Grantland: 'Enjoying the Spurs': The San Antonio Fan Manifesto

[ace3g]

Since the late 1990s, the San Antonio Spurs have built an army of obnoxious, elitist fans whose heads are filled with so much paranoia that most of the team’s misfortunes can only be explained by conspiracy theories. It is probably the most complex fan identity in all of sports, without the strength in numbers to perpetually remind everyone else how obnoxious we are. Very few fans of any team get to experience such a sustained period with their team in serious contention for a championship. The process has resulted in a hyper-educated fan base that looks down upon the rest of the NBA. "Enjoying the Spurs" still remains a local experience that usually feels disconnected from the media context in which "the NBA as a series of topical narratives" is presented. Spurs fans are so crazy that they actually hate everything that most people like about the NBA: Kevin Durant, LeBron James, the rise of new teams, "interesting story lines" that the media pounds into the ground during the regular season, and any alleged "changing of the guard" are empty and fake.

An interesting set of forces has molded Spurs fans into a group that is empowered yet insecure. Our city’s only major professional franchise is generally identified by the casual fan as slow, old, and boring. Our city is generally unidentifiable on a blank map of the United States. Our city’s population is generally identified as overweight. Tim Duncan is generally considered a forgotten great. San Antonio Spurs fans are alone with their team, wrestling with their existence in a world where “general” ideas are endlessly perpetuated.

Besides having the perfect team that embodies everything you’d want in a hometown franchise, Spurs fans never feel adequately reinforced by the national media. We actually consume NBA coverage to witness new and innovative ways to ignore and disrespect the Spurs. Our fans firmly believe that the Spurs are entitled to all of the media recognition that we bestow upon the trend of the day, every day. However, the Spurs fan will also resentfully remind you why their team and their own fan existence is better than you in ways that transcend media coverage.

continue: http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/64914/enjoying-the-spurs-the-san-antonio-fan-manifesto

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/0607/grant_g_spurs-1999_mb_576.jpg

[jag]

An interesting set of forces has molded Spurs fans into a group that is empowered yet insecure. Our city’s only major professional franchise is generally identified by the casual fan as slow, old, and boring. Our city is generally unidentifiable on a blank map of the United States. Our city’s population is generally identified as overweight. Tim Duncan is generally considered a forgotten great. San Antonio Spurs fans are alone with their team, wrestling with their existence in a world where “general” ideas are endlessly perpetuated.

Besides having the perfect team that embodies everything you’d want in a hometown franchise, Spurs fans never feel adequately reinforced by the national media.

This article is obviously about GNSF.

[MR-Clutch]

Disagree with a lot of the things he said.

[Creation88]

the meda's reaction to "Spurs' fan" is an overreaction. this article is case in point.

[spurs10]

Funny...and somewhat true!:lol

[jag]

This seems like a good time for Buddy Holly to stop by and explain why San Antonio could undoubtedly support a NFL team.

[BatManu20]

This is obviously a conspiracy.

[J.T.]

This seems like a good time for Buddy Holly to stop by and explain why San Antonio could undoubtedly support a NFL team.

The GNSF model couldn't support an NFL team though...the cliff jumping after regular season losses is bad enough here...imagine extrapolating it to a sport where regular season victories carry 10 times the weight as they do in the NBA? San Antonio would be the worst city for an NFL team. Tim Tebow couldn't even make it in SA.

[dougp]

Spurs fans are so crazy that they actually hate everything that most people like about the NBA: Kevin Durant, LeBron James, the rise of new teams, "interesting story lines" that the media pounds into the ground during the regular season, and any alleged "changing of the guard" are empty and fake.

This is bullshit, plain and simple. I don't hide my displeasure in LeBron very well, but that's because of how the media covers him - I don't dismiss who he is as a player. Durant is one of my favorite players to watch, and the rise of new teams always intrigues me because they tend to be of the Spurs ilk. That might be the more "casual" of a fan, but the same can be said for any team.

[Mugen]

We no longer root for the Spurs as crusaders for the preservation of beautiful, selfless basketball. We root for the Spurs in order to ruin the NBA for everyone else who watches it for all the wrong reasons.

True for me, tbh.

[jjktkk]

The GNSF model couldn't support an NFL team though...the cliff jumping after regular season losses is bad enough here...imagine extrapolating it to a sport where regular season victories carry 10 times the weight as they do in the NBA? San Antonio would be the worst city for an NFL team. Tim Tebow couldn't even make it in SA.

If S.A. and Austion continue to grow, I could see S.A. supporting a team. I'm talking several years from now, and I include the Austin area , because any possible NFL team in S.A., would need to bring in the Austin market as well. Not a slam dunk by any means, just a possibility.

[baseline bum]

Since the late 1990s, the San Antonio Spurs have built an army of obnoxious, elitist fans whose heads are filled with so much paranoia that most of the team’s misfortunes can only be explained by conspiracy theories.

LOL, that's every fanbase out there that got close to a title but came up short. Lakers fans thought there was a conspiracy against them because Payton couldn't guard Billups in 04 and because Boston beat that ass in 08. Mav fans think the NBA rigs games because the league hates Cuban. Then there's Suns fan, Kings fan, and Jazz fan too who have gotten screwed by the refs in games that decided titles. That shit's not unique to Spurs fan.

[Spur|n|Austin]

If S.A. and Austion continue to grow, I could see S.A. supporting a team. I'm talking several years from now, and I include the Austin area , because any possible NFL team in S.A., would need to bring in the Austin market as well. Not a slam dunk by any means, just a possibility.

There's no "if" about it, Austin is growing by leaps each day - your idea is def a possibility too.

[J.T.]

If S.A. and Austion continue to grow, I could see S.A. supporting a team. I'm talking several years from now, and I include the Austin area , because any possible NFL team in S.A., would need to bring in the Austin market as well. Not a slam dunk by any means, just a possibility.

Austin wouldn't get sucked into the market for a San Antonio NFL team, not by a long shot. I live in Austin... this town splits hard over all the other pro sports teams in Texas. I could see a slight possibility of Austinites going for the SA team, but everyone knows an NFL expansion team is going to take years to become good or relevant, and with Dallas and Houston already established as decent NFL franchises I find it hard to believe the Austin crowd would just suddenly change allegiances to the SA team. I grew up in SA and even I wouldn't do that. Austin could support a pro team just as well, but I don't think there's any chance any league comes here because the University of Texas has this town's balls in a vicegrip.

[davidbowie]

damn carles is the man

HRO4LIFE

[Budkin]

There's no "if" about it, Austin is growing by leaps each day - your idea is def a possibility too.

One day we will be San Austintonio!

[gameFACE]

Been a fan since Gervin and that article hits the Spurs fan nail on head for the last decade. :lmao

[spursfan09]

:lol it's funny cause its true

[jimbo]

This is bullshit, plain and simple. I don't hide my displeasure in LeBron very well, but that's because of how the media covers him - I don't dismiss who he is as a player. Durant is one of my favorite players to watch, and the rise of new teams always intrigues me because they tend to be of the Spurs ilk. That might be the more "casual" of a fan, but the same can be said for any team.

That's exactly his point, he listed all of those examples because of the similar way they're covered by the media.

[JR3]

I thought the article was spot on. There were some exaggerations, but for the most part its true.

[Whisky Dog]

Is this article about a guy writing an article for the sake of being a dick?

Sports fans as a whole are crazy, superstitious, and sometimes downright weird. It's like that for every team that exists pro or otherwise

[TheGreatYacht]

This is bullshit, plain and simple. I don't hide my displeasure in LeBron very well, but that's because of how the media covers him - I don't dismiss who he is as a player. Durant is one of my favorite players to watch, and the rise of new teams always intrigues me because they tend to be of the Spurs ilk. That might be the more "casual" of a fan, but the same can be said for any team.LOL your feelings towards Lebron sound like this guy's...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sqHQ6sUz8o

[Splits]

Sup timvp