San Antonio Spurs

Not to be forgotten:. Washington has larger and whiter suburbs than it did in the 60s, so some analysts believe this will be a less important factor than in the past. The Spurs have advanced to the NBA Finals for the third time in franchise history, and currently are tied 2-2 in the series against the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. Some analysts [2] (http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=3844360) have pointed out that Washington is primarily an African-American city (59%), but that African-Americans generally support baseball less than whites. Past Washington Senators teams have blamed poor attendance partially on lack of attendance by African-Americans. In the postseason thus far, the Spurs have defeated the Denver Nuggets 4-1, the Seattle Supersonics 4-2 and the Phoenix Suns 4-1. Major League Baseball does not express such doubts, and proponents of the move argue that the failure of previous franchises has more to do with poor business decisions and financial management on the part of their owners than with any lack of popular support in the region itself. With the acquisitions of Brent Barry from Seattle, Nazr Mohammed from New York, and veteran Glenn Robinson from free agency, alongside defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, international phenom Manu Ginobili, lightning quick Tony Parker, clutch shooter Robert Horry, and MVP candidate Tim Duncan, the Spurs finished the 2004-2005 season ranked number two in the Western Conference with a 59-23 record, finishing with the best record in the Southwest division. Due to the past history of Washington franchises (See Washington Senators), there are doubts about whether Washington will actually be a better market for a pro baseball team than Montréal long term.

Duncan was named both the NBA Regular Season and Finals MVP for the season. Mayor Williams signed the stadium financing package on December 30. The Spurs won the series 4-2, giving them their second NBA Championship in franchise history. Despite this, the council passed an amended plan on December 21, 2004, that proved slightly more financially favorable to the city, while remaining acceptable to MLB. The series against the Nets marked the first time two former ABA teams would play each other for the NBA Championship. When the council voted on December 14 to require 50 percent private financing for any new stadium, MLB ceased promotional activities for the Nationals and announced that they would consider looking for a new market. In the playoffs, the Spurs defeated the Suns, Lakers and Dallas Mavericks en route to facing the New Jersey Nets in the NBA Finals. City Council sought to change details of the financing for a new stadium MLB sought for the Nationals (see following section on "The Ballpark Controversy").

Mixing the inside presences of Duncan and Robinson with the newer outside threats, the Spurs earned a 60-22 record. During December 2004, the move to Washington itself was called into question when the D.C. Second-year French star Tony Parker was now the starting point guard for the Spurs and the squad featured a variety of three-point shooters including Stephen Jackson, Danny Ferry, Bruce Bowen and Argentina product Manu Ginobili. [1] (http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3930510). The Spurs had remade their team in an attempt to dethrone the three-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. Some controversy arises over the fact that the city is helping finance a $581 million dollar stadium without state or county support, despite the fact that a large portion of the fan base, if it materializes, will be drawn from the surrounding Maryland and Virginia suburbs. This version of the Spurs was very different from the team that had won the title a few years earlier. An opinion poll conducted by the Washington Post found that approximately two-thirds of District residents oppose the mayor's stadium plan.

Entering the 2002-2003 season, the team knew it would be memorable for at least two reasons, as David Robinson announced that it would be his last in the NBA and the Spurs would begin play at their new arena (approved in 1999 by County voters), the SBC Center, named after telecommunications giant SBC whose corporate headquarters were located in San Antonio. Three Council members who supported Mayor Anthony Williams's plan were ousted in September's Democratic party primary. The Spurs finished with 58-24 records for both the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons but found themselves suffering playoff ousters in both seasons from the eventual NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. The ballpark proposal is controversial; many city residents oppose government subsidies for a multi-billion-dollar private business and would prefer the land and money to focus on schools rather than a ballpark. The longterm viability of the Spurs franchise in San Antonio was however achieved during the 1999-2000 season, as Bexar County voters approved increases on car rental and hotel taxes which would allow for the construction of a new arena to be constructed near Freeman Coliseum. City Council. The Spurs were not able to capitalize on their success during the 1999-2000 season. Although they finished with an overall record of 53-29, the Spurs lost in the first round to the Suns primarily due to an injury to Duncan which kept him out of the playoff series. The team's relocation to Washington had been contingent on a financing plan for the Nationals' stadium — a plan that had been the subject of much debate on the D.C.

The victory by the Spurs was not only the first NBA title to be won by a former ABA team, but also was the first Finals appearance by a team from the ABA. Under the terms of the deal, television and radio broadcast rights to Nationals games are been handled by the Orioles franchise, who formed a new network (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network) to produce and distribute the games for both franchises on both local affiliates and cable/satellite systems. Duncan was named the Finals MVP. On March 31, 2005, a deal was struck between Peter Angelos and Major League Baseball in order to protect the Orioles against any financial harm the Nationals might present to the Orioles' market (Washington is approximately 35 miles south of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, where the Orioles have played their home games since 1992). They faced the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals and won the series and the franchise's first World Title four games to one on the Knicks' home court of Madison Square Garden. Louis Browns, to move to Baltimore in 1953). The team was just as dominant in the playoffs, rolling through the Western Conference with a record of 11-1. Obtaining the Orioles' cooperation was essential: the Baltimore and Washington regions had always been considered part of the same market, one which the Orioles' had had exclusive control over since 1972 (the original Washington Senators had waived their exclusivity rights to the region to allow the Orioles, then the St.

Playing a shortened 50-game season, the Spurs ended up with a 37-13 record. From 1972 to 2004, the Orioles were the sole MLB franchise in the Baltimore-Washington metropolis. The season was delayed over three months until resolution on a new labor agreement was reached in January 1999. The move was announced despite opposition from Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos. Prior to the beginning of training camps however, the NBA owners led by commissioner David Stern locked out the players in order to force a new collective bargaining agreement with the NBA Players Association (NBAPA). The frontrunners are a group called the Washington Baseball Club, and the speculative cost is between $200 and $300 million dollars. With a healthy Robinson and Duncan and the additions of playoff veterans such as Mario Elie and Jerome Kersey, the Spurs looked forward to the 1998-1999 season. The league must also decide who will be allowed to purchase the franchise.

While both Duncan and Robinson played low-post roles, the two seamlessly meshed on the court. In addition, on November 15, 2004, a lawsuit by the former team owners against MLB and former majority owner Jeffrey Loria was struck down by arbitrators, ending legal moves to keep the Expos in Montréal. He was named First Team All-NBA while winning Rookie of the Year honors. The team ended up at 56-26 but once again lost to the Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals. The move was approved by the owners of the other teams in a 29–1 vote on December 3 (Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos cast the sole dissenting vote). Duncan quickly emerged as a force in the NBA during the 1997-1998 season, averaging 21.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game as a power forward. in 2005. The Spurs used their pick to select Wake Forest University product and consensus All-American Tim Duncan. On September 29, 2004, MLB officially announced that the Expos would move to Washington D.C.

With the third-worst record in the league, the Spurs won the NBA's draft lottery which gave them the top pick in the 1997 draft. In the decision-making process, Selig added Las Vegas, Nevada to the list of potential Expos homes. Although the 1996-1997 season was not successful on the court for the Spurs, the offseason proved to be the opposite. Some of the choices included Washington D.C., San Juan, Monterrey, Mexico, Portland, Oregon, Northern Virginia, and Norfolk, Virginia. Hill only lasted 18 games that season, eventually being replaced by Gregg Popovich, who had once been an assistant for the Spurs during Larry Brown's coaching turn. Meanwhile, the league actively looked for a relocation site. After an injury that limited Robinson to six games during the season, the Spurs wound up with a 20-62 record, the worst in franchise history. The players' union initially rejected continuing the San Juan arrangement for the 2004 season, but later relented.

Few observers could have predicted how far the Spurs would fall during the 1996-1997 season. Some commentators like Peter Gammons have accused MLB of having "a conflict of interest," and of deliberately scuttling the team's chances in order to strengthen the case for relocation. The Spurs finished the next season (1995-1996) under Hill at 59-23 and lost in the Western Conference Semifinals to the Jazz. The Marlins eventually became the World Series' winner in 2003. Throughout the season and particularly in the playoffs there appeared to be friction developing between Rodman and several Spurs' teammates, most notably Robinson, and Rodman was traded after the season to the Chicago Bulls. The decision to deny the franchise any chance to draw from its farm system, however, dashed the Expos' playoff chances. The Spurs reached the Western Conference Finals, but lost to the eventual NBA Champion Houston Rockets. Up to this point attendance had been increasing.

Elliott returned to the team after an uneventful season with the Pistons and the team finished with the best record at 62-20 while David Robinson was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player. All teams have this right around the end of August. Lucas was replaced by former Pacers coach Bob Hill for the 1994-1995 season which would turn out to be the Spurs' most successful season to date. The budget was some $35 million dollars. Prior to the season the Spurs traded fan-favorite Elliott to the Detroit Pistons in return for rebounding star Dennis Rodman. However, MLB decided that it could not afford an extra $50,000 to call-up players from its minor leagues. The following season, the Spurs first in the newly built Alamodome, Lucas led the Spurs to a 55-27 record but the team suffered a loss in the first round of the playoffs to the Utah Jazz which led to the immediate firing of Lucas as head coach. Led by Vladimir Guerrero, the Expos launched a spirited battle to lead the Wild Card race over the Florida Marlins.

The 1992-1993 season also marked the last that the Spurs would play in Hemisfair Arena. Thanks in part to the San Juan games, the Expos were able to draw over a million fans at home in 2003 for the first time since 1998. His coaching propelled the team to a 39-22 finish over the rest of the regular season and the team reached the Western Conference semifinals, losing to the Phoenix Suns. Despite being a considerably smaller facility (it seats approximately 19,000) than Montréal's Olympic Stadium, Bithorn regularly outdrew the attendance in Montréal. The Lucas era started out successfully. In 2003, the team played 22 of its home games at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico, despite having the highest percentage attendance increase in 2002 to go with a second place finish in the National League East. It was Lucas' first NBA coaching assignment although he had gained recognition in league circles for his success in helping NBA players rehab from drug abuse. As a result of this, the Expos survived. Major League Baseball named Frank Robinson manager and Omar Minaya as vice-president and general manager.

After Rex Hughes filled the coaching shoes for one game, NBA veteran John Lucas was named head coach. The Minnesota Twins, who were also facing contraction, initiated legal maneuvers that ultimately led to a collective bargaining agreement between MLB and its players association which prohibited "contraction" through 2006. The Tarkanian experiment proved a flop, as the coach was fired 20 games into the 1992-1993 season with the Spurs record at 9-11. On February 14, 2002, after a 30-0 vote, Major League Baseball formed a Delaware partnership (Expos Baseball, LP) to buy the Expos for $120,000,000 USD with the intent of eliminating the franchise. McCombs made national headlines during the summer of 1992 with the hiring of former UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian. On November 7, 2001, Commissioner Bud Selig announced that Major League Baseball would undergo a contraction of two teams, after a 28-2 vote by the owners (it should be noted that Montreal was one of the two dissenting votes). The team became a perennial playoff presence although were never able to advance further then the second round of the NBA Playoffs under Brown's tutelage. Late in the 1991-1992 season, McCombs fired Brown and replaced him with Bob Bass who finished the season as interim head coach. Attendance in the 2001 season was usually fewer than 10,000 people.

The Spurs began the 1990's with great optimism. Jeffrey Loria, the last owner prior to the team's purchase by Major League Baseball, made some personnel moves, however the future of the franchise in Montréal never appeared strong. Robinson had one of the most successful rookie seasons for a center in NBA history, finishing the season as Rookie of the Year while averaging 24.3 points and 12.0 rebounds. Montréal was often cited as an example of a small-market team, unable to compete with teams in bigger markets such as New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, and therefore no longer a viable competitor. The Spurs eventually lost in the Western Conference semifinals after losing a seven-game series to the eventual Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers. However, they continued their losing trend by posting a 67-95 record in 2004 after losing superstar Vladimir Guerrero to free agency during the previous offseason. Led by Robinson along with the newly added Terry Cummings and 1989 draftee Sean Elliott, the Spurs achieved the biggest one-season turnaround in NBA History, finishing with a record of 56-26. The Expos lost most of their star players through free agency and trades since the 1994 season and have produced poor records since except for a second place finish in 1996 and a few respectable seasons in 2002 and 2003.

As the 1980's ended, the 1989-1990 season proved to be the rebirth of the Spurs franchise. With a very talented group of players, including outfielders Larry Walker, Moisés Alou and Marquis Grissom and pitchers Ken Hill, John Wetteland and a young Pedro Martínez, the Expos had the best record in major league baseball, 74-40 when the strike forced the cancelation of the remainder of the season. Additionally, the 1988-1989 season featured the debut of Larry Brown as the Spurs head coach who moved to San Antonio after winning the NCAA National Championship with the University of Kansas in 1988. 1994 proved to be heart-breaking for the Expos. It was the first season of full ownership for Red McCombs, who was an original investor in the team and helped solidify local ownership for the team. The Expos had several mediocre years in the mid 1980s under manager Buck Rodgers, but rebuilt and under manager Felipe Alou, who took the position midway through the 1992 season, finished second in the National League East in both 1992 and 1993. Although the 1988-1989 season was the worst in Spurs history at 21-61, it was notable for several reasons. They defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 in the divisional series, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 in the National League Championship Series. Montréal was led through these years by a core group of young players, including catcher Gary Carter, outfielders Tim Raines and Andre Dawson, third baseman Larry Parrish and pitchers Steve Rogers and Bill Gullickson.

Although drafted in 1987, the Spurs would have to wait until the 1989-1990 season to see Robinson actually play due to a two-year commitment he had to serve with the United States Navy. They would post five consecutive winning seasons, including their only division championship, in the split season of 1981. The Spurs used this selection on United States Naval Academy standout David Robinson. In 1979 they posted their first winning record with a 95-65 record, under manager Dick Williams. The lone bright spot during this period was the Spurs' being awarded the top pick in the 1987 NBA draft through NBA Draft Lottery. The Expos suffered through 10 straight losing seasons under their first manager, Gene Mauch (1969-1975) and three other managers. The next four seasons were a dark time in Spurs' history, with the team having a combined record of 115-215 from 1985-1986 till 1988-1989. The losing seasons and dwindling attendance caused the Spurs to often be mentioned as a potential candidate for relocation to another city. They were named for Expo 67, a world's fair that was held in Montréal. Their home stadium was to be that fair's Autostade, but that plan was rejected and they settled upon Jarry Park, in Montréal.

After the 1984-1985 season, Gervin, who arguably had been the Spurs' biggest star, was traded to the Chicago Bulls in what effectively signaled the end of the era that began when the Spurs first moved to San Antonio. The Montréal Expos joined the National League in 1969, along with the San Diego Padres. Despite their regular season success, the Spurs were unable to win any NBA championships, losing in the Western Conference playoffs to the Houston Rockets in 1981 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 1982 and 1983. Main article: Montreal Expos. For the first few seasons of the decade, the Spurs continued their success of the 1970's with records of 52-30 in 1980-1981, 48-34 in 1981-1982, and 53-29 in 1982-1983. near the Anacostia River and with views of the Capitol building. The decade of the 1980's marked both highs, then lows, and an eventual high. The new stadium will be located in Southeast D.C.

The Spurs would go on to capture 5 division titles in their first 7 years in the NBA and became a perennial playoff participant. Kennedy Memorial Stadium until 2007 when a new facility will (tentatively) be completed for their use. Although there was some initial skepticism in league circles regarding the potential success and talent levels of the incoming ABA teams, the Spurs would prove worthy of NBA inclusion during the 1975-1976 season with a record of 44-38, good for a tie for fourth place overall in the Eastern Conference. The Nationals will play at Robert F. The NBA however decided to admit four ABA teams into the league, with the Spurs being one of them along with the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and the New York Nets. Currently, the Nationals are a member of the National League's Eastern Division. Even though playoff success would elude the team in the ABA, the Spurs had suddenly found themselves among the top teams in the ABA. In 1976, the ABA folded, threatening the future of San Antonio's sole professional sports franchise. Coincidentally, the last time a MLB team moved to a new city was in 1972, when the previous franchise to operate in the DC area, the Washington Senators, moved to Texas, becoming the Texas Rangers.

The early Spurs were led by ABA veteran James Silas and bolstered by the acquisition in early-1974 of future NBA Hall-of-Famer George Gervin from the Virginia Squires. Prior to this move, the team was known as the Montréal Expos. The team quickly made themselves at home at San Antonio's HemisFair Arena playing to increasingly large and raucous crowds. from Montréal, Québec, Canada after the completion of the 2004 MLB season. The team's primary colors were changed from the red, white, and blue of the Chapparrals to the now familiar silver and black motif of the Spurs. The team relocated to Washington, D.C. The team was acquired by a group of 36 San Antonio businessmen, led by Angelo Drossos and Red McCombs who actually leased the team from the original Dallas ownership group, relocated the team to San Antonio, Texas and renamed them the Spurs. The Washington Nationals are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Washington, D.C.

After missing the playoffs for the first time in their existence in 1972-1973, the team was put up for sale. Gulf Coast Nationals. In fact, during the 1970-1971 season, the name "Dallas" was dropped in favor of "Texas" and an attempt was made to make the team a regional one, playing games in Fort Worth, Texas as well as Lubbock, Texas but this proved a failure and the team returned full-time to Dallas in time for the 1971-1972 season. Potomac Nationals
Savannah Sand Gnats
Vermont Expos. The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas. Harrisburg Senators. The San Antonio Spurs started out as the Dallas Chaparrals of the original version of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967. New Orleans Zephyrs.

The San Antonio Spurs are a National Basketball Association team based in San Antonio, Texas. National League
. 50 - David Robinson. Pitching saves: John Wetteland, 43 (1993). 44 - George Gervin. Pitching ERA: Pedro Martínez, 1.90 (1997). 32 - Sean Elliott. Pitching strikeouts: Pedro Martinez, 305 (1997).

13 - James Silas. Pitching wins: Ross Grimsley, 20 (1978). 00 - Johnny Moore. Strikeouts: Andrés Galarraga, 169 (1990). Chuck "The Rifleman" Person. Walks: Ken Singleton, 123 (1973). Malik Rose. Hitting streak: Vladimir Guerrero, 31 games (2000).

Terry Cummings. Stolen bases: Ron LeFlore, 97 (1980). Steve Kerr. Total bases: Vladimir Guerrero, 379 (2000). Avery "The Little General" Johnson. Extra-Base hits: Vladimir Guerrero, 84 (1999). Sean "Ninja" Elliott. Triples: Tim Raines, Rodney Scott and Mitch Webster, 13 (1985, 1980 and 1986).

Willie Anderson. Doubles: Mark Grudzielanek, 54 (1997). Alvin Robertson. Hits: Vladimir Guerrero, 206 (2002). Johnny Moore. Runs: Tim Raines, 133 (1983). Artis "The A-Train" Gilmore. Runs batted in: Vladimir Guerrero, 131 (2000).

James "Captain Late" Silas. Home runs: Vladimir Guerrero, 44 (2000). David "The Admiral" Robinson. Batting average: Vladimir Guerrero, 345 (2000). Moses Malone - 2001. 42 Jackie Robinson (retired throughout baseball). George "The Iceman" Gervin - 1996. 30 Tim Raines.

G-#11 Mike Wilks (Rice). 10 Rusty Staub. G-#14 Beno Udrih (Slovenia). 10 Andre Dawson. F-#3 Glenn Robinson (Purdue).   8 Gary Carter. C-#8 Radoslav "Rasho" Nesterovic (Slovenia). 33 Jack Voigt (roving).

F/C-#34 Tony Massenburg (Maryland). 37 Dave Huppert (third base). F/C-#4 Sean Marks (California). 12 Don Buford (first base). F-#43 Linton Johnson III (Tulane). 14 Eddie Rodriguez (bench). F/C-#5 Robert Horry (Alabama). 16 Bob Natal (bullpen).

G-#23 Devin Brown (Texas-San Antonio). 17 Tom McCraw (hitting). G-#17 Brent Barry (Oregon State). Claire (pitching). PG-#9 Tony Parker (France). 46 Randy St. SG-#20 Emanuel "Manu" Ginobili (Argentina). Coaches