🎧 Spurs Insider️ 播客: 言归正传

Spurs Insider Podcast, 2024-09-18 06:32:00

由生成式人工智能翻译,译文内容可能不准确或不完整,以原文为准。

专栏作家迈克·芬格 (Mike Finger) 与马刺队随队记者杰夫·麦克唐纳 (Jeff McDonald) 和汤姆·奥斯本 (Tom Orsborn) 讨论了马刺队的控球后卫位置,以及哈里森·巴恩斯 (Harrison Barnes) 和克里斯·保罗 (Chris Paul) 的加入将如何改变阵容深度。

推荐阅读:

马刺队的特雷·琼斯为能担任克里斯·保罗的替补而自豪

文班亚马 (Wembanyama) 在球星卡活动中大放异彩

前马刺球员德罗赞回忆波波维奇的教诲总是超越篮球本身

马努·吉诺比利和马刺球员在德州大学圣安东尼奥分校的比赛中鸣响礼炮

以下是播客的文字记录:

迈克·芬格:这里是马刺内幕,我们从南德克萨斯州各地高度安全的绝密地点为您播报。我是主持人迈克·芬格,与我一起的还有《圣安东尼奥新闻快报》马刺队随队记者汤姆·奥斯本和杰夫·麦克唐纳,以及体育编辑尼克·塔尔博特 (Nick Talbot)。距离您的马刺队,您当地球队重返训练营参加媒体日还有不到两周的时间。休赛期已经进入最后阶段。我们将讨论赛程安排、阵容,以及在本期休赛期最后一期马刺内幕节目中可能做出一些预测。但首先,我想采访一下我的朋友,我的好兄弟,也是世界上我最喜欢的人之一,汤姆·奥斯本,他在度假回来的第一天,就带着期待的心情来到了这周的秘密地点,期待着新赛季马刺队的篮球比赛。汤姆,你好吗?

汤姆·奥斯本:我很好,迈克。很好,是的。是的,我很好。很高兴来到这里,很高兴来到这里。

迈克·芬格:听起来不错。贾·莫兰特 (Ja Morant),贾·莫兰特,他已经不在我们队里了。什么?他没有首发那场比赛?

汤姆·奥斯本:我想那是肯定的。他当然已经不在我们队里了。

迈克·芬格:哦,好吧。我以为你在那里爆出什么大新闻呢。我想,我想那是我们今天的主要话题。我不知道。你知道,我不知道,我不知道迈克是不是为这期播客准备了什么计划,但我敢打赌他心里有个概念。

汤姆·奥斯本:是的,没错。我的确对我的工作,你知道,除了主持这个播客之外,我还有个兼职,你知道,每周都要花我 80 个小时来做计划。我还为一家报社兼职写体育专栏。我已经做了大概 25 年了。我的理念是,或者说我的工作理念是,当马刺队的编辑尼克·塔尔博特,也可以说我的老板,在截止日期前 10 分钟打电话问我,你的专栏写了什么,你写了专栏吗?我说:“我有一个专栏的概念。”这并不总是奏效。但是,不管怎样,我们每次都能完成。

迈克·芬格:是的,是的,我喜欢这样。但是,汤姆回来了。我敢肯定,他度过了一个轻松愉快的充电夏天。杰夫回来了,尼克回来了。马刺队也回来了,杰夫在新赛季的第一次马刺队采访中,采访了一些顶级大牌球星。你跟我们说说吧,杰夫?

杰夫·麦克唐纳:你指的是什么?我一辈子都在采访顶级大牌球星。你是在说我像个,你是在说我像个中学生吗?一个追星的中学生?

迈克·芬格:不,不,不,五年级,五年级学生。

杰夫·麦克唐纳:哦,五年级,五年级学生。是的,我的意思是,你知道,他可能会被马刺队用交易得到的一个选秀权选中。你知道,他们得到了,他们得到了交易。

迈克·芬格:你指的是前几天的维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 活动,我相信你指的是这个?

杰夫·麦克唐纳:是的,我想是的。是的,那天很有趣,很有趣。我不太了解体育球星卡收藏界了。那不是我的菜。

迈克·芬格:真的吗?我五年级的时候也收集棒球卡,但是,显然,Topps 品牌现在归一家叫做 Fanatics 的公司所有,这是一家体育服装和纪念品公司,他们的代言人之一就是文班亚马先生。所以,体育球星卡公司 Topps 在全球各地举办了这样的活动,孩子们聚在一起,浏览今年的新篮球卡等等,或者说是所有体育项目的球星卡。比如汤姆·布雷迪 (Tom Brady) 参加了一个,迈克·特劳特 (Mike Trout) 也参加了一个,在圣安东尼奥,在班德拉路边的一个小地方,维克托·文班亚马是惊喜嘉宾,孩子们都疯了,我和一个 11 岁的孩子聊了聊这件事,还和 30 多岁的卡店老板聊了聊,他就像 11 岁的孩子一样兴奋,所以那天很有趣。文班亚马还活蹦乱跳地在圣安东尼奥,你可能已经猜到了。他比一个月前在法国的时候更强壮了吗?

杰夫·麦克唐纳:你知道,我没有让他做俯卧撑什么的。所以我不确定,但是我,我想,乍一看,我想这是个合理的猜测。他看起来很好。我们,他的发型是新的。我们从他的一些海滩度假照片中看到了他的一些照片,他仍然留着那些,就像蒂姆·邓肯 (Tim Duncan) 退役的入门套装,所以,这是新的。不过没有采访到维克托。他没有接受采访。他只是和孩子们互动了 20 分钟,这很好。

迈克·芬格:是的。听着,就像我说的,从现在开始不到两周,他和他的队友们,他的新阵容,将在圣安东尼奥西北部的菲斯塔德州响尾蛇乐园的胜利资本表演中心集结,开始训练营。阵容在整个夏天的大部分时间里,至少是几个月来,都已经基本确定了,但仍然需要进行一些调整。汤姆,你抢在我们所有人前面,在几秒钟前爆出了这条重磅新闻。我的意思是说,现在没什么大事发生。

汤姆·奥斯本:好吧,你知道怎么推销播客了,伙计。我,是的,我知道。把,我把话题扯远了,但是,我的意思是,是的,没什么大事发生。

迈克·芬格:好吧,我想听众们都很想念你。没有,没什么大事发生,但是,今天早上我们在这个安全的地方为这期播客做准备的时候,汤姆还没有出现,杰夫指出,你知道,这是汤姆度假回来的第一天。也许他还没准备好,也许他的精神状态还不能让他集中精力工作。

汤姆·奥斯本:杰夫一直都是一个准确的记者。但是,我的意思是,当汤姆开始工作的时候,他是很投入的,他是很认真的。汤姆不会来这里只是敷衍了事,就像,嘿,当你来的时候,你要全身心地投入。我期待,就像马刺队对他们的新阵容的期望一样,我期待汤姆·奥斯本在重新开始工作后立即发挥作用。这完全取决于谁让你进入状态。如果杰夫或尼克主持这档节目,他们向我表示问候,我会很高兴的。

迈克·芬格:哇。我有点明白他的意思了。就像,你知道,你,你,他有两个星期的时间不用跟你说话了,迈克·芬格。而你是他听到的第一个声音。就像,我也会有点像,又是这家伙,你知道吗?

汤姆·奥斯本:问题是,你对别人有这样的影响。我不知道你是否知道这一点。问题是,为了回到这个话题上来,为什么人们会听我们的节目。你知道,格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 在这个范围内是怎么做的?比如,人们回来的第一天,你知道,杰里米·索汉 (Jeremy Sochan) ?他回来的第一天也不想跟你说话。我敢肯定,他就是这么想的。不,不,不,不,不,不,你误解我的意思了。杰里米·索汉、德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell)、凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson)。那些认识格雷格·波波维奇很多年的人。比如,他们会像看迈克·芬格一样看他吗,然后说:“哦,又是这家伙?”还是他会让他们立刻跃跃欲试?你怎么看?

杰夫·麦克唐纳:区别在于格雷格·波波维奇是个讨人喜欢的人。是的,我明白了。这就是最大的区别。这里面有权力差异。是的,我们不尊重你。这就是他想要表达的。我们,我们完全不尊重你。这就是最伤人的地方,就是缺乏尊重。这都是开玩笑,这都是开玩笑。哦,我们想谈谈马刺队?我们可以谈谈马刺队。

迈克·芬格:好吧,这就是我一直想让我们做的事情,已经有一段时间了。我有一些,我有一些关于波波维奇在激励方面的事情。说吧,杰夫。

杰夫·麦克唐纳:我的意思是,你知道,如果你想利用这个播客来宣传一些东西。我前几天采访了特雷·琼斯 (Tre Jones),我会写一篇关于我和特雷·琼斯谈话的文章。

迈克·芬格:哦,你今年夏天真的写了一篇文章?很高兴知道。我很震惊。

杰夫·麦克唐纳:我前几天采访了他。我只是想,我只是想。所以,这是一个很好的,突发新闻,杰夫在停赛 6 个月后写了一篇关于马刺队的文章。继续说。

迈克·芬格:好吧,这太荒谬了。对于我们的听众来说,你太荒谬了。你,好吧,这取决于特雷,杰夫。

杰夫·麦克唐纳:好吧,这是一个有趣的,有趣的,我想,动态,做特雷·琼斯这些天,因为如果你站在他的立场上。比如,几年来他一直是这里的首发控球后卫,但他们总是想取代他。就像,你知道,他们去年开始让杰里米·索汉担任首发控球后卫。你说的是杰里米·索汉吗?当这,当这并不奏效的时候,他们没有回到前一年一直首发的特雷·琼斯,他们让马拉凯·布拉纳姆 (Malachi Branham) 打了一段时间。当这也不奏效的时候,他们终于想,好吧,就让阵容中的控球后卫来打控球后卫吧。还有特雷·琼斯,还有特迪·奥斯曼 (Teddy Osmon)。是的,一场比赛,没错。然后,特雷在下半赛季开始首发,我认为我们都让他看起来更好了。我认为你可以说,是他拯救了维克托·文班亚马下半赛季的表现,就像一切都变好了。然后,他们进入了休赛期,你知道,特雷一直都是一个很好的球员,他又一次拯救了他们,而他们却用他们的选秀权,选中了要取代他的人。未来的控球后卫,斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle)。然后,他们在一周后做了什么?他们签下了克里斯·保罗,他将在短期内取代他。所以,现在,特雷·琼斯失去了他的首发位置。所以,我认为这将是一个有趣的,他将是一个有趣的采访对象,在这个夏天。我的意思是,你不会感到震惊,因为我们了解特雷·琼斯,以及他的态度和他对待 NBA 生涯的方式,但他的,他的基本,你知道,从中学到的东西是,如果你要失去你的首发位置,输给 NBA 历史上最伟大的控球后卫之一并不是一件坏事。他很期待向克里斯·保罗学习,并指导斯蒂芬·卡斯尔,并以这种方式融入球队。特雷还提到,这并不是在泄露什么消息,但克里斯·保罗已经 39 岁了。这很职业,他可能不会打 82 场比赛。他可能不会每场比赛打 40 分钟。所以,我认为,我认为,你知道,特雷·琼斯今年会首发几场比赛,这并不是不可能的,而且他会打一些,你知道,他的上场时间可能不会减少太多。即使他是在替补阵容中。所以,这是一个很好的谈话,关于他,以及马刺队控球后卫位置的现状。顺便说一句,他很喜欢卡斯尔。他认为他在这个位置上很有前途。还有,我生了双胞胎,特雷·琼斯也生了双胞胎。家庭越来越壮大,他说他们,家里终于可以睡个好觉了。他和他的妻子不得不轮流照顾三个孩子。在这一切的过程中,他还为我们颁发了马刺高中奖,或者说是《新闻快报》高中奖,就像他做的那样。作为一个曾经有过很小的孩子的人,我也会不惜一切代价离开家。那晚那只是一个玩笑,你知道吗?真的是吗?

迈克·芬格:好吧,我,我,当那个没有魅力的,就像汤姆·奥斯本说的那样,那个没有魅力、不讨人喜欢的家伙去参加那个活动的时候,他开的玩笑是,特雷·琼斯之所以要颁发《新闻快报》高中奖,只是为了离开家,远离那两个孩子。大家都笑了,因为人们喜欢圣安东尼奥的那个主持人。所以,现在,我们正在做,他在这里比在这个播客上更受尊重。但是,继续说。

杰夫·麦克唐纳:我们隔了 3 个月又开了一样的玩笑。

迈克·芬格:是的,天哪。那句话怎么说来着?熟悉 breeds 蔑视?或者,对我来说,比控球后卫的位置更有趣的是,你的当地球队的控球后卫位置在很长一段时间内都没有像现在这样确定,就像杰夫刚才提到的那样,你可能有可能是他这一代最好的控球后卫,在他 30 多岁的时候,准备接管首发位置。你得到了选秀权,他是未来的控球后卫,而你还有特雷·琼斯在他们之间坐镇,就像,如果你是今年的马刺队,你会对控球后卫的位置感到非常满意。维克托·文班亚马在,你对中锋位置也很满意。德文·瓦塞尔将成为你的首发得分后卫。那就是,然后在替补阵容中,如果你的替补阵容中有特雷·琼斯担任控球后卫。扎克·科林斯 (Zach Collins) 回来了,我希望他能打一些内线时间。我很期待看到波波维奇会如何处理那些侧翼球员,那些介于两者之间的位置。也许这期播客很适合讨论这个话题,因为,正如汤姆雄辩地指出的那样,没有太多别的事情可说了。但是,我先来抛砖引玉,猜猜阵容。我觉得波波维奇有几种不同的选择,如果你的控球后卫是克里斯·保罗,得分后卫是德文·瓦塞尔,中锋是维克托。我觉得你签下哈里森·巴恩斯是为了让他成为一名经验丰富的球员。我觉得你可能会让他首发。我想这不是绝对的,但是,然后,然后你,你对第五个位置的选择,取决于哈里森·巴恩斯打大前锋还是小前锋,你是让杰里米·索汉首发吗?我认为他很适合,因为球场上的其他人都会投篮。我有点认为事情会这样发展。我认为凯尔登·约翰逊,尽管他最近又代表另一支球队参加了比赛,为了融入球队,他把自己的号码让给了克里斯·保罗。比如,他会再来一次,并且欣然接受替补出场吗?这对我来说似乎很有可能。那么,你的替补阵容中就有特雷·琼斯、斯蒂芬·卡斯尔、凯尔登·约翰逊和扎克·科林斯。你的第五个人是谁?我知道这一下子说了很多话题,但是杰夫,你想插句话吗?

杰夫·麦克唐纳:好吧,我不会,我没什么有趣的话要说,因为我认为你已经说得很好了。比如,那就是,那就是我猜的,关于你刚才说的首发五人。你的第二阵容的第五个人是谁?是朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie),还是其他什么人?

迈克·芬格:那是,那是,那是得到,你,你,你让尚帕尼打替补阵容吗?这意味着凯尔登是大前锋?因为第二阵容缺少的是,当我浏览他们的球员名单时,与去年相比,是杰文·奥斯曼 (Jevon Carter) 的位置,他有点像,他在那支球队里有点像大前锋,对吧?一个大个子,即使他经常出现在侧翼,但是他们在篮球卡上没有一个被认为是大前锋的人。在他们的 Topps 篮球卡上。所以,你是提拔像马穆凯拉 (Dominick Barlow) 或乔·维斯坎普 (Joe Wieskamp),或者其他什么人,然后在替补阵容中安排两名内线球员,还是让替补阵容变小,让尚帕尼或马拉凯·布拉纳姆,或者其他什么人,塞迪·奥斯曼 (Cedi Osman) ?是的,我的意思是,这不是一个很好的播客素材,因为我认为这些都是合理的,在某个时间点,并且随着赛季的进行,他们会进行混合和匹配。试试这个,试试那个。我不知道你是否要锁定 10 个人,你永远不会这样做。你永远不会只锁定 10 个人,然后他们就是你一整年的 10 个人。我确实,我,我,我认为你说的很有道理,比如你真的没有。除非你认为尚帕尼可以成为一个空间型四号位。我的意思是,他身高 6 英尺 7 英寸,这足以成为一个空间型四号位吗?凯尔登是空间型球员吗?凯尔登是大前锋吗?我的意思是,他可以,任何人都可以做任何事。当然,你知道。所以,也许我不知道。但是,我认为,是的,也许,也许马穆是一个选择。个子更高一点,你知道,塞迪·奥斯曼那样的角色。他的确做了很多和塞迪一样的事情,比如无球跑动等等,所以我,我,这也是一种选择。其中一个挑战是,我认为你的马刺队今年会有 15 个,14 到 15 个球员获得上场时间。我认为很多像布雷克·韦斯利 (Blake Wesley)、马拉凯·布拉纳姆这样的人,他们并没有完全被排除在外。我认为塞迪·西索科 (Cedi Sissoko) 会像年轻球员在马刺队的第二年经常做的那样取得进步。但是,在任何一场比赛中,任何时候,你都只能派上 9 个或 10 个人。比如轮换阵容是 9 人,10 人轮换。这就是我要在赛季初观察的,看看谁,谁会在训练营结束后进入 10 人轮换阵容。然后,就像你说的,有很多不同的方式可以做到这一点。你说了 11 个或 12 个名字才开始说到马拉凯·布拉纳姆和布雷克·韦斯利,他们是几年前的首轮秀。所以,对我来说,这表明这对他们来说是重要的一年,对这两个人来说,在马刺队,乃至整个 NBA 站稳脚跟都是如此。而且,根据这一年的情况,我不知道他们是否还有机会做到这一点,因为现在,你,你看起来他们已经被排除在外了。我的意思是,这是一个漫长的赛季,会有伤病等等,等等。所以他们可能会有机会,但随着赛季的开始,很难看出这两个人在哪里才能获得足够的出场时间,你知道,以确保他们在未来的任何事情。这将是有趣的。我还没有这方面的报道,但马刺队是否会执行他们的第四年球员选项,他们必须在赛季开始前做出决定。所以,这将是一个信号,表明他们未来的发展方向,如果他们甚至不执行这些选项的话。你还有布兰登·波士顿 (Brandon Boston)、马拉基·弗林 (Malachi Flynn) 加入,你知道,这对迈克刚才提出的问题来说将是一个有趣的训练营。所以,你知道,很多,很多竞争。应该,应该能在季前训练营中看到。回到索汉,回到杰里米,他是进入训练营后更有趣的球员之一。我的意思是,这是他的第三年了。他能,他能取得进步吗?你知道吗?他能,他能开始在外线投篮更准吗?他还能不能成为一名更好的防守球员?我喜欢他在首发阵容中的防守,但我认为他是一个需要真正观察的球员,看看他是否,他是否正在取得进步。如果他,你知道,在进攻端有所进步。如果他在进攻端能持续地做些什么,突然之间,他就成了一种力量。是的,是的,今年是那一年吗?有趣的是,这家伙在他的前两个赛季中已经有几场 30 分的比赛了。所以,他并不是没有能力,在进攻端留下自己的印记。这只是一个,变得更加稳定的问题,我同意,当你在一支球队中不是第一、第二、第三、第四选择的时候,这很难做到。你知道,很难保持这种稳定性。但是,只要找到一种方法,每晚都能在进攻端影响比赛,如果他能找到一种方法做到这一点,那么对这支球队来说,他几乎是无价的。几年前的事了,但你们还记得拉,好像汤姆病了,汤姆是不是错过了赛季最后一场比赛?好像是很久以前的事了。但你们,你们还记得,马刺队上赛季的最后一场比赛吗?当时球员们进来接受我们的最后采访,我问了杰里米关于完全放弃投篮,重新开始的可能性。我不认为我说的那么直白,但这就是我的意思。你想在这方面做多少努力?如果我没记错的话,杰夫,你可能比我记得更清楚,但他,他似乎并不想这么做。比如,他,他明白他需要改进投篮,但他是否已经下定决心,真的,真的,真的改变一些基本功,然后像以前在奇普·英格兰 (Chip England) 手下那样重新开始,比如,我,我,我,我在想,如果,如果他还是那样,你还是能看到那种不协调的动作,那种侧旋,这能奏效,比如,你可以用侧旋投篮。NBA 历史上有一些投手是这样投篮的,我想。肯尼·史密斯 (Kenny Smith) 不就是那样投篮的吗?但是,我,我,我很好奇他的投篮是什么样子的。如果看起来和去年一样,我,我,我,我,我会问他关于他的上限的问题。我对你们上次的谈话有不同的记忆,但我也许错了。继续说。我的意思是,我,我的意思是,你不知道别人是怎么想的,或者,或者我,我不是在评判语气,我甚至不记得原话了,但我记得当时我想,“哦,他终于,好像承认他必须改变他的投篮了,因为很长一段时间以来,当你问他,当任何人问他这个问题的时候,他都会说,我一辈子都是这样投篮的,你知道。是的。对我来说,我记得当时我想,“这是我第一次,至少是第一次,真的听到他承认,他有可能需要彻底改变投篮动作。”他这个休赛期是否做到了,我们还不得而知。我想我们会在几周后,当我们终于看到他们在球场上比赛的时候,就能看出一些端倪。但是,我认为至少,至少对他来说,把它说出来是一件好事,那就是,是的,那是他愿意做的事情,就是改变它。所以,我认为这是一个公平的评价,回想起来。你,你知道,杰里米的特点是,他很厚脸皮,你知道,他所有的,这是,这是他用来形容他自称迷人的口音的词。他自称是一个厚脸皮的家伙。而且我认为来回对话是这样的,你说他,他承认,投篮需要改进。然后,当我追问他,这意味着要推倒重来,重新开始。我不认为他答应了。但你说得对,他也没有拒绝。我认为更多的是一种,我们拭目以待的态度,我们会拭目以待的。他,他谈到了他去年的关系,和投篮教练吉米·巴伦 (Jimmy Baron) 的关系很好。所以,我猜想他们两个人一直在一起训练。上周,他们在德州大学圣安东尼奥分校的那场橄榄球比赛中花了一些时间,我告诉你。你想谈谈那个大丑闻吗?我的新,我的意思是,我们来谈谈那个丑闻吧。

迈克·芬格:好吧,显然在,在南德克萨斯州各地安全的地方,有一些人,谁,谁,我不是,我不是在评判,但,那不是你的当地球队最受欢迎的一次亮相。是的。他们,他们,他们开车去了,去了讨厌的奥斯汀。而且,那是一场德州大学圣安东尼奥分校的比赛,所以你可以说,哦,他们是去,去支持当地的 Roadrunners 队。但是,那是,德文·瓦塞尔、杰里米·索汉、马穆,一大群人。朱利安·尚帕尼。他们在场边观看了这场德州大学和德州大学圣安东尼奥分校的橄榄球比赛。他们鸣响了德克萨斯大学的礼炮。而且,而且,但是什么事情让人们生气了呢?是,是社交媒体上的帖子吗,杰夫?激怒了人们,还是马刺队没有参加比赛?我认为不止于此。我认为不止于此。当然,我,我不知道是不是这样。但是,从社交媒体上看,他们似乎是去支持奥斯汀的大学,而不是他们家乡圣安东尼奥的大学。让我把,把 Puro 的功劳归于应得的人。我看到的照片里,凯尔登·约翰逊穿着一件德州大学圣安东尼奥分校的球衣。是的。哦,一如既往,你知道,他必须,我,我,我不是,我不是,顺便说一句,我对这场比赛没有任何兴趣。我一点也不在乎。就像,随便吧。我,我,我,我真的,我们都不在乎。我真的不在乎,所以我想说清楚。但是,你知道,D- D- 瓦塞尔先生穿着一件德克萨斯大学的球衣。嗯哼。你知道,梅森·普拉姆利 (Mason Plumley),是梅森·普拉姆利还是迈尔斯 (Miles Plumlee) ?现在效力于太阳队的普拉姆利是谁?我不知道。不,没人,没人知道。不,这,这,这无关紧要。他是普拉姆利。他穿着一件德克萨斯大学的球衣,因为,你看,这里的关键是,是,马刺队今年要在奥斯汀再打两场比赛,顺便说一句,自从赛程出来后,我们好像还没讨论过。我们采访了伟大的比尔·兰德 (Bill Land),他,没错。我,我,我从你们很多人那里听说,你们很喜欢上次和比尔·兰德的讨论。感谢他,感谢他接受采访。但是,在那期播客之前,我预测你的,你的马刺队会在牛仔竞技表演赛期间在奥斯汀打比赛。比如,你有一场克里斯·保罗的比赛吗?是的。所以,马刺队将对阵太阳队。凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 将在二月份回到他的母校。所以,我认为马刺队去奥斯汀只是为了露个脸。这并不是说他们指望有人会在场边看到他们,然后去买几个月后马刺队和太阳队比赛的门票,但我认为这只是他们正在进行的,让奥斯汀人觉得马刺队也是他们的球队的一部分。而且,当你考虑到经济因素,当你考虑到奥斯汀市场的吸引力,对圣安东尼奥的吸引力,对圣安东尼奥的一家 NBA 球队来说,你会觉得,这是可以理解的。比如,你为什么不希望奥斯汀的那些人,奥斯汀的那些人,奥斯汀的那些人,也觉得马刺队是他们的球队呢?比如,我明白。只是,好像他们每次想这样做的时候,这并不是球队的搬迁,而只是他们每次想吸引奥斯汀人的时候,圣安东尼奥就会有一些人表示反对,他们不想分享。我,我,我认为,我认为,你看,有些人,我,我,我明白,但也,我认为圣安东尼奥只是有点敏感。仅此而已。是的。也许,也许我也是太天真了,但我读到那篇文章,周六,就像这些家伙彼此喜欢,去看一场橄榄球比赛是一件很有趣的事情。我以为这只是我的新的一次实地考察。是的,没错。只是一件有趣的事情,我们可以一起出去玩。你在社交媒体上看到的一些反对意见是,“他们应该支持来自圣安东尼奥的球队,而不是来自奥斯汀的球队。”是的。我,我明白,但我也不在乎。我不认为他们,我的意思是,我,我不想替球队里的任何人说话,但我认为他们中的大多数人也不在乎谁赢了那场比赛,你知道吗?不。当然不。他们,他们只是去凑热闹的,你知道吗?这就是,这就是很棒的九月播客素材,因为它最终无关紧要。这很愚蠢。我,我,我,而且,而且,而且这,这会让人们有点激动,而且,而且,而且这很有趣。有几张照片,比如一些,一些球员,马刺队的球员,试图做那个“勾 'em horns”的手势。我不得不说,比如,斯蒂,斯蒂芬·卡斯尔做不到,从我看到的照片来看。做不到,做不到。你不能强迫它。还有,对于,对于像马穆这样的人来说,还有一件事,还有一个国际球员在那里?那些,那些,那些没有在美国上过大学的人,要做“勾 'em horns”的手势。马穆,马穆在南方豪尔大学 (Southern Hall) 打过球,你在说什么?好吧,说得好,说得好。但是,像斯蒂芬·卡斯尔,他刚刚,他刚刚在康涅狄格大学 (UConn) 连续获得了两个全国冠军,比如,他为什么要做“勾 'em horns”的手势呢?比如,那是关键,他们,他们,他们,他们,他们本来可以成为 12 强联盟的对手。比如,马拉凯·布拉纳姆也在那里,而那些球队今年可能会争夺全国冠军。是的,没错,没错。总之。下次我们,我们见面的时候,训练营就已经开始了,我们将会有更多实质性的内容可以讨论。我们是在 kidding 谁呢?我们可能还是会讨论一些无聊的事情,但这,这,我,我很期待,汤姆。我知道这是你回来的第一天,你还在适应,但我们将会有一个完整的马刺内幕赛季,不是吗?或者,你,你,你不期待吗?哪怕只是一点点?

汤姆·奥斯本:当然。当然,我很期待。是的。尽管你和主持人之间存在着明显的紧张气氛。不,我的意思是,嘿,奥克兰运动家队就是在紧张的气氛中赢得了三个冠军的。你说的没错。和你们一起录制的每一期播客都像是在拍《蓝色月光 (Moonlighting)》,或者别的什么电视剧。他们分开乘坐出租车。那是,那是我们的时代。我们听懂了每一个梗。是的,我们有奶酪,伙计。我们这里有山姆 (Sam) 和黛安 (Diane)。嗯哼。所以,就像查尔斯·格罗丁 (Charles Grodin) 和罗伯特·德尼罗 (Robert De Niro) 那样。那是一部很棒的电影,伙计。的确。《午夜狂奔 (Midnight Run)》。太棒了。《午夜狂奔》。我向,向那里的听众推荐这部电影,如果年轻人,而且是彩色的。是彩色的。孩子们,是彩色的。好电影。我们会在本月底训练营开始后再见。我们将恢复正常的发布时间表,也许会,也许会,也许会有赞助商。最好能再找一个赞助商。我们将在十月份举办一场大型现场活动,下次再告诉你们。你们很多人都很喜欢我们上次的活动。所以敬请期待。在下一次见到你们之前,保重。保持真实。

点击查看原文:Getting to the point

Getting to the point

Columnist Mike Finger and Spurs beat reporters Jeff McDonald and Tom Orsborn discuss the Spurs’ point guard position and how the depth chart will be altered with Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul in the mix.

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Here is the transcript of the podcast:

Mike Finger: From a highly secure network of top-secret locations across South Texas, this is the Spurs Insider. I’m your host Mike Finger joined by our full panel of Express News Spurs beat writers, Tom Orsborn and Jeff McDonald, along with sports editor Nick Talbot. We are less than 2 weeks away from the return of your Spurs, your local cagers to training camp to Media Day. We’re hitting the home stretch of the off-season. We’re going to talk schedule. We’re going to talk roster. We’re going to talk maybe some predictions in this last off-season edition of the Spurs Insider. But first, I want to check in with my man, my main man, uh one of my favorite people in the world, Tom Orsborn, who on his first day back from vacation, came right into the secure location this week with bells on, eager for another season of Spurs basketball. Tom, how are you?

Tom Orsborn: Good, Mike. Um good, yeah. Um yeah, doing doing well. Uh glad to be here. Glad to be here.

Mike Finger: Sounds like it. Ja Morant, Ja Morant, uh he’s no longer with us though. What? Did not start that game?

Tom Orsborn: I guess that’s stands. He’s no longer with us on the team, of course.

Mike Finger: Oh, okay. I thought you were breaking big news there. I guess that stands is our main topic of the day. I don’t know. You know, I don’t know. Well, I don’t I don’t know if Finger, Mike, has a a plan for this for this podcast, but I bet he has a concept of a plan.

Tom Orsborn: Yeah, that is true. I I do have my whole uh my whole philosophy with my gig. You know, I I have a side gig in addition to hosting this podcast, which, as you know, takes up 80 hours of my week every week, just planning. Um I I also write sports columns for a newspaper on the side. I’ve been doing that for like a quarter-century or so. And then, my concept there is or my my philosophy there is when when Nick Talbot, the Spurs editor, conceivably my boss, uh calls like 10 minutes before deadline, and asking what my column is, do do you have a column, I say, “I have a concept of a column.” And that that doesn’t always go well. But uh, anyway, we recover every time.

Mike Finger: Yes. Yes. Love it. Um but, anyway, Tom, Is back. He had a, I’m sure, a restful uh uh recharging summer. Uh Jeff is back, Nick is back. Uh The Spurs are back, and uh Jeff, in one of his first uh Spurs outings of the new season, uh interviewed some uh some like top-shelf big-time celebrities the other day. You tells about that, Jeff?

Jeff McDonald: What are you referring to? I’ve been interviewing top-shelf big-time celebrities my whole life. I’ve You’re talking to like a I I thought you’d talked to a middle schooler. Uh the starstruck middle schooler.

Mike Finger: No, no, no. 5th grade, 5th grader.

Jeff McDonald: Oh, 5th grade. 5th grader. Yeah. I mean, you know, he might he might be drafted with one of those draft picks that the Spurs have. Uh, you know, they got they got via trade.

Mike Finger: You are referring to the Victor Wembanyama event the other day, is what I I believe you’re referring to?

Jeff McDonald: Yeah, I think so. Yeah, that was that was a fun day. That was fun. Um I I I don’t know a lot about the uh sports card collecting world anymore. Like that’s not my gig.

Mike Finger: Really? I I collected baseball cards when I was a 5th grader myself, but um Apparently, uh the Topps brand is now owned by uh this thing called Fanatics, which is like a sports apparel and memorabilia company, of which one of their endorsers is uh Mr. Mr. Wembanyama. So Topps, the sports card company, had this like events uh worldwide in a bunch of locations worldwide where kids get together and and um you know, go through the the the new the new the new basketball cards for this year and whatnot. Or uh all sports, I guess. You like Tom Brady did one, and um and uh Mike Trout did one, and uh in San Antonio, the little place off Bandera Road, Victor Wembanyama was the surprise uh surprise guest, and the kids went wild, and I talked to an 11-year-old about it, and uh talked to the 30-something card shop owner about it, who was as geeked as an 11-year-old, so it was a it was a fun day. Wembanyama’s still alive in San Antonio as you might as you might have guessed. Was he uh Was he uh more muscular than he was in France uh a month ago?

Jeff McDonald: Uh, you know I I didn’t have him do like push-ups or whatever. Uh, so I’m not not sure, but I I I think at a glance, I think that’s that’s a fair guess. He seemed fine. We His his uh hairdo is is new. We saw little photos of that from some of his vacation photos from the beach, and he’s still got those little It’s like the the Tim Duncan retirement starter pack, so uh-huh. That’s That’s something that’s new. Did not talk to Victor though. He did not do interviews. He just just there for a 20-minute uh interaction with the kids, which is which is fine.

Mike Finger: Yeah. Uh look, like I said, it’s going to be less than 2 weeks from from this podcast when he and his teammates, his his new-look roster, converge upon the Victory Capital Performance Center there in the shadows of the Rattler, at Fiesta Texas on the Northwest side of San Antonio, for the start of training camp. Uh roster has kind of been in place for most of the summer for at least a couple of months now, but there’s still tweaks to be made. Tom, got ahead of all of us breaking the huge huge news a few seconds ago. My point was, there’s not much going on right now.

Tom Orsborn: Well, you know how to sell a podcast, buddy. I I yeah, I know. Bring I’m bringing this down, but I mean, yeah, not much going on.

Mike Finger: Well, the the the the point is like the listeners, I think, uh missed you. And no, there’s nothing going on, but uh when we were uh uh convening here in the secure location for this podcast this morning, and Tom hadn’t shown up, Jeff pointed out, you know, this is got This is Tom’s first day back from vacation. Maybe he’s not ready, maybe he’s not in the mental uh uh brain space to contribute.

Tom Orsborn: Jeff has always been an accurate reporter. But, my my point was, like, when Tom is on the clock, he is on the clock, he’s into it. And Tom’s not going to come in here and just you know, half step like Hey, when you’re when you’re in, you’re all in. And uh I I expect, much like the Spurs’ expectations for their new-look roster, I expect immediate impact from Tom Orsborn, when he’s back on the clock. It’s all who puts you in the frame of mind. If Jeff was hosting this show or Nick, and they greeted me, I would have been happy.

Mike Finger: Wow. You know what I kind of get his point. Like, you know, you you He had He had like 2 weeks of not having to talk to you, Mike Finger. And he’s like, you’re the first voice he hears. Like, I would be a little like, uh, this guy again, too, you know?

Tom Orsborn: Well, here’s the question though, you you have that effect on people. I don’t know if you know this. Here’s the question though, uh to get this back to the topic, why people conceivably listen to us. Uh You know uh How How does Gregg Popovich fit into that spectrum? Like, are are people the first day back, uh you know, Jeremy Sochan? He doesn’t want to talk to you either, the first day back. That’s how he feels, I’m sure. No, No, no, no, no, no. You’re You’re missing my point. Jeremy Sochan, uh Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson. The people who who have known Gregg Popovich for years. Like, are they going to look at him like uh Mike Finger, and be like, “Oh, this this guy again?” Or or is he going to immediately uh have them rearing to go? What do you think?

Jeff McDonald: Well, the difference is that the Gregg Popovich is a delightful man. Yeah. I see. That’s the big difference. And there’s a power dynamic there. Yeah, we don’t respect you. That’s That’s what he’s saying. We We have a complete lack of respect. That’s what hurts the most, just the lack of respect. This is all in jest, this is all in jest. Oh, we want to talk about the Spurs? We can talk about the Spurs.

Mike Finger: Well, that’s what I’ve been trying to get us to do for a while, now. I got I got something I got something about Popovich in terms of uh motivation. Go ahead, Jeff.

Jeff McDonald: I I mean like, you know, if you if you want to like use this podcast to plug some stuff. Uh I I talked to Tre Jones the other day, and I’m going to have a story coming out with my little uh conversation with Tre Jones.

Mike Finger: Oh, you actually wrote a story this summer? That’s good to know. I’m shocked.

Jeff McDonald: I talked to him the other day. I just wanted to kind of I So, it’s a nice um This breaking news, Jeff wrote a story during his 6-month hiatus from covering the Spurs. Go ahead.

Mike Finger: All right. That’s ridiculous. To our listeners, you’re being ridiculous. You’ve Well, it’s Tre up to, Jeff.

Jeff McDonald: Um well, it’s It’s It’s It’s an interesting uh interesting uh I guess dynamic, being Tre Jones these days, because if you put your if you put yourself in his shoes. Like, he’s kind of been the starting point guard here for a couple of years, but they’re always trying to replace him. Like, you know, they started last year with Jeremy Sochan as the starting point guard. Did you say Jeremy Sochan? And when that uh when that didn’t work out so well, they didn’t go back to Tre Jones, who had started all year before, they went to Malachi Branham for a while. And when that didn’t work out so well, they finally were like, okay, we’ll let the point guard on the roster play point guard. And Tre Jones And then there was Teddy Osmon in there, too. Yeah. One game, that’s true. And then, Tre got to start the last half of the year, and I think we all made it look better. I think you could make the argument that he kind of salvaged the second half of Victor Wembanyama’s season, like it looked Everything looked better. And then, they go to the off-season, you know, Tre has been such a good soldier, and has bailed them out again, and and what do they do with their draft pick, they draft the guy that’s going to replace him. The point guard of the future in Steph Cassell. And then, what do they do a week after that? They sign Chris Paul, who’s going to replace him in the short term. So, now um Tre Jones is out of his starting job. So, I thought that would be an interesting He’d be an interesting guy to talk to this summer. And I mean, you’re not going to be shocked because we don’t know Tre Jones and kind of his attitude and the way he approaches his life in the NBA, but his his his basic uh you know, take away from that is if you’re going to lose your starting job losing it to one of the greatest point guards in NBA history is not such a bad gig. And he’s kind of looking forward to both uh learning from Chris Paul and mentoring Steph Cassell, and fitting in that way. And Tre also kind of mentioned, and it’s not like talking out of school, but Chris Paul is 39 years old. It’s pro He’s probably not going to play 82 games. He’s probably not going to play 40 minutes a game. So, I think I think you know, it’s not out out of question to say that Tre Jones is going to get him some starts this year, and is going to play some uh uh, you know, his minutes might not go down much at all. Um, even if he’s running with the second unit. So, it was a good conversation to have about him and and the state of the uh Spurs point guard situation. Likes Likes Cassell a lot, by the way. Thinks he’s he’s really got a future at the position. Also, I had twins, Tre Jones had twins. Well, his wife had twins. Yeah. Growing family, he said they’re Everybody’s finally sleeping again in the house. And, they’re having to play zone defense, him and his wife, on the three kids. So, And in the middle of all that, he did the Spurs high school award or the Express News high school awards for us, as he did that. As someone who used to have very small children, I would have done anything to get out of the house as well. That was That was a joke that night, you know? Was it really?

Mike Finger: Well, I I uh the wh- when that charmless, as Tom Orsborn put it, that that charmless unlikable guy who went and see that event, that was the joke that uh that that he made was that Tre Jones was doing the Express News high school awards uh just to get out of the house, away from the two kids. And it got a laugh, because people love that MC out there in San Antonio. So, now, we’re doing the He’s much more respected than than he is on this podcast. But go ahead.

Jeff McDonald: We’re We’re doing the same joke 3 months apart.

Mike Finger: Yes. Jeeze. Uh-huh. What’s that saying about familiarity breeds contempt? Or What’s What’s more interesting to me than the point guard situation, which is kind of set for your local cagers um in a way that it hasn’t been set in a long time, as Jeff just mentioned, you have maybe maybe the best point guard of his generation, uh at at in his late 30s, ready to to take over the starting job. You’ve got the draft pick, who’s the point guard of the future, and you’ve got Tre Jones kind of holding down the floor between them, like that’s you You feel pretty good about point guard if you’re this Spurs this year. Uh You feel pretty good about center with Victor Wembanyama. Uh you feel pretty good about uh Devin Vassell’s going to be your starting two guard. That’s what the the And then, then on the on the in in the second unit, if you have Tre Jones taking playing point guard on your second unit. Um Zach Collins coming back, I would expect him to to to play some big-man minutes there. I’m I’m looking forward to seeing how Pop is going to handle those those wing guys, those positions in between. And maybe this is a good podcast to get into that because, as Tom so eloquently pointed out, there’s not a whole heck of a lot else going on. Uh, but, I’ll I’ll start here, just to get the ball rolling, get Just making some guesses about lineups. And uh I feel like there’s a couple different ways that Pop can go here, and um if if you go Chris Paul at point guard, Devin Vassell at two, Victor at the five. I feel like you you acquired Harrison Barnes to be this veteran presence. And, I feel like that you probably are going to start him. I I guess that’s not a guarantee, but um then then you’re you’re choice for that fifth spot, depending on whether Harrison Barnes plays four or three, is do you start Jeremy Sochan with that group? Who I think kind of fits because everyone else on the floor can make a shot. Um I I kind of think that’s how that goes. I think Keldon Johnson, even though he made another team first move recently, uh showing his commitment to uh to fitting in by by giving up his number to to Chris Paul. Like, is he going to do that again, and and graciously accept another season coming off the bench, like that? That seems sort of likely to me. So, then you have, in the second unit, Tre Jones, Steph Cassell, Keldon Johnson, and Zach Collins. Who’s your fifth guy there? I I know that’s a lot of topics that are all at once, but Jeff, do you want to chime in on any of that?

Jeff McDonald: Uh well, um it’s not going to I don’t really have anything interesting to say because I think you pretty much got it. Like, that’s That would be my guess, as far as the starting five that you threw out there. Um Who’s your fifth on the on the on the uh second unit? Is it Champagnie, or somebody like that?

Mike Finger: That’s That’s That’s the the get Do you Do you uh Do you have Champagnie in on the second unit, which makes Keldon your four? Because what what the second unit is missing, um as I just look over the roster uh compared to last year, is that Jevon Osmon position, where he played sort of the He was sort of the four on that on that group, right? A big a bigger guy, even though he was on on the wing a lot, but they don’t have anybody who would be considered a power forward, um on their basketball card. On their Topps basketball card. Um, so, do do you promote a guy like Mamu or Bassey, or somebody like that, and and have two big men in the second unit, or do does that second unit go small with the Champagnie or Malachi Branham, or somebody like that. Cedi Sissoko? Yeah, I mean, this is a This isn’t a great podcast fodder for me because I I think those are all like plausible at some point, and mixed and matched as the season goes along. Try this, try that. Um I don’t know that you got to lock in to a to a to a 10 guys, and you never do. You never just lock into 10 guys and that’s your 10 all year. I do uh I I think you make a good point to like You don’t really have that. Unless you think Champagnie can be like a stretch four kind of. I mean, he’s six seven, is that big enough to be a stretch four? And Is Is Keldon a stretch? Is Keldon a four? I mean, he could be Anybody can be anything in these in these things. Right, of course. You know. So, maybe I don’t know. But, I think Yeah, maybe maybe maybe Mamu is uh is an option there. A little bigger, and you know, Cedi Cedi Osmon-type role. He does do weirdly do a lot of the same things that Cedi did, as far as moving without the ball, and that sort of things, so I I That’s That’s an option, too. Uh one of the challenges is I think 15 14-15 guys will get minutes for your Spurs this year. I think that a lot of like even like your Blake Wesley, Malachi Branhams, they’re not completely off the map. Um I think Cedi Sissoko will see a step forward as as young players often do in their second year with the Spurs. But, you can only play nine or 10 at in any given game at any given time. Like that’s the rotation is a nine, 10-man rotation. Um, and, it’ll be that that that’ll be what I’m looking to see early in the season, is is who’s who makes that 10-man rotation coming out of coming out of camp. And then, like you said, there’s a number of different ways you can go there. It took you to like 11 or 12 names before you started talking about Malachi Branham and Blake Wesley, who were the first-round picks a couple years ago. So, to me, that points to that This is a This is a huge year for them, those two guys, as far as like gaining a foothold if not on the Spurs, then in the NBA itself. And, depending on how the year goes, I’m wondering if they’re even going to have the opportunity to do that cuz right now And you got And you got looks like they’re on the outside looking in. I mean, it’s a long season, there’s injuries, et cetera, et cetera. Uh, so they might get their shot, but just as the season begins, it’s it’s hard to see where those two guys are going to get a lot of minutes in order to, you know, ensure themselves of anything going forward. It’ll be interesting to see. I don’t have any reporting on this yet, but whether the Spurs even pick up their fourth-year options on those guys, they have to do that before before the season starts. So, that would that would be a a sign of which way they’re looking, if they don’t even pick up those options. You got Brandon Boston, Malachi Flynn thrown into the mix to you know, it’s it’s going to be an interesting camp for the the questions that Mike you know, just brought up. So, it’s you know, a lot of a lot of competitiveness. Um you know, should should be seen in in the pre-season training camp. Um back to Sochan, to Jeremy though, um, that’s He’s kind of one of the more intriguing guys coming into camp. I mean, it’s his third year. Um can he can he make a leap? You know? Can he Can he start shooting better from outside? Can he even become even better as a defender? And I like him in the starting lineup because of his defense, but I think he’s a guy to to really watch and see if he’s if he’s making a leap. If he’s you know, showing some progress. If he can do anything consistently offensively, all of a sudden, he’s sort of a force. Yeah, Yeah. Is this the year that happens? It’s It’s funny cuz that that guy has got like some 30-point games under his belt in his first 2 seasons. So, it’s not like he’s incapable of uh taking an imprint offensively. It’s just a matter of um getting more consistent, and I I agree that’s hard to do when you’re not the first, second, third, fourth option on a unit. You know, it’s hard to to gain that consistency. But, just finding a way to impact the game on offense um on a nightly basis will make that guy just almost invaluable to this team. If he can find a way to pull it off. It seems like years ago, but but do you guys remember the la- How Was Tom might have been sick, didn’t Tom miss the season finale? Like, it was It’s been so long ago. Um but do Do you remember the last game of the uh of the Spurs season last year, when when the guys came in for their final interviews with us, and I had asked Jeremy about the possibility of completely turning down his his shot, and starting over again. I don’t think I put it that bluntly, but that was the gist of it. And uh like how how much work do you want to do on this shot? And if I remember, Jeff, you you might remember better than I do, but he he did not seem like that was something that he was looking forward to doing. Like he he understood that he needed to improve that shot, but whether he makes has has made that commitment to really really really change some fundamentals and and start the whole thing over again as players have used to do under Chip England a lot, Like, I I I’m wondering if if he still shows up, and you still see that same kind of herky-jerky form, that same side spin um which can work like you you can make shots with that side spin. Um there there are shooters in NBA history who’ve had it, I think. Didn’t Kenny Smith kind of shoot that way? Um but uh I’m I’m I’m curious to see how his shot looks. If it looks like it did last year, I I I I’ll I’ll have my questions as to his ceiling. I had a different recollection of that exchange between uh you and him, that last that last time, but I might be wrong. Go ahead. I mean, I I I mean, I you don’t know what what’s in someone’s head or or I’m not judging in tone, and I can’t even remember the actual quote, but I remember thinking, "Oh, he finally like acknowledges that he has to change his shot because for the longest time, when you’d ask him about when anyone would ask him about that, he would say this is how I shot my whole life, you know. Yeah. And to me, I remember thinking, “That’s the first time I’ve ever ever actually heard him, at least, acknowledge that there’s the possibility that he needs to break down the shot and reinvent it.” Whether whether he’s done that or not this off-season, we can’t say yet. Um, I think we’ll get some early indicators on that here in a couple weeks when we finally see them on the floor. But, I just thought at least at least it’s something for him to just say it out loud, that yeah, that’s something he’d be open to is is remaking it. So, I think that’s that’s a fair assessment uh thinking back on it. You you know, the thing about Jeremy is uh, he’s so cheeky, you know, with all of his uh and and that’s a that’s a word that he uses with his uh his self-described charming charming accent. He’s a self self-described cheeky guy. Um and it it’s I think the back and forth was something along the lines of like, you said he He acknowledged that uh the shot needs work. And then, when I kind of pressed him on uh does that mean like breaking the whole thing down, starting over again. I don’t think there was a yes to it. Uh, but you’re right, there wasn’t a no either. I think it was more like a a one of those we’ll see type of things, and we will see. He He talked about his relationship last year, had a good relationship with Jimmy Baron, the shooting coach. So, I I imagine those two have been putting in some uh some time together. They put in some time um at the at the big Texas UTSA football game last week, I’ll tell you that. You want to talk about that big scandal? My new I mean, Let’s talk about that scandal.

Mike Finger: Well, there’s people apparently out there in uh uh in secure locations across South Texas, who who and I’m not I’m I’m not judging one way or the other, but uh that was not the most popular appearance that your local cagers made. Yeah. They They They drove up to to to hated Austin. Um and uh it was a UTSA game, so you could say, oh, you’re there to to s- support the local Roadrunners. But uh it was uh Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, uh Mamu, uh a whole group of guys. Julian Champagnie. They were on the sideline for this UT UTSA football game. They shot the They shot the University of Texas Cannon. Um and and uh But the But what was the thing that set people up? Was it a Was it a social media post, Jeff, that uh that kind of got people riled up or this Spurs were not at the game? I think it’s more It’s more than that. It It’s more than that. It It certainly appeared, and I don’t I don’t know that this is the case. But, just from the social media, it appeared that they were there to support the University in Austin, and not the university from their hometown in San Antonio. Let me give uh Puro credit where it’s due. The photos I saw, Keldon Johnson was in a UTSA jersey. Yeah. Oh, always, you know, he’s got to And I I’m not And I’m not By the way, I have no dog in this fight. I don’t care at all. Like, whatever. I don’t I really don’t None of us do. I really don’t care, so I want to make that clear. But, you know, D- D- Mr. Vassell had on a a University of Texas jersey. Uh-huh. You know, so Mason Plumley, was it Mason Plumley or Miles Who’s the Plumley with those Suns these days? I have no idea. No, no one No one knows. No, it it t- that doesn’t matter. He’s a Plumley. Uh he was wearing a University of Texas jersey, because see the the point here is it’s it’s um The Spurs are are playing two more games in Austin this year, and by the way, I don’t think we’ve talked about the schedule since it came out. We’ve had a podcast with the great Bill Land, who That’s right. I I I heard from a lot of you who enjoyed this discussion with Bill Land last time. Thanks to him for for doing that. Um but uh the on on the podcast before that, I predicted that your your Spurs were going to play in Austin, during the uh Rodeo Road trip. Like, you had a Chris Paul ball? Yeah. And so the uh The Spurs are going to play the Suns. That Kevin Durant comes back to his alma mater in in February. And uh so, the Spurs make this trip up to Austin just to be seen there, I think. It’s not like they expected anybody to see them on the sideline, and uh go out and buy tickets for the for the law- for the uh Spurs Suns game months from now, but I think it’s just part of this ongoing campaign to make uh Austin people feel like the Spurs are theirs, too. And, when you look at the economics, and you look at um the attractiveness, the appeal of that market to the San Antonio of of a- an NBA organization in San Antonio, you like, it’s understandable. Like, why would you not want those people in Austin, those people, those people in Austin to feel like they they have some steak in the Spurs, too. Like, I get that. Uh it’s it’s just uh It It seems like as they try to make this move and it’s not a move of the franchise, but just a as they try to appeal to Austinites, like, there’s this continual mini blowback among people in San Antonio who don’t want to share. I I I think I think See, there’s some people who I I I get it, but also, I think San Antonio is just a little sensitive. That’s all. Yes. And may And maybe also, maybe I am totally naive, but I read that uh the other day, uh Saturday as just these guys like each other, and going to a football game is a fun thing to do. I thought it was just another one of my new’s field trips. Yeah, exactly. Just as a fun thing to do where we all hang hang out. The The little bit of blowback you saw on social media was like, “They should be supporting the team that’s from San Antonio, not the team that’s from Austin.” Yeah. And I I get it, but I also don’t care. And I don’t think they I mean, I I don’t want to speak for anybody on that team, but I don’t think most of them care who won that game either, you know? No. Of course not. They’re They’re just there for for grins, you know? What it is is It’s great September podcast fodder, because it ultimately does not matter. It’s silly. I I I And it’s It’s It gets people riled up a little bit, and it it it’s amusing, too. There were a couple of photos of like some of some of the players, the Spurs players, trying to do the little hook 'em horns sign. And I have to say um like S- Steph Cassell couldn’t do it, from the photo I saw. Couldn’t couldn’t do it. You can’t force it. Also, it’s one thing for uh It’s one thing for guys like Mamu, and uh who was another international guy that was there? Um uh Guys who Guys who didn’t play college in the in the States to do the hook 'em horns. Mamu Mamu played at Southern Hall, what are you talking about? Well, there you go, there you go. But, like Steph Cassell, who just who just came off of back-to-back national championships at Yukon, like why why would he be wanting to do the hook 'em horns at all? Like that’s the keys They They They They They could have been big 12 rivals at one point. Like, Ohio State. Malachi Branham was there, and those teams could be playing for a national title this year. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Anyway. Um the next time we we meet, training camp will be underway, we’ll have a lot more substantive topics to discuss. Who are we kidding? We’re probably still going to be talking about nonsense, but it it it I’m I’m looking forward to it, Tom. I know it’s your first day back, you’re still getting your bearings, but we’re going to have a good full season of Spurs Insiders, aren’t we, or aren’t aren’t aren’t you excited about that, just a little bit?

Tom Orsborn: Absolutely. Absolutely, I am. Yes. Despite the fact that there’s this palpable tension between you and the host. No, I mean Hey, the Oakland A’s won three championships with tension. You’re not wrong. Every Every Every podcast with you guys is like an episode of Moonlighting, or something. They took separate cabs. That’s That’s in our demographic. We got every reference. Yeah, we got cheese, man. We got Sam and Diane over here. Uh-huh. So, like Charles Grodin and Robert De Niro. That would That’s a heck of a movie, man. It is. Midnight Run. Great. Midnight Run. I’d recommend that to the to the listeners out there for for people If if the youngsters And it’s in color. It’s in color. Kids, it’s in color. Good one. Uh, we will see all of you once camp has begun at the end of this month. Uh we’ll be back on a regular schedule, maybe with a uh maybe with a uh sponsor. That’d be good to get a sponsor back. We’re going to have a big live event that we’ll tell you about next time, coming up in October. A lot of you enjoyed the last time we did that. Uh, so look forward to that. And, until we see you next time. Take care of each other. And keep it real.