SQUEEZE the ORANGE.....Arguably the BEST from Top to Bottom in the LOGO.....Peter Holt's San Antonio SPURS led by Coach Gregg Popovich and GM RC Buford have been the best for quite sometime now.

When they were handed a crushing defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies last season in Winning Time 2010-11 everyone said the Grizz have arrived and the Spurs were getting old. For most Organizations and Teams that would be a fair assessment but the Spurs under Pops and Buford that is far from the truth...and the truth hurts all the time in the Alamo City.

Larry O'Brien's in '99, '03, '05, and '07 and only to be out done in that category by the Zen Master and the LAKEshow. The Spurs have done it not with Smoke and Mirrors but just being the best Organization they can be from Top to Bottom that you can be. How does it go, " In order to be good at the top you have to be good at the bottom and everywhere in between and also surround yourself with the very best". The Spurs live by this creed and they have been successful not only on the Court but Upstairs as well. Coaches, GM's, Scouts, Player Personnel Guys, and Upper Management on the Business Side keeps this Train real sound and at the top of their game at all times.

POPS and RC Buford have been in San Antonio for sometime now and they all started under current SMU Lead Man and Coaching Nomad Larry Brown. Pops was lead Assistant and Buford was Assistant Coach with new Head Tulsa University Coach Danny Manning's Father Ed. None of that work so Pops also spent time under Hall Of Fame Coach Don Nelson in East Bay for the Warriors.

Then Pops came back to the Spurs as GM with RC Buford and under New Management, CEO Peter Holt,  the Spurs have taken off. The 1996-97 Season was a blessing as the Admiral (David Robinson) was hurt for the majority of the Season and the Spurs unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) would wind up with the 31 Overall Pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and that was Wake Forest's Tim Duncan as Celtics then Coach Rick Pitino tried everything in his power to move his Two Top 5 Picks to get Dunc to no avail.

The Spurs have had a combination of Good Drafts, finding the Right Guys for their System, Excellent Player Evaluations, and a Trade here and there to stay on Top of the Logo.

Here are some of the players in and around the Championships Years from 1998-99 to 2007:

The "Admiral" C David Robinson
Tim Duncan *
Avery Johnson
Sean Elloitt
"Big Shot" Rob-ert Horry
Mario Elie
Bruce Bowen
"Captain Jack" Stephen Jackson
Malik Rose
Manu Ginobli *
Tony Parker *
Brent Barry
Michael Finley


The one Constants for 3 of the 4 Chips are the Players with Asterisk (*) Dunc, Manu, and TP9. The Spurs have been fortunate enough for these Players to provide Stability, Leadership, and Continuity so when the young Guys come in it's the Spurs Way or you can play elsewhere.

Take a look at the Coaches, Front Office people, and Former Players that have come off the Pops and Buford Tree:

Danny Ferry: Started in Front Office with Spurs then became Cavs GM and now back as VP of Operations.

Avery Johnson: Led the 2005-06 Mavs to the NBA Finals currently Nets Lead Man

Bruce Bowen: ESPN NBA Analyst among other ventures

Sam Presti: Assistant GM under Buford now OKC Thunder GM

Monty Williams: Assistant Coach Spurs now Head Coach with NO Hornets

PJ Carlesimo: Spurs Assistant Coach...now NJ Nets Assistant

Mike Brown: Spurs Video Man Assistant Former Lead man in Cleveland under then CAVS GM Danny Ferry now LAKEshow Lead Man

These are just some of the more notable Coaches and Execs that learned under the Pops and Buford Tree. The Spurs are going for #5 and they will meet the Thunder and Former Spurs Assistant Gm Sam Presti Squad.

One thing is for certain no matter if the Win or Lose the Chip this Season. As long as the Spurs have Pops and Buford they will always be in the running for a Chip. With those Two running the Show....Chairman and CEO Peter Holt can just worry about his other Big Venture...Caterpillar.