| | SAN ANTONIO -- Players, coaches and fans celebrated with
hugs, smiles and indoor fireworks as the San Antonio Spurs received
their championship gold and diamond rings Tuesday.
"I'd like to thank all of you for being such loyal
supporters," coach Gregg Popovich told a cheering Alamodome crowd.
"Without you all, we wouldn't be here."
The ring ceremony took place before the Spurs' season opener
against the Philadelphia 76ers, which the Spurs won 89-76.
NBA Commissioner David Stern presented the rings to the Spurs
players who remain from last season and the coaching staff. San
Antonio defeated the New York Knicks to win the franchise's first
championship in June.
"This is not only a great basketball team, but a team that
above all else understands a sense of community and how important
they are to youngsters," Stern told the fans.
"Suffice it to say, you should be very proud of them," he
said.
During the ceremony, the Spurs' championship banner was
unfurled. Veteran center David Robinson gazed at it, grinned and
raised a clenched fist.
The celebration was something the Spurs franchise and fans had
waited 26 years to enjoy. A former American Basketball Association
squad, the Spurs moved to San Antonio from Dallas before the
1973-74 season and later merged into the NBA.
San Antonio won its title during Robinson's 10th year in the
league. The 7-foot-1 center had endured a decade of coaching
changes, player turnover and questions about whether he truly was
championship material.
Robinson proved he was, once he had fellow 7-footer Tim Duncan -- the MVP of the NBA Finals -- and a cohesive supporting cast beside
him.
After receiving his ring, Robinson greeted 76ers coach Larry
Brown with a hug. Brown was Robinson's first coach with the Spurs.
Sean Elliott, who joined the Spurs the same year Robinson did,
accepted his ring dressed in a suit.
Elliott, 31, underwent a kidney transplant in August but has
said he will try to return to the NBA. Elliott spoke to the crowd
on behalf of the players.
"The feelings amongst these guys are if they could take a
little piece of this ring and give it to everybody in the arena,
they would gladly do it," Elliott said.
Each 14-karat gold ring contains a large circle of diamonds and
is adorned with a spur on top.
On the side of each ring is "15-2," which was the Spurs'
playoff record during their title run; the player's name and
number; the championship trophy; and a hammer and rock,
representing the team motto.
The ring presentation came the same day the team awaited word on
whether it would get a new taxpayer-funded arena.
Bexar County voters were deciding Tuesday whether to raise hotel
and car rental taxes to help pay for a $175 million basketball
building.
With 31 percent of the votes counted, 66,811 or 60 percent of
residents who voted approved the hike, while 44,745 or 40 percent
voted against the referendum. | |
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