Now I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I am a San Antonio Spurs fan.  I was born and raised in San Antonio. I grew up following Larry Bird and the great Celtics team of the Eighties, so I know great basketball. In the Nineties I began following the Spurs. Now, though a Spurs fan, I am, however, NOT a Spurs apologist. I am not a "homer." I like Homer ? Simpson that is, but I am just as quick to criticize my teams on key issues as I am to praise them. I just wanted to make that clear before I presented you with my million dollar question.

My question is this -- what is it about sports that can make even the most conservative of thinkers sound like disenfranchised liberals? I asked myself this question in the wake of the Tony Parker contract negotiations that have been going on over the past week.  Now, perhaps the phrasing of my question is biased, given my own way of thinking. I mean, I could reword it, but given the hour at which I am writing this article, it might be damn near impossible.

Political rhetoric aside, you have to admit that professional sports can have a Jekyll and Hyde effect on people?s emotions.  However, it can all be understood through economics.

The economy is a free enterprise.  Did you catch that? Free. F-R-E-E. An organism unto itself; one that at times may need a push in the right direction, by say tax-breaks or a drop in interest rates.  But in the end, that?s all those are?pushes. You?ve heard it said, you can lead a horse to water but you can?t make it drink. Pushes are by no means government regulations. Now granted, government is forced to regulate certain areas of business---and some may argue that it over-regulates at times---but basically free enterprise was meant to run on its own, with its peaks and valleys, recessions and prosperities, and if left more-or-less alone, would theoretically balance itself out over time. Governments weren?t supposed to create jobs.  That?s the economy?s job.

Now a free economy, much like a basketball team, has its players. Entrepreneurs, craftsmen, skilled workers, professionals, whatever?you name it, the free world?s got it. But the success of a team lies solely on how the players plus those in the positions of leadership work together.  They don?t have to be the best individually, just the best as a team. Members of a free society who realize they can control their own destiny---without waiting for handouts or worrying about things beyond their control---can end up benefiting the economy as a whole over time.

But therein lies the catch.  It?s a little thing called initiative. Your local cable company, sports bar, gas station, health spa, cleaning service, sandwich chain, law firm, video store, Chinese buffet, mortgage firm,?.all these businesses were started by an individual or individuals with initiative, with a desire?with a dream.

Now there are millions of people who know exactly what I?m talking about. But for some reason, at least in the city of San Antonio, TX, there is something about the citizens? relationship with its precious NBA franchise that causes them to take the dreaded stupid pill---one a day every day beginning July 1st to the end of the trade deadline, then another daily dosage around the last few weeks leading up to the regular season. It may have something to do with the fact that the Spurs are out sole professional sports team. But that's no justification for stupidity, is it?

I mean, we?re talking about the greatest franchise in sports to date, folks---ahead of the Dallas Mavericks and Green Bay Packers.  According to the Fan Satisfaction Rankings,  the Spurs ranked fourth in bang-for-the-buck in 2004. In ownership loyalty and honesty, it ranked second. It?s ranked fourth in affordability, and first---El Numero Uno---in fan relations. Number one over all sports franchises. Overall, at least in my lifetime, the Spurs have been a pretty successful franchise. Sure, they had some down times in the Eighties. After the ?85 season the Ice Age ended with George Gervin being traded to the Chicago Bulls. But two years later they drafted David Robinson, with Sean Elliot and Avery Johnson following, and then, of course, Tim Duncan. Certainly this team has been blessed.

Now, though it wasn?t until TD came that everything started to gel, it wasn?t him alone that won the championships. With Peter Holt as the owner and Gregg Popovich providing his input, the Spurs didn't just suit up any player. Spurs players are more often than not Christian in their beliefs, nice guys, who spend a lot of time in the community. In addition to the players listed above, there's Steve Kerr, Malik Rose, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, even newcomer Romain Sato---all who fit into the Spur player profile. Any mother would love to have any one of these guys over for dinner. And the Spurs don?t just put anybody into the front office, either. Besides Coach Pop, who used to be in the front office, there's Danny Ferry, who not only fits the Spurs front-office profile, but fit the player profile as well as a power forward for Pop.

And yet Spurs? Fan complains every single year. Ticket prices are too high. Well, don?t go to the games.  The Spurs aren?t going to do that well this year. Well, you said that the year they got the ring. They're never ever satisfied. The Tony Parker situation is no different. Tony?s greedy. Tony deserves the cash. Peter Holt?s greedy. We just voted him and his staff 2nd among all sports franchises in owner loyalty and honesty, guys! Not to mention that many of Tony's supporters questioned his selection in the draft.

As much as Presidential approval ratings fluctuate with the stock market, the Spurs' approval ratings slide based on what fans are hearing from the media, as if one necessarily has anything to do with the other. There?s more behind the scenes of any news story than what gets reported. One thing affecting negotiations was the impending collective bargaining agreement this summer, which could affect the length of guaranteed contracts. Peter Holt is a member of the NBA Labor Committee. Both sides weren?t just squabbling over a couple of million dollars. There are clauses, incentives, guarantees?I mean, you thought your cell phone contract was complicated. Wake up, people. There?s nothing new under the sun.  As much as politics likes to wave it ugly hand in the realm of free enterprise and other areas of our private life, it?s got a seat in the NBA?s front row.

Yet every fan is an expert unto himself, and now that Tony Parker and Peter Holt have ended negotiations, it?s going to loom like a dark cloud over the entire Spurs 2004-2005 campaign. It?s official. It?s Doom and Gloom for up-tenth season in a row. Not only are the Spurs not going to make the playoffs this year, they?re going to trade Tim Duncan for Eric Cardinal and move the franchise to Juneau.

Yet hold on a minute. Suddenly there?s an update at the bottom of my TV screen. Is it a flash flood warning? A tornado watch? Nope. Well, well, well, what do you know? As I finish this article, Tony Parker and Peter Holt have finally agreed to 6 years for about 66 million. Suddenly life is good in the River City.  

Up until the Spurs have their first 2 game losing streak.