What makes the Spurs the best franchise in sports, and why the Suns have no titles?

[Highpointer]

It appears to me that the Spurs, after winning tonight's game, are going on to win their fourth NBA championship since 1999. The Suns, on the other hand, have never won an NBA championship after nearly 40 years in the NBA.

It appears that the Spurs are turning into the NBA's equivalent of the Yankees, although the Spurs are operating from significant geographic and demographic disadvantages in their home metropolitan area. The Spurs don't play in what is considered to be a major media market, as San Antonio is only the third-largest metropolitan area in its whole state, and is a city that is not deemed to be large enough to have an NFL team or a Major League Baseball team. (It is not even big enough to have a AAA minor league team - it's minor league team is AA).

Another disadvantage the Spurs have is that their home metropolitan area is relatively poor. According to Wikipedia.org, the per capita income of Bexar County (where San Antonio is located) is $18,363, about 17.5% less than Maricopa County at $22,251.

When the New Orleans Saints played some of their "home" games during the 2005 season after Hurricane Katrina, I read in other reports that it appeared that then-NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and other NFL executives were not keen on San Antonio being the new home of the Saints, because of the small size and low economic strength of the San Antonio area.

One can argue that the Spurs are the best professional franchise in all of the major sports. Therefore, from the point of view of Suns fans, what makes the Spurs the best franchise in the NBA, and one of the best in all of the professional sports?

And why have the Suns have gone nearly 40 years without winning an NBA championship? If the Suns go a few more years without a championship, we should start thinking of them as the Chicago Cubs of the NBA.

Ken Akerman

 

[elindholm]

As a Spurs fan, surely you know about winning the Robinson and Duncan lotteries. That has something to do with where they are now. The Suns, on the other hand, are making it work with a team on which no core player was drafted higher than 9th.

 

[Gee!]

Spurs fans and their arrogance are quikly moving up my list of smash on site if I see em.. Only problem with this is, they are nowhere to be found in AZ and in SA they have nothing better to do in their town (not a city, but a town) than post on the internet.. So I prolly will never see any face to face...

 

[F-Dog]

Tanking in 1996, that's an easy one.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Actually, the Spurs have become the New England Patriots of the NBA... I'm not a Pats fan, but I do respect their coaching and most of their players... Difference with the Spurs is, while I respect their coaching, I HATE Horry, Parker, Genobli, Bowen and Barry!!

 

[Mainstreet]

"One can argue that the Spurs are the best professional franchise in all of the major sports. Therefore, from the point of view of Suns fans, what makes the Spurs the best franchise in the NBA, and one of the best in all of the professional sports?"

Ken Akerman

A better question yet is how many titles would the Spurs have won if they were not able to select David Robinson and Tim Duncan with #1 picks? The Suns have never had the #1 pick in the NBA draft ever.

I think the Spurs sucking enough to draft David Robinson and Tim Duncan explains a lot about why the Spurs are where they are today.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Spurs fans and their arrogance are quikly moving up my list of smash on site if I see em.. Only problem with this is, they are nowhere to be found in AZ and in SA they have nothing better to do in their town (not a city, but a town) than post on the internet.. So I prolly will never see any face to face...

gee, I know I called this action barbaric earlier in the year, but I'm getting really sick of the Spurs and their fans. Swing away baby!

 

[HooverDam]

The Spurs tanked a season and got Tim Duncan. The Suns lost coin flips for Kareem Abdul Jabar and David Robinson, I think that about explains it. The NBA more than any other sport tends to have dynasties,* so when you miss out on those players its tough to win a title in the midst of Celtics, Lakers, Bulls, Pistons, Lakers again, dynasties.


*This is largely due to the nature of basketball. One or two great players locked up for a long time can make a team great in a 5 on 5 game, not so in football (11 on 11) or baseball (9 on 9).

 

[TheHopToad]

A better question yet is how many titles would the Spurs have won if they were not able to select David Robinson and Tim Duncan with #1 picks? The Suns have never had the #1 pick in the NBA draft ever.

Yep, losing that coin flip for Kareem in '69 still stings...not that I remember it though.

 

[scoutmasterdave]

One can argue that the Spurs are the best professional franchise in all of the major sports.

You know what? You're right. The Spurs are absolutely one of the best-run professional franchises in all of sport. But as others have mentioned, it really helps to have two of the best big men in history fall into your lap. Of course, the Orlando Magic had the same thing happen (netting Shaq and Penny with #1 picks), and they found a way to screw it up.

The Suns' time will come, if not this year, perhaps soon. As long as Nash is playing at a high level (presumably a few more years), the Suns will contend every season. To compare the Suns to the Cubs is a serious stretch - when was the last time the Cubs were contenders? The Suns have been title contenders three years in a row, and they aren't going away any time soon. I'd say a better comparison would be the Red Sox - they seriously contended for years, and finally they broke through. The same will happen for the Suns; hopefully it won't take 86 years...

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Spurs fans and their arrogance are quikly moving up my list of smash on site if I see em.. Only problem with this is, they are nowhere to be found in AZ and in SA they have nothing better to do in their town (not a city, but a town) than post on the internet.. So I prolly will never see any face to face...

I was at Flickas on Scottsdale Road and a Spurs fan started cheering next to me. I had some liquid courage going and threatened him. He moved far away and wouldn't look at me all night.

It was kind of strange because at 5'10 180 I am not what you would call intimidating. I am not proud of it after I sobered up but it was what it was.

 

[CardShark]

It appears to me that the Spurs, after winning tonight's game, are going on to win their fourth NBA championship since 1999. The Suns, on the other hand, have never won an NBA championship after nearly 40 years in the NBA.

It appears that the Spurs are turning into the NBA's equivalent of the Yankees, although the Spurs are operating from significant geographic and demographic disadvantages in their home metropolitan area. The Spurs don't play in what is considered to be a major media market, as San Antonio is only the third-largest metropolitan area in its whole state, and is a city that is not deemed to be large enough to have an NFL team or a Major League Baseball team. (It is not even big enough to have a AAA minor league team - it's minor league team is AA).

Another disadvantage the Spurs have is that their home metropolitan area is relatively poor. According to Wikipedia.org, the per capita income of Bexar County (where San Antonio is located) is $18,363, about 17.5% less than Maricopa County at $22,251.

When the New Orleans Saints played some of their "home" games during the 2005 season after Hurricane Katrina, I read in other reports that it appeared that then-NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue and other NFL executives were not keen on San Antonio being the new home of the Saints, because of the small size and low economic strength of the San Antonio area.

One can argue that the Spurs are the best professional franchise in all of the major sports. Therefore, from the point of view of Suns fans, what makes the Spurs the best franchise in the NBA, and one of the best in all of the professional sports?

And why have the Suns have gone nearly 40 years without winning an NBA championship? If the Suns go a few more years without a championship, we should start thinking of them as the Chicago Cubs of the NBA.

Ken Akerman

ABSOLUTELY IDIOTIC!

 

[Gee!]

I was at Flickas on Scottsdale Road and a Spurs fan started cheering next to me. I had some liquid courage going and threatened him. He moved far away and wouldn't look at me all night.

It was kind of strange because at 5'10 180 I am not what you would call intimidating. I am not proud of it after I sobered up but it was what it was.

Damn man.. Your prolly one of the least intimidating people (not saying you cant get down, but you just dont look the part).. How big of a ****** are SA fans?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Damn man.. Your prolly one of the least intimidating people (not saying you cant get down, but you just dont look the part).. How big of a ****** are SA fans?

That's what I was saying. I am like a chihuaha. Two beers and I no longer understand I am not the biggest dog on the block.

 

[The Man In Black]

Umm, the tank job that you guys talk about was nothing of the kind.
That is too easy a copout when someone doesn't do their research. If it was a true tank job, then why only end up with the 3rd best chance at the lottery, why not go for the most balls ala Boston?
Lets talk about trying to set the record straight instead of taking the simple way, "I read on a message board that they tanked" method. The truth is this:
Injuries decimated the Spurs, none more so than that of David Robinson, who returned from back problems only to suffer a broken foot. The former MVP appeared in only nine games. Chuck Person was even less fortunate, missing the entire seasonfollowing back surgery. Charles Smith missed 65 games with an arthritic right knee and Sean Elliott missed 43 games with tendinitis in the right knee. The loss of those four players, each among the top six scorers from the 1995-96 team, prompted the steepest one-year decline in NBA history, from 59 wins to only 20.
Do you guys know who led the Spurs in scoring that year? Try Dominique Wilkins.
Yeah...that former Human Highlight Film guy.

If I was cheering at a game and a Spurs fan was next to you, I would hope that you wouldn't attempt to inflict bodily injury just because a guy cheers for the team in black. For all that talk about players being dirty for their play on the court, it's even more bush when a person threatens another on the grounds of what team you back. I would characterize that if someone tried to do that to me, it would be grounds for an arrest.
I would hope that people would just shake hands, cheer their teams, and go with whatever happens-PEACEFULLY, even if it means that you agree to disagree. That's the way I play it with Laker Fans living here in So Cal, and that's the way I hope it'll be when next I go to Phoenix. COuld be as early as Game 5.
Again, ya'll be cool.

 

[Gee!]

Umm, the tank job that you guys talk about was nothing of the kind.
That is too easy a copout when someone doesn't do their research. If it was a true tank job, then why only end up with the 3rd best chance at the lottery, why not go for the most balls ala Boston?
Lets talk about trying to set the record straight instead of taking the simple way, "I read on a message board that they tanked" method. The truth is this:
Injuries decimated the Spurs, none more so than that of David Robinson, who returned from back problems only to suffer a broken foot. The former MVP appeared in only nine games. Chuck Person was even less fortunate, missing the entire seasonfollowing back surgery. Charles Smith missed 65 games with an arthritic right knee and Sean Elliott missed 43 games with tendinitis in the right knee. The loss of those four players, each among the top six scorers from the 1995-96 team, prompted the steepest one-year decline in NBA history, from 59 wins to only 20.
Do you guys know who led the Spurs in scoring that year? Try Dominique Wilkins.
Yeah...that former Human Highlight Film guy.

If I was cheering at a game and a Spurs fan was next to you, I would hope that you wouldn't attempt to inflict bodily injury just because a guy cheers for the team in black. For all that talk about players being dirty for their play on the court, it's even more bush when a person threatens another on the grounds of what team you back. I would characterize that if someone tried to do that to me, it would be grounds for an arrest.
I would hope that people would just shake hands, cheer their teams, and go with whatever happens-PEACEFULLY, even if it means that you agree to disagree. That's the way I play it with Laker Fans living here in So Cal, and that's the way I hope it'll be when next I go to Phoenix. COuld be as early as Game 5.
Again, ya'll be cool.

It seems as though your under the impression your word has some sort of weight round here..

 

[Gee!]

That's what I was saying. I am like a chihuaha. Two beers and I no longer understand I am not the biggest dog on the block.

Well.. From the times Ive hung out with ya, Cards games and not Cards games, I do realize you have somewhat of a nasty streak to ya.. But you still dont look the part and Spurs fans are biatches .. lol

 

[The Man In Black]

Whether it has weight or not, the truth is out there. All it takes is one mind to investigate then propagate their findings. I for one would love to have a beer with a true blue Suns fan. As long as you can talk about the game, how it's played, what adjustments are needed et al. If it's all this hypertension, then it's not worth it. My father was career military and what those guys do...that is where the real tension is. And I'm thankful that they do it there, so guys like me and you can watch the game and talk about it on boards like this one.

 

[Gee!]

Whether it has weight or not, the truth is out there. All it takes is one mind to investigate then propagate their findings. I for one would love to have a beer with a true blue Suns fan. As long as you can talk about the game, how it's played, what adjustments are needed et al. If it's all this hypertension, then it's not worth it. My father was career military and what those guys do...that is where the real tension is. And I'm thankful that they do it there, so guys like me and you can watch the game and talk about it on boards like this one.

You cant even comprehend sentences and what not, now you want us to believe youve investigated something? lol

Only thing I think youve discovered is that youve recently gotten some hair on your nuts..

 

[hsandhu]

It seems as though your under the impression your word has some sort of weight round here..

I love it. I'm with cheese, I was all for the lets shake hands and play Mr. Nice guy, but these bastards have thrown down the gauntlet. They've challenged our team's manhood.

In the post game presser, Duncan was asked whether this was on of the most physical serieses he's been in, and he laughed pretty hard. Then stated it wasnt even more than the last series, and said it shouldnt be since we were not a physical team. He said so very in a patronizing way. He basically called our team a bunch of
p***ies. They want a fight, lets give them one.

BTW, is anyway getting as sick of Duncan the past few days as me. Look, he's one of the top 12-13 players in the HISTORY of basketball. Not only that, but he seems like a pretty good guy.

But after amare's comments (not directed at him), he says he has a lot of things to say, but none of them that wont get him trouble. Then the comments he made above after the game, also after the game basically saying how pissed he was at amare's comments and how they really fired up the team. That combined with the fact he has the shame to act shocked after he blatanatly hacked guys on the arm...

 

[hsandhu]

Speaking of the spurs tanking, a hilarious clip of barkley from 1997 speaking of that:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Tv24frDECA4.

BTW that was the year we started 0-13, but actually didnt tank and came back to make the playoffs. Unfortunately tanking wouldnt have helped since we gave away our pick to cleveland. Man I remember how much that sucked, being 0-13 and not even having the comfort of knowing maybe that start will give you a chance at duncan.

 

[The Man In Black]

You cant even comprehend sentences and what not, now you want us to believe youve investigated something? lol

Only thing I think youve discovered is that youve recently gotten some hair on your nuts..

You're young right?...probably don't have a mortgage to pay, probably don't have any kids to teach right and wrong. I think that what you're saying can't be considered friendly or constructive.

Have a coke and a smile man.

Gee, Gee...you seem pretty pent up. It's just a game. Looking for information is called investigating. The sad fact of it is that what people perceive as a tank job was nothing more than a whole bunch of players being hurt. It's as simple as that.

What's up with all the genitalia talk in Phoenix?

First Amare, now Gee. I hope it isn't a fixation. Again, in as nice as I can say. Y'all be cool. We'll see what D'Antoni has for adjustments on Monday.

 

[Gee!]

What's up with all the genitalia talk in Phoenix?

Well in PHX, were wondering why your SA players seem to love to make contact with our Suns players *****..

So there ya go, thats your answer..

 

[joshtd1]

Spurs fans and their arrogance are quikly moving up my list of smash on site if I see em.. Only problem with this is, they are nowhere to be found in AZ and in SA they have nothing better to do in their town (not a city, but a town) than post on the internet.. So I prolly will never see any face to face...

Oh shut up..let me guess your an internet thug who likes to talk crap, yet when it came down to it, you wouldnt do anything if you were down here. Funny how we're arrogant, yet most of the Suns fans that Ive seen..not all of them, but most of the cry about every little thing whether it be the refs, the Spurs are too dirty, we're too boring etc..nope, whenever the Spurs win we get no credit it seems to most fans.

 

[joshtd1]

Whether it has weight or not, the truth is out there. All it takes is one mind to investigate then propagate their findings. I for one would love to have a beer with a true blue Suns fan. As long as you can talk about the game, how it's played, what adjustments are needed et al. If it's all this hypertension, then it's not worth it. My father was career military and what those guys do...that is where the real tension is. And I'm thankful that they do it there, so guys like me and you can watch the game and talk about it on boards like this one.

I agree..but there are always going to be people who like to overreact to every little thing, which makes it hard.