There's one thing NO has that I'm jealous of

[DarrinS]

Even though I'm 39 years old, I really didn't start seriously following the Spurs until we got the Admiral.

The team had its ups and downs, but they really didn't make a big push until they got Tim Dunkan. Even though the 99 season was shortened (not such a bad idea, IMO), the Spurs really had high aspirations that year, and the city of San Antonio was electric with hopes of an NBA championship. Keep in mind, this is BG (before Ginobili) and BT (before Tony). Everyone had flags on their cars, businesses has giant banners, sports bars were packed with fans. Paragon cable (not Time Warner) even "blacked out" playoff games that year for the SA area (man, I was pissed ).

That was the year we beat the Timberwolves (3-1) [in case you were wondering, the first round used to be the best of 5].

The Spurs then went on to SWEEP a young LA lakers team with Kobe and Shaq.

Also, that was the year that Sean Elliott hit the Memorial Day Miracle against Portland (Sheed remembers), who the Spurs swept as well.



So, I guess what I'm jealous of, is having a team that has never won before, and just having that buzz around town.

When you go to bars to watch the games now, there's not a packed house like there was in 99 and 2003. You only see the real diehard fans now (myself included).


Anyway, if we don't get past the Hornets, I sincerely hope they kick L.A. or Utah's ass and win the finals.

That city needs it.


-peace

[MaNuMaNiAc]

that is one seriously odd phenomenon... I have to say, I've never seen interest actually DECREASE because of continuous success. In football (soccer) winning more championships increases attendance, much like in every other sport I know of. Why this happens with the Spurs is beyond me.

The only thing I could think of is that maybe, just maybe San Antonio Spurs fans are more interested in the recognition after the success than the actual process by which it comes. This could actually fuel the idea that the Spurs seem to be boring (which for the life of me I never could understand). I really don't get it.

Disclaimer: I want to clarify that I, personally, don't believe the Spurs are boring. It was just a hypothesis with which to explain the phenomenon mentioned above.

[SRJ]

The Spurs then went on to SWEEP a young LA lakers team with Kobe and Shaq.

Yeah, but Kobe wasn't Kobe yet, then when you beat us in 2003 we were missing Rick Fox, then Detroit only beat us because $tern was letting Detroit get away with murder and the Big Idiot wasn't sharing the ball with Kobe, then we only missed the playoffs in 2005 because Kobe got hurt, then we only lost in 06 and 07 because the Suns were the media's flavor of the month, now we have the best record stop hating

[baseline bum]

that is one seriously odd phenomenon... I have to say, I've never seen interest actually DECREASE because of continuous success. In football (soccer) winning more championships increases attendance, much like in every other sport I know of. Why this happens with the Spurs is beyond me.

The only thing I could think of is that maybe, just maybe San Antonio Spurs fans are more interested in the recognition after the success than the actual process by which it comes. This could actually fuel the idea that the Spurs seem to be boring (which for the life of me I never could understand). I really don't get it.

Disclaimer: I want to clarify that I, personally, don't believe the Spurs are boring. It was just a hypothesis with which to explain the phenomenon mentioned above.

Same thing happened with the Lakers. Everyone was nuts over them in 2000, but by 2001-2004, the fans just expected les.

[E20]

DunCan.

[SAtown]

that is one seriously odd phenomenon... I have to say, I've never seen interest actually DECREASE because of continuous success. In football (soccer) winning more championships increases attendance, much like in every other sport I know of.

Because in the NBA (like every American sports league), you win a le and that's it; that's the climax. In soccer, the better teams of every league have a chance to compete in something a lot more compe ive than their own league (champions league in Europe, Libertadores in South America). If they win that, they they play another tournament in the summer to see who is the best in the world (Fifa club world cup).

[Slydragon]

I remember just about every other car had the flags, it look so cool and then the next year playoffs came up and I was like here goes the flags again, but they never showed up like that first year. There were also Spurs vendors on just about every major intersection that first year and now I don't even see them.

[ChumpDumper]

Great, now hornetfans will be waving their zero championships in our faces.

[GinobiliLooms]

So, you admit your an "Admiral" bandwagoner????

[Darcus]

That's pretty much how it is here in New Orleans right now. Hornets fever like crazy.

One question though, when San Antonio was going through the playoffs in 1999, did opposing teams' fans say "OMFG U GOT NO RINGS ULL NEVER WIN!!!!11"?

[ChumpDumper]

That's pretty much how it is here in New Orleans right now. Hornets fever like crazy.

One question though, when San Antonio was going through the playoffs in 1999, did opposing teams' fans say "OMFG U GOT NO RINGS ULL NEVER WIN!!!!11"?

Only louis.

[remingtonbo2001]

[Man of Steel]

Lakers fans were the worst.

And once again--I am afraid--Lakers fans are just as y as ever, stating that neither NO or SA has any chance against them.

[ancestron]

The only thing New Orleans has that I'm jealous of is their abundance of Gulf Shrimp.

[SKINNYPIMP210]

, I'm Jealous Because I've Been Stationed All Over The U.s. And Haven't Had A Chance To Witness All These Championships In My Home Town Of Sa. I Was Overseas In Quatar For The 03' Championship And Working Shift In Washington State And Florida For The Other Two After That.

[loquats]

The only thing New Orleans has that I'm jealous of is their abundance of Gulf Shrimp.

And football training camp shortly after basketball season

[ChumpDumper]

We usually have that too.

[ancestron]

And football training camp shortly after basketball season

No. Just the shrimp.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

So, you admit your an "Admiral" bandwagoner????

There is no such thing as an Admiral bandwagoner!

I have been a fan for 20 years, so I am an Admiral bandwagoner!? Bah-humbug to you sir!

[nfg3]

We're spoiled. At least I know I am. I expect the Spurs to be there every year with the Big 3. It's only natural. I've come to expect great things from them and when TD and Manu leave - Tony will be here after they are gone - then I'll have to deal with lesser expectations...ie....Celtics after the Bird era....Lakers after Showtime prior to Kobe /Shaq ....Bulls after MJ.

As for the '99 run I'd have to admit this town went nuts. That's all we talked about for weeks on end. I remember the flags and banners but I also remember the trucks around town with the brooms on them. And I also remember one truck had 2 brooms, 2 flags, the back window had a huge Spur logo on it and it was a black one with silver stripping. Damn it looked so cool.

After our '03 championship I've noticed many seem to take it in stride. Heaven forbid we lose this series but if we do and NO takes the trophy then they will be in for a ride they will never forget. That first Championship always seems to be the sweetest and most satisfying.

[theMUHMEshow]

that is one seriously odd phenomenon... I have to say, I've never seen interest actually DECREASE because of continuous success. In football (soccer) winning more championships increases attendance, much like in every other sport I know of. Why this happens with the Spurs is beyond me.

The only thing I could think of is that maybe, just maybe San Antonio Spurs fans are more interested in the recognition after the success than the actual process by which it comes. This could actually fuel the idea that the Spurs seem to be boring (which for the life of me I never could understand). I really don't get it.

Disclaimer: I want to clarify that I, personally, don't believe the Spurs are boring. It was just a hypothesis with which to explain the phenomenon mentioned above.

Bro, its happened to the Red Wings and Pistons here in Detroit...

[BonnerDynasty]

I'm jealous of their 2-1 lead.

[theMUHMEshow]

I'm jealous of their 2-1 lead.

That wont last... trust me.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Bro, its happened to the Red Wings and Pistons here in Detroit...

Great, but my question still stands... why does this happen? How can people get tired of repeated success? Isn't that the point of the whole thing?

I guess it could be that sports in the US is really only a part time hobby (with the exception of most of the people in here ) where as in other less developed countries, people consider sports as damn near a religion. I know that here in Argentina, success in sports seems to be damn near the only source of national pride for the average Joe. This is certainly not the case in the US, and thus people are more likely to lose interest in something that might not be that important to them.

Then again, having experienced the agony and disillusion that people in this forum felt and expressed after every even year championship let down, I find it hard to accept the above hypothesis. It just doesn't make sense to me.

[HornetGumboBalls]

why does this happen?

Because the vast majority of the inhabitants of your city can't grasp the concept of a game where you put the ball in a net using your hands rather than your feet.