I am not a spurs player obviously...nor am I a spurs fan...but even I was personally pissed off with the Lakers arrogance and Phil Jackson's "asterix" comments about their championship season... Then, even I was frustrated as Duncan's injury stopped them defending... I imagined that if I were playing for the Spurs, I'd be busting the walls of the dressing room to get out their...smash the $hit out the Lakers and then say "stick that asterix up you Phil" They are 20 down in game four...and it's not even the end of the second quarter! I am completely stunned that the Spurs have simply caved in...not even got close, or angry, in this series... Jackson was right, their title now takes on a HUGE asterix...as does their heart. ------------------
Maybe its the Lakers. Maybe they're just this good. ------------------ Charles Barkely on the Raptors defeating the Knicks in Round 1 :"I think it was the Lord. The Lord was with the Raptors. You know the Knicks like to talk so much about religion, but I think the Lord was a Raptor fan."
I imagine the series would've been a little closer had the Lakers not had Fox and Fisher, which would've evened things up after the Spurs loss of Anderson. Also funny how the Kings and Webber, who finished up the season practically tied with the Lakers, never get accused of "having no heart" around here after they were swept. Why can't a team just lose without their character being assaulted? It's a freaking GAME. Because a team loses a basketball series, they "have no heart"? Gee, I had no idea basketball could tell you so much about a person.
Jackson was right, their title now takes on a HUGE asterix...as does their heart. Are you insane? How can the Spurs performance this year affect their status as champions in 1999? Two different teams, two different scenarios. There are no asterisks... championships or championships. You know, some people could make a case that the Rockets championships have an asterisk. Is it right? No. But as sick as you guys say you are of the talk of asterisks, don't say it about other teams, esp. when it's not logical. Maybe its the Lakers. Maybe they're just this good. Partially. But I know the Spurs would've at least won one, and maybe two games in this series, if they showed any form of hustle, desire, or at least some heart. The Lakers are playing well, but when you see the other team showing no passion and getting outhustled for every loose ball, you have to consider the opponents heart. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!
I would have agreed with you earlier, but this is the third straight team that has folded like this. And this is a team reknowned for its professionalism and poise, but here they are collapsing like a house of cards. At some point, you start to wonder - Maybe the Lakers are playing this good, maybe they were the ones that did this. Oh, and this season has no bearing on the title in 1999. I agree with you on that. Unless you went out, competed, and won that title, you have no right to downplay it. There is no such thing as an asterisked championship. ------------------ Charles Barkely on the Raptors defeating the Knicks in Round 1 :"I think it was the Lord. The Lord was with the Raptors. You know the Knicks like to talk so much about religion, but I think the Lord was a Raptor fan." [This message has been edited by Puedlfor (edited May 27, 2001).]
Facts are facts Cat...they went into that season as one of the few teams who'd stuck together and thus had continuity. That off season, because of the strike, had seen the VAST MAJORITY of teams under prepared / no real chance to sign players / no real chance to build...it was an ABBERATIONAL SEASON...and to cap it all of, they got to play the Knicks minus Ewing (and Larry Johnson effectively) Facts are facts...and, if they were as good as that season suggested, then they'd have shown it since...they haven't... The Freak...YES...in sporting terms, heart does equate to what you do on the field / court. These guys have turned it up like a bunch of nancy boys... ------------------
I can see your argument-- it just seems like when I watch the Spurs play they just have no desire or life right now. And, most likely, that is partially due to the Lakers playing well. But, if you're at the highest level of competition, you should always be giving your all, no matter what the score or opponent. The Spurs just look to be giving so little effort right now, and to me that is reflective of a team's heart. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!
I'm sure that LA shooting 44% from 3-pt range alos has nothing to do with the way this series is going, right? No, it's just the Spurs "lack of heart".
Facts are facts Cat...they went into that season as one of the few teams who'd stuck together and thus had continuity. That off season, because of the strike, had seen the VAST MAJORITY of teams under prepared / no real chance to sign players / no real chance to build...it was an ABBERATIONAL SEASON...and to cap it all of, they got to play the Knicks minus Ewing (and Larry Johnson effectively) Facts are facts... our first championship was won when Jordan was playing baseball. Your argument appears to be who knows what would've happened if all teams were prepared and played a full season. Well, who knows what would've happened if Jordan had played the 93-94 season? If you don't call that an asterisked championship, don't call the Spurs championship asterisked. Facts are facts...and, if they were as good as that season suggested, then they'd have shown it since...they haven't... Well, by that suggestion, any team who didn't win back to back championships deserves an asterisk right? Who cares what they've done since then? The championship was for the 1998-99 season, not for the 98-99 season and beyond. What they do now has no bearing on their merits for a championship that season. They won a title for being the best that year, and wins/losses in the following years does not prove their greatness or lack thereof for that year. By your logic, it sounds like if the Lakers do not come back with this great chemistry and rhythm they have now and lose next year, that their championship from this year is tainted. Same scenario. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more! [This message has been edited by The Cat (edited May 27, 2001).]
Granted...the Lakers are on fire...but what about the rebounding stats? The Spurs have been getting killed their all series... It's not like I am Robinson Crusoe on this lack of heart theory, their own coach says as much on ESPN.COM today...Mario Ellie said it...Robinson himself has said it... For whatever reason, this team has a history of going soft. ------------------
Putting an asterick next to San Antonio's championship is so weak. They won the championship, facts are facts. They got to play the Knicks big deal, they beat them. What do you mean they haven't played that way since, they were the #1 seed this season and got to the WCF. They may get swept, but they are in the WCFs! Why don't you slap an asterick next to the Rockets 1994 team since they won when Jordan was out. Or slap an asterick next to the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers team, THEY didn't do it again right? A championship is a championship. ------------------ "I'm not here to protect my reputation, I'm here to make my reputation! Mama Barkley didn't raise no chumps!" - Charles Barkley
I'm sure that LA shooting 44% from 3-pt range alos has nothing to do with the way this series is going, right? No, it's just the Spurs "lack of heart". Freak, the Lakers are playing a great series-- I admit that. But when every possible loose ball goes the Lakers way, it's reflective of more than talent, chemistry, or other variables. It's reflective of pure effort, and imho, the amount of effort you put into the game is reflective of your team's heart. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!
The spurs are showing lack of heart by how they aren't even trying on defense. How do they let Shaq take it all the way up the court? How many open looks are they gonna give Fisher and Fox? ------------------
Cat The Jordan theory is CRAP... It's nothing like a strike shortened season... Facts are facts...we won those two titles, when EVERY team had the same chance. Jordan didn't play those years, but so what? He didn't play in 1960 either...does that mean every season without Jordan gets an asterix? Of course not... EVERY TEAM had THE SAME CHANCE in our title seasons...and the best team (Houston) won. The simple facts are, in the Spurs championship season, not every team had an equal chance (teams backing up with the same personnel had a HUGE advantage) and thus an asterix is valid... ------------------
If I had picked the Spurs to win the series in 5 games, I'd probably get mad and accuse them of not having any heart, too. Once a team shows they don't "have heart", do they cease to "have heart" from that moment on out? Can they ever "get their heart back"? It seems like if you don't "have a heart", you would always "not have a heart". When the Rockets got swept by LA a few years ago, did they "have heart"? What about when they got swept by Seattle? Apparently our Rockets "have no heart" as well. Do any of the Texas teams "have heart"?
When did the Rockets get swept by LA? ------------------ The terminally ill need to learn that you can have fun without all the drugs.
I'll stop right here. This obviously is going nowhere. Tell me, what Western conference powers made major changes that year and needed time to adjust? Portland-- they had the best record almost all season long, and had a similar cast of players to the previous year. Lakers-- Almost the same team again. Utah-- Same every year almost. All of the top contenders that year stayed around the same as the previous year... The point with Jordan is that 93-95 would've been the prime of his career. Would the Rockets have still won if he played the first year? In my opinion, yes. But you don't know. Again, if the season was 82 games in 99, would the Spurs have won? In my opinion, yes. But you don't know. Either all "I don't know" scenarios are asterisks, or none are. Simple as that. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!
Freak, There are different ways to lose. You can get swept by a team that is simply better than you, or you can go out and miss out on every loose ball and not show and hustle or desire the way the Spurs did. That was not the case when our Rockets lost... even when we bowed out, we showed a hell of a lot more spark, desire, and emotion than these Spurs are right now. ------------------ President of the Mo Taylor and Jason Collier fan club! Draftsource.net-- the premier source for draft info. Profiles, rankings, mock drafts, and more!
If I remember correctly, we took the final game against Seattle to overtime so the team didn't quit like the Spurs are doing. A team that has heart at least stays competitive during the game, the fact is the Spurs shouldn't have bothered wasting the time flying out to LA. The Spurs have rolled over and died by halftime in the last two games, that is a complete joke. The only person that had the fire on that team when they won the championship was Mario Elie, without him the Spurs have no heart. The only way the Spurs can save next season is if they find a coach that can actually light some fires. Popovich can't motivate worth jack, and you won't see Duncan calling out anybody for quitting like a Mario Elie would have. ------------------ Sell crazy someplace else. We're all stocked up here...
The Kings did show heart, they truly were an inferior team. The Spurs, however, are losing because they have forgotten how to play defense. The Spurs have concentrated so much on shutting down Shaq, that they have allowed the role players to run wild. After 2 games of this flawed strategy, they gave up on this series, and are being dismantled. They've also forgotten how to shoot, and their age had caught up to them. I give teh Lakers some credit for this, but mostly I blame the Spurs and their flawed gameplan, and lack of heart. ------------------ The Protrolls.com message boards! Protrolls.com! Home of Turn, Tweak, and all your demented favorites!
