12.18.05 v. San Antonio

Doug Loudenback · #1 (**permalink**) 12-18-2005, 09:14 AM

After successfully locating the 4th quarter “black hole” (outscored 37-10) in Baton Rouge this past Friday before 7,302 Louisianans, and snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in a 88-101 loss to Phoenix (now 14-8), we are now 10-13 as we anticipate tonight’s “real” home game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Game time is 6:00 p.m., not the usual 7:00. Almost certainly, the game will be another sellout, the 5th for us this year. The game is NOT on Cox but you could see it on the NBA league pass hookup at Buffalo Wild Wings on the NW Expressway if you don't have tickets.

The Spurs are ...

1. The defending NBA champs

2. Leading our division this year. In the Western Conference, Southwest Division, current (12/18 a.m.) standings are: Spurs (19-4); Dallas (17-6), Memphis (14-8), NO/Oklahoma City (10-13) and Houston (9-13).

3. Almost as successful on the road as they are at home. On the road, San Antonio has lost only 3 games (Dallas, Washington and Atlanta) and have won 8 (Chicago, Charlotte, Boston, Sacramento, Golden State, Dallas, Orlando, and, last Thursday night, Minnesota). Last night, the Spurs hosted then 10-13, but now 10-14 Sacramento Kings, winning at the buzzer (2.9 seconds to go) with a bucket by Michael Finley.

4. 5th in NBA home attendance at 18,797 ... which is the capacity of their arena, the SBC Center. In other words, all 12 home games have been sellouts. San Antonio loves their Spurs!

Nice article on the Spurs and its history by Berry Tramel in this morning's Oklahoman ... http://newsok.com/article/1708129/?template=
Aside from getting the Ford Center seating capacity a little wrong (article: 19,599; actual 19,163), it gave a nice history of how this team came to be so great.

One part of which I was unware was that, and now, the Spurs came to be owned locally.

Quote:

Local ownership

In 1993, Spurs owner Red McCombs faced financial problems with his auto dealerships and needed to sell his basketball franchise. He had an offer from Les Alexander, who was ready to move the Spurs to Florida.

Gen. Robert McDermott, then chief of San Antonio-based USAA insurance company, petitioned McCombs not to sell to anyone who would move the Spurs.

"You can't do this," McDermott said. "We've got to find a way."

McCombs gave McDermott 48 hours. Turns out, that was enough time.

McDermott put together investors from San Antonio corporations who bought the team, formed a limited liability company and the Spurs were saved.

The local ownership group included corporations like Southwestern Bell, Valero Energy, USAA and The Oklahoma Publishing Co., which publishes The Oklahoman and whose late publisher, Edward L. Gaylord, had major investments in San Antonio.

"I can't say enough good about all those guys and the market," said Clay Bennett, Gaylord's son-in-law and a former member of the Spurs board of directors. Bennett has been instrumental in Oklahoma City's corporate support of the Hornets.

OPUBCO sold its Spurs interests after Oklahoma City passed the MAPS tax, which eventually funded the Ford Center. Bennett said some San Antonio leaders feared OPUBCO's involvement, along with a new arena in OKC, might impede efforts to build a new arena in San Antonio. So OPUBCO sold its interests to Peter Holt, who has become the Spurs' chairman of the board and led the franchise to remarkable success, which includes three NBA championships since 1997 and the 2002 opening of the SBC Center, where the Spurs now play.

Some say such an ownership model works well in smaller markets like San Antonio -- and Oklahoma City.

"It's not a big gun, controlling everything," said Charles Embrom, vice president of Zachry Hospitality Corp. and a member of the Spurs' board of directors. "It balances the good for the community. You get wide participation within the city."

So, when we're playing the Spurs tonight, these might be good things to keep in mind ... for Oklahoma City!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
OKC-DFW-Austin-San Antonio a megapolitan	brianinok	OKC Metro Area Talk	4	07-17-2005 04:19 PM
Sea World in San Antonio	rxis	OKC Underground	3	06-17-2005 10:05 PM

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)