The Spurs make a habit of acquiring an older veteran every year. Two decades of having either David Robinson or Tim Duncan on the roster usually means that a big man willing to deal with fewer minutes than he could get elsewhere will sign here.
Sometimes the move has paid off for the Spurs and the veteran looking for a championship. This time around, it’s 14-year veteran Theo Ratliff, a 36-year-old 6-foot-10 shot-blocking center, and 13-year pro Antonio McDyess, a soon-to-be 35-year-old 6-9 forward, looking to duplicate what these guys did and win that first ring.
Jerome Kersey
The 6-7 forward signed on Jan. 22, 1999, for his 15th season at age 37. He spent 12 in Portland, with two of those ending in NBA Finals losses. He wasn’t asked to do much. He averaged 15.5 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in the regular season and 10.9 minutes, 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in the playoffs, which ended with the Spurs’ first NBA title.
Kevin Willis
At 40, he played 71 games for a Spurs team that won the 2003 NBA title. The 7-foot center averaged 4.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing 11.8 minutes a game. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 18 playoff games. He had played 17 seasons with six teams before coming to San Antonio. He played three more years.
Tony Massenburg
At 37, the 6-9 forward ended his circuitous career in 2004-05 where it began in 1990. The 13-year veteran played for 11 other NBA franchises and three more in Europe after spending 36 games with the Spurs to start his playing days. He averaged 11.5 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 61 games, but he only played nine playoff games when the Spurs won their third NBA title.
Jacque Vaughn
A veteran of four other teams, the point guard played in all 20 playoff games for the 2007 championship team. Then 32, he averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 assists, and his minutes were almost cut in half from his previous season with the Nets. However, he provided a steadier hand when subbing for Tony Parker than Nick Van Exel had for the 2005-06 team.
Still ring-less
These veterans tried to do the same thing and win that ring with the Spurs, but it didn’t happen. So grabbing the old guy doesn’t always work.
- Terry Porter, G, 36, 1999-02
- Mark Bryant, F/C, 36, 2001-02
- Nick Van Exel, G, 34, 2005-06
- Damon Stoudamire, G, 34, 2008
- Kurt Thomas, F, 35, 2007-09
WEEK THAT WAS
Freak of the Week
News that Boston slugger David Ortiz is one of the 104 baseball players who tested positive for performance enhancers in the 2003 “secret” screening is just shocking.
Here’s a likable guy just trying to make his merry “Big Papi” way through life and BAM! He gets slammed with a lifetime of doubt, and the Red Sox now own a pair of suspicious World Series crowns.
Who saw this coming?
Not Bud Selig. Not Terry Francona. Not baby-faced Theo Epstein. Not Manny Ramirez.
Oh wait, he’s on the list, too?
Now that you mention it, Ortiz never hit more than 20 homers before 2003. Then he hit 208 in five seasons. Only two did better. Alex Rodriguez, another on the list, hit 220 in that period. Albert Pujols, hopefully never on any such list, hit 211.
How come I didn’t see this coming? (Wink, wink)
Best
Holiday cheer: If Christmas rolls around, and the Cowboys are falling short of expectations, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo still will be riding high — on your tree. Romo is 15th in Hallmark Keepsake’s Football Legends series of Christmas ornaments. Good luck finding one if you wait until the holiday rush. Troy Aikman is No. 2, and Emmitt Smith is No. 4 in the series.
Worst
Southern drag: The Big 12 South had four teams ranked in the top 13 at the end of last year. The other two? Texas A&M and Baylor start the season at No. 8 and 9, respectively, in Maxim’s worst BCS teams. Sure, it’s Maxim, but it’s as arbitrary as most of the polls used in the BCS formula. Perception is reality.
WEEKLY PLANNER
TODAY 2 - Sunoco Red Cross 500: The first of six races before the Chase for the Cup begins. Carl Edwards won this race last year, the first of four wins in five starts.
MONDAY 3 - Rangers at A’s: Texas gets a shot at gaining a half-game since the Angels are off. Oakland’s status as one of the AL’s worst helps the Rangers, too.
THURSDAY 6 - Dream at Silver Stars: Ann Wauters plays her first game at home this season. The center joined the Silver Stars Saturday after sitting out the first 17 games.
SATURDAY 8 - UFC 101: Middleweight champ Anderson Silva takes on light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin, while lightweight champ BJ Penn faces Kenny Florian.
SATURDAY 8 - Pro Football Hall of Fame: After years of denial, Cowboys receiver and Olympic champ Bob Hayes reaches his final resting place. He died of cancer in 2002.
Sometimes the move has paid off for the Spurs and the veteran looking for a championship. This time around, it’s 14-year veteran Theo Ratliff, a 36-year-old 6-foot-10 shot-blocking center, and 13-year pro Antonio McDyess, a soon-to-be 35-year-old 6-9 forward, looking to duplicate what these guys did and win that first ring.
Jerome Kersey
The 6-7 forward signed on Jan. 22, 1999, for his 15th season at age 37. He spent 12 in Portland, with two of those ending in NBA Finals losses. He wasn’t asked to do much. He averaged 15.5 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.0 rebounds in the regular season and 10.9 minutes, 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in the playoffs, which ended with the Spurs’ first NBA title.
Kevin Willis
At 40, he played 71 games for a Spurs team that won the 2003 NBA title. The 7-foot center averaged 4.2 points and 3.2 rebounds while playing 11.8 minutes a game. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 18 playoff games. He had played 17 seasons with six teams before coming to San Antonio. He played three more years.
Tony Massenburg
At 37, the 6-9 forward ended his circuitous career in 2004-05 where it began in 1990. The 13-year veteran played for 11 other NBA franchises and three more in Europe after spending 36 games with the Spurs to start his playing days. He averaged 11.5 minutes, 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 61 games, but he only played nine playoff games when the Spurs won their third NBA title.
Jacque Vaughn
A veteran of four other teams, the point guard played in all 20 playoff games for the 2007 championship team. Then 32, he averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 assists, and his minutes were almost cut in half from his previous season with the Nets. However, he provided a steadier hand when subbing for Tony Parker than Nick Van Exel had for the 2005-06 team.
Still ring-less
These veterans tried to do the same thing and win that ring with the Spurs, but it didn’t happen. So grabbing the old guy doesn’t always work.
- Terry Porter, G, 36, 1999-02
- Mark Bryant, F/C, 36, 2001-02
- Nick Van Exel, G, 34, 2005-06
- Damon Stoudamire, G, 34, 2008
- Kurt Thomas, F, 35, 2007-09
WEEK THAT WAS
Freak of the Week
News that Boston slugger David Ortiz is one of the 104 baseball players who tested positive for performance enhancers in the 2003 “secret” screening is just shocking.
Here’s a likable guy just trying to make his merry “Big Papi” way through life and BAM! He gets slammed with a lifetime of doubt, and the Red Sox now own a pair of suspicious World Series crowns.
Who saw this coming?
Not Bud Selig. Not Terry Francona. Not baby-faced Theo Epstein. Not Manny Ramirez.
Oh wait, he’s on the list, too?
Now that you mention it, Ortiz never hit more than 20 homers before 2003. Then he hit 208 in five seasons. Only two did better. Alex Rodriguez, another on the list, hit 220 in that period. Albert Pujols, hopefully never on any such list, hit 211.
How come I didn’t see this coming? (Wink, wink)
Best
Holiday cheer: If Christmas rolls around, and the Cowboys are falling short of expectations, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo still will be riding high — on your tree. Romo is 15th in Hallmark Keepsake’s Football Legends series of Christmas ornaments. Good luck finding one if you wait until the holiday rush. Troy Aikman is No. 2, and Emmitt Smith is No. 4 in the series.
Worst
Southern drag: The Big 12 South had four teams ranked in the top 13 at the end of last year. The other two? Texas A&M and Baylor start the season at No. 8 and 9, respectively, in Maxim’s worst BCS teams. Sure, it’s Maxim, but it’s as arbitrary as most of the polls used in the BCS formula. Perception is reality.
WEEKLY PLANNER
TODAY 2 - Sunoco Red Cross 500: The first of six races before the Chase for the Cup begins. Carl Edwards won this race last year, the first of four wins in five starts.
MONDAY 3 - Rangers at A’s: Texas gets a shot at gaining a half-game since the Angels are off. Oakland’s status as one of the AL’s worst helps the Rangers, too.
THURSDAY 6 - Dream at Silver Stars: Ann Wauters plays her first game at home this season. The center joined the Silver Stars Saturday after sitting out the first 17 games.
SATURDAY 8 - UFC 101: Middleweight champ Anderson Silva takes on light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin, while lightweight champ BJ Penn faces Kenny Florian.
SATURDAY 8 - Pro Football Hall of Fame: After years of denial, Cowboys receiver and Olympic champ Bob Hayes reaches his final resting place. He died of cancer in 2002.
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