Buck Harvey Mailbag
Web Posted: 06/01/2007 05:39 PM CDT
Buck Harvey
Express-News Staff Writer
I yearn for the days of James Silas, George Gervin and Billy Paultz. I would much rather enjoy the game of basketball, watching those guys win 40-45 games and losing in the second round of the playoffs, than this current crop of whining, flopping and boring style of, okay, WINNING. Slow torture at its finest. While the rest of the city begins to rejoice over the prospect of Spurs/Pistons in the Finals, I go to my garage and stare at my old Iceman poster and just pretend it is 1980 again. – Steven Sampson, San Antonio
I miss a few things from 1980, too. Low gas prices and more hair on my head are just two. But the Parker-Ginobili-Duncan era is torture? When San Antonio looks back at this Spurs era, there really will be something to miss.
I’m a little concerned with seeing Eva Longoria at the Spurs away games – not only for her safety, but also for Tony Parker’s. The fans are getting worse at every stop. I never see any of the other players’ wives or girlfriends at the away games and feel that is the way it should be. Respectfully, Eva, let your man do his job without distractions. I don’t want T.P. going in the stands having to defend you or having to watch over you in these games. After we win the NBA Finals you can see him all you want this summer! – Roy Zamora, San Antonio
Significant others are often at the games. Deron Williams’ wife sat with Eva in San Antonio. Parker says Detroit in 2005 was worse than anything she dealt with in Phoenix or Utah. Maybe that’s another reason to root for Cleveland.
Why are sportscasters falling for Kobe Bryant’s announcement of his “supposed” desire to be traded? Is it not obvious to anyone but me that he is furious when basketball attention is turned to anybody except him? With LeBron James and Tim Duncan (and others) in the news because of the playoffs, he is languishing on the West Coast out of the picture. But an announcement (maybe yes, maybe no) of this significance is taking the attention away from the playoffs and putting him in the spotlight. Why are people falling for it? It is really disgusting that one man can be so selfish and self-centered – but worse, it is disgusting that he gets away with it because others will not or cannot see what this person is up to. Kobe is a master manipulator to the point that it is actually scary and creepy! Talk of building a team around him – heh, he thinks he is the team. The rest of the players there are just to enhance his position as master of the court! – Muriel Johnston, San Antonio
Give Kobe this – if all he wanted was attention, he was effective.
How about a trade: Francisco Elson, Brent Barry, Michael Finley, Beno Udrih, Jacque Vaughn and four to five first round picks for Kobe. Possible? Let’s try something outlandish and take a shot at dominating the league for the next four years. – Mark Bartay, San Antonio
Why not throw in Jackie Butler, too, just to sweeten the pot. Here’s what makes sense about a Spurs’ trade for Kobe: Kobe likes and respects Gregg Popovich. Here’s what doesn’t make sense about this trade: Everything else.
Quick question: Was LeBron’s performance in Game 5 against Detroit greater than Michael Jordan’s 63 against the Celtics or greater than Kobe’s 81? – Jeff Pena, Houston
Numerically speaking, less. But I’d put James’ Game 5 above both – considering what it meant in the playoff scheme of things.
Fabricio Oberto has been fantastic. If the two gentlemen from the southern tip of the earth continue to play like this, the Spurs will mighty hard to beat. Is it time to start wondering what Luis Scola brings to the table next year? Can the Spurs afford to bring him over yet? The Argentines’ great success across the board suggests that Scola should be able to come to this league and do damage one way or another. There’s actually a real chance he’s better than Oberto, even if not as good as Manu. – Dylan
The more Argentines, the better. And Scola will be affordable. But every sign now says the Spurs were right about how these players fit together. Scola might be better individually, but Oberto clearly blends with the others on the floor.
It bothers me that pretty much everyone on the Spurs has a nickname of sorts, but Oberto has nothing. The way he has been stepping up so far, becoming the perfect complement to Timmy down the stretch, perhaps he has earned the right to have a nickname of his own. Nothing special, just a name that rolls off of the tongue easier – “Fabo.” A combination of his two names, short and sweet, simple like “Manu,” yet personal to his character. It can be combined with adjectives to create “Fabulous Fabo” or “The Fabo Fab.” Let Fabo-mania sweep the nation, let him complement Timmy throughout the rest of the playoffs to lead the Spurs down the road to glory. Fabo! Think about it. – Ben, San Antonio
If you had suggested “Fabulous Fabo Fabby Fab,” you would have had me.
Regarding a nickname for Oberto: Just call him Breeze, as in FaBREEZEio. – John Gonzalez, San Antonio
Spell it “Febreze,” and there’s a built-in endorsement deal.
Your article on Ginobili and Derek Fisher after Game 4 was reprinted in the Salt Lake paper today. I couldn’t believe your interpretation of the incident between the two players near the end of the game, when you said “Fisher and Ginobili intersected.” INTERSECTED? I’ve seen the replay a number of times. Ginobili clearly came up from behind, lunged into Fisher and then fell to the floor. He clearly initiated the contact. If you had any credibility, you would admit it rather than say, “intersected.” And the official fell for the stunt. Ginobili is a notorious flopper, and he got away with another one. – Kerry Price, Salt Lake City
Funny, some readers in San Antonio thought I was wrong when I said Ginobili “sold” the call in that same article. As for whether Ginobili “lunged” into Fisher – there must have been different replays in Utah.
Why does Manu play such a subordinate role in the regular season, but when playoffs come around he turns into Jerry West? It happens every year. Furthermore, Parker is less productive and more erratic in the postseason. Parker is Mr. May and Manu is Mr. October, to steal a baseball metaphor. Do you have an answer for that phenomenon? – Stan, Los Angeles
Ginobili has been Mr. May/June on the NBA calendar, and the only answer for that is a tribute to his will. There are times in the playoffs when he becomes one of the five best players in the league. That said, Parker has evolved. He’s finishing series now, and that wasn’t true in 2003.
Why do announcers at ABC and ESPN always seems to favor the opposing teams to the Spurs? They could not stop talking about the Jazz. Even when Manu sealed the game in the fourth quarter, the announcers were still talking about the Jazz instead of Manu! – Mike, San Antonio
We don’t always have access to the broadcast from our seats during the game, but the announcers must have slipped a few compliments in there about the Spurs. However, if you sense the balance is off now, see what happens if LeBron makes it to the Finals.
David Robinson had Duncan. Who is Tim’s “David?” Parker and Ginobili are good, but neither is a big man. Fabricio and Elson are okay, but neither is an anchor center. – Joe, San Antonio
Robinson was a backbone of the 1999 champions. But 2003? Parker and Ginobili are more effective at this stage of their careers than Robinson was then.
Who is going to replace Timmy when he retires? – Phillip, San Antonio
No one will. Just as no one replaced Bird or Jordan.
How does Duncan fair with the best big men in history? Is he behind or ahead of Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? – Dante, Laguna, Philippines
With every passing season, the measure change.