Alone We Stand

This was one of the pictures at ESPN's Daily Dime page around game time tonight. Are you kidding me? All you have to say is that this is the end of an era?

Obviously the thought was that we'd lay down and fall to the Grizzlies 4-1. Even if not - I know the percentage of people who believed in this team had substantially decreased after our game-4 meltdown - If we should go on to win game-5, extend the series, etc., is this really an appropriate thing to be posting? Not yet I say.. either way!

Take a look at this ESPN poll from early Tuesday morning:



It's obvious that most of the country thought we were done. It was early, but I couldn't find the poll again to check the results yesterday when I got up.

So back to game-5. Aside from a tiny little spell in the late 3rd quarter of this game, we were in control. Even when Memphis finally took their first lead, I could tell that this game would be different. We were resilient down the stretch. So I go back to ESPN just to see what they chose as their headline.

This is what they chose with 4-5 minutes left in the game:


And what's crazy here, is that the game is now over. It's been 30 minutes or so. This image is still there - same title. Only they changed a few letters.

"as the Spurs look to avoid elimination Wednesday night."

was replaced with

"as the Spurs avoided elimination Wednesday night."

Yeah we all know how the national media is. But I'm gonna do you one better. This Memphis team is very good. They are not like any other #8 seed I've ever seen (there are a few possible exceptions). We played this team 3 times in a month near the end of the season. All three were close, but they beat us up all three times, and won two of them. This team won a lot of games after the all-star break, culmanating in a 9-2 record just before they tanked their last two games "rested their players" - obviously OK with the idea of playing San Antonio. Why wouldn't they be? I told everyone time and time again near the end of the season - "We need to avoid Memphis. Portland isn't a good match-up either, but we must avoid Memphis."

So now here we are.

Never underestimate the heart of a Champion! --Rudy Tomjonavich (Houston Rockets' Head Coach), 1995

That quote is all I can think about right now. Count us out if you want to. Start elaborating about what this team is gonna be like without Tim Duncan, or without Gregg Popovich.. Consider how we've blown a few chances in a few seasons (specifically 2010, 2009, and 2002) - But what most of the critics who celebrate those three seasons in which we admittedly didn't do it down the stretch, I remind you of this:

2004 - Tim Duncan hit a shot at the (apparent) buzzer to put us up in game 5 of the semi-series against the Lakers, only to have Derek Fisher hit one of the most improbable shots of all time. Yeah 0.04. He doesn't hit that shot, and I feel strongly we win that series, and perhaps the rest is history.

2006 - Being down 3-1 in the western conference finals to Dallas, we stormed back, and did well in game-7 at our place. If it was not for a subtle Manu Ginobili foul on Dirk Nowitzki at the buzzer, that game was ours, and WE go on to the finals against Miami. Remember: Dallas won the first two games of those finals, and then lost 4 straight.

I see a ton of people online wanting to argue that this is not a DYNASTY. They claim that a team must repeat a Championship to be a dynasty. They claim three-peats, and all sorts of things. This Spurs team has won 4 Championships in a span of 13 seasons. 13 seasons in which we have not only compiled the best regular season record in ALL OF SPORTS, but have continued to be competitive with the same primary nucleus for more seasons than any other team I can think of.

Going backwards:
• 12 straight 50-win seasons: 687-297 (69.8%) - Three titles - 3-0 in Finals
• 37-13 in the 1998-1999 season (74%) - 74% of an 82-game season is 60.7 wins - 1 title
• 1997-1998: 56-26
• 1996-1997: David Robinson Injured in game-6 of the season.. (20-62) Leads to Tim Duncan acquisition.
• 1989-1996: 383-191 (66.7%) - 5 more 50-win seasons
• 127-95 playoff record in 21 seasons prior to this season - 21 playoff appearances in 22 years, including this season

Think about it all. Not only is this certainly a professional sports dynasty, it's not over with just yet.

Now it's after midnight, and ESPN has posted several variations and different camera angles of the Gary Neal Shot on its main page. But most are videos, and they all contain the same text as before. And the same title. We are Barely Alive and have "avoided elimination". Here is the final analysis page.

Perhaps some of this media attention is deserved. Not because we "eluded fate," or surprised everyone by playing the kind of basketball we've played all season, but because we freaking deserve it, and have much more to say in the coming days.

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