose except that he is still on the team. Nothing about minutes, nothing about including him in anything. Pop don't care. Malik will always be undersized for his position and will always make bad decisions.He got some perspective talking to Avery Johnson and David Robinson, among others
You can't change that. There is no such thing as a brain transplant.
He got some perspective talking to Avery Johnson and David Robinson, among others. And this summer a friend gave him a book called "Mind Gym."
thank god for david robinson
maybe he can get to rose
Rose won't be a luxury this year. He'll be a necessity. With Horry having a questionable amount of gas left in the tank and Willis playing in Atlanta, Malik could end up being the second most important frontcourt player on the team after Tim Duncan.
He'll need to play well early in the season. He doesn't need to try to do everything out there. He just needs to hustle, rebound, play defense, and finish at the rim. If he can do those things without turning the ball over and bricking six fifteen footers a game, Pop will need to have him on the floor.
rose has been lucky to play with david robinson and tim duncan
and practice against them
rose also has been lucky not to be traded yet
sean was.......
most nba players are
So it's a year longer than Kurt Thomas' contract now?It carries through 2009 after Rose's agent announced last season they would take the option on the last year.
Hmm....
If James Thomas, Massenburg or Marks play worth half a crap, be prepared to say o to Yogi Stewart and Kendrick Perkins this season.
Radosoft is the ing teflon Spur. Unreal.
No hijacking.
Oh ok forum cop.
Either play Malik 25 mpg or get rid of him.
Anything less makes no sense for a guy who's going to make $7.5 million his final year.
chump you mean you do not want him to be a steve smith in his last year
making all they money and only thing he did was tell tp to use his legs when shooting........
Smitty was only Smitty for a year, not six.
Play him or trade him.
"We're healthy, we're back and we're ready."
That's my man...
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