I completely agree. I think this is my favorite spurs TEAM in quite a while. We’ve been great before (we were insane in 2007 when tim should have been mvp(check the plus/minus nubers)), but this is the first tim since like 2003 that I actually liked our first couple choices off the bench.

I think we could be really good this year.

Then again, I’m a homer and drunk…

Great writeup. I’m in agreement with your various points. I wonder if Pop will give Roger Mason the ball at end of clock situations now, or if Manu will get all of them. Buck Harvey wrote a good article about the Spurs’ sudden depth and athleticism at the guard/swing position.

I feel a special sort of PYPWYMI pride in this team’s early season success. I went to a Wiz game in Washington last year, so when the Spurs signed Roger Mason in the offseason, I was convinced that he could play. I also argued that if the front office picked George Hill, he must be decent. You can argue with not signing Scola, or with being wrong about bringing Splitter over, but if you look at the guys the Spurs drafted, they’ve all been pretty much the best player available at that draft slot. Manu, Tony, Scola, Splitter, Barbosa, Beno… so if the F.O. thought Hill could play, I thought he deserved the benefit of the doubt.

Just so I don’t hurt my shoulder patting myself on the back too much, I’ll point out that I’m recently on record as saying that I didn’t think that Matt Bonner was an NBA player, and he’s going all Red Rocket in my face. I also thought Vince Young was a potential hall of fame QB in the NFL; I’ll just tell myself that he’s only in his third year, he could still develop into an all-timer.

I cant believe how wrong I was about George Hill, he’s going to be a huge asset for this team. I was ambivalent towards Mason, he put up good numbers when the Hibachi was out, so I figured, worst case scenario, he’d be the same as Barry. But he’s obviously performed at a higher level than that.

BUT, i do not think the criticism we leveed at the FO was unwarranted. Look at that list tomasito trotted out: Scola, Barbosa, Udrih….they can all play, so credit them for finding them, but the manner in which they were traded left me scratching my head. I’ll give you Barbosa’s trade got us the 05 title in an indirect way, but the Scola deal is inexcusable.

I still hold out hope that Splitter will be here before the decade is through. And if Mahinmi can get some minutes and build on his DLeague development, all those age and bench questions are gone.

Easy champ. Although I agree with your points and recognize that things are coming together better than anyone ever imagined, I also am not so naive to look past the fact that we’ve only played 14 games. There’s still a loooooong road ahead. We need to see how everything gels with a full, healthy squad and we need to have the same successes playing the upper tier of the league and not the lowest tier.

Charles Barkley once made a comment I’ll never forget. He was talking about the Joe Johnsons and Mike Redds of the world, and said roughly “Box scores don’t matter. On a bad team, someone has to score. Doesn’t mean they’re a star, just that they’re getting the ball.” I’m reminded of this quote because yes, George and Mason look fantastic. Yes, I’m also feeling wonderful about the now brilliant again front office. But as you said, “Wait…”

All that pessimism out in the open (and it’s not so much pessimism or negativity but cautious realism), I’m very VERY excited about this year. Udoka and Bowen have fallen off the map, but Finley and Bonner have emerged. And Timmy is actually playing at a career high (High in points and assists, lows in TOs, PFs and minutes). And the new guys seem to have more than replaced our losses. Manu’s back and getting back in shape and Tony’s coming soon. It’s looking good.

I’m an optimist at heart, so this is a post I can get behind. One reason to despair that you forget? Our troubles getting rebounds, especially defensive rebounds. We don’t really have a reliable center to help Timmy. I think we all agree that that’s the piece we’re lacking right now.

Also, as much as it surprises me, Finley’s been playing well. Last night was the first game in a while in which his jumper didn’t fall.

By the way, I’d like to point out that well-written posts like this one take time and effort to write. We’re supposed to rec such posts, something we (and I include myself in this group) often forget. Give the man the credit he’s due.

Oh, and how much do you think Pop’s beard influenced his new laissez-faire attitude regarding rooks?

Pop, circa 2010. “Bosh? Not savvy enough.”

The Spurs are the new Golden State Warriors…only with one big man instead of none and they play better perimeter defense (the Warriors played none).

The Warriors with Mullin, Hardaway and Richmond were fun to watch, but always flamed out bad in the later rounds of the playoffs.

You can’t rebound and you can’t play interior defense, you don’t win championships.

So, in summary, enjoy the limited success and don’t make any plans on beating the Lakers.

TANK IN 08! That is our only hope.