SAN ANTONIO's "PIT BULLS" IN-SPi(U)Ring

The Spurs team chemistry is quite unique. For the most part, they have a low profile, down to earth polite group of people. Their three mild mannered stars DAVID ROBINSON, TIM DUNCAN, and SEAN ELLIOT can be counted on for their high level of productivity. They go about their jobs in an unemotional workman like manner.

Yes… Robinson tends to get upset when being physically pounded by the opposition and fouls are not called. That is a well-founded emotional reaction. In the ten years that I've been covering the NBA, Robinson has displayed more busted lips than any other player I've ever seen.

But hey… this ain't about Robinson. This is about four scrappy players that could be called the supporting cast for Duncan, Robinson and Elliott. You could call them a lot of things but the way I see it in their scrappy fighting play, I'm going to call them THE PIT BULLS.

The INSPIRING hard nosed play of AVERY JOHNSON, JAREN JACKSON, MALIK ROSE, and MARIO ELIE qualify them for being the PIT BULLS of the team. What makes this team sizzle are these role players that have been coming up big… time after time this season. When they come on to the court they are ready to scrap, fight and bite.

Being in the NBA Championship series didn't come easy for any of them. They had to overcome major obstacles of rejection and not being the prototype size or skill level for their position. They had to fight and claw to be what and WHERE they are today...IN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS.

Johnson, Jackson and Elie have similar backgrounds. Each has been with at least five NBA teams during their NBA careers. None knows what the word quit means. They don't get the message when they've been given their walking papers after being told that don't' have the talent to be here. It's like when they're rejected the adrenaline flows, the fight comes out in the DOG and they claw their way back into the NBA for more.

Johnson wasn't drafted by a NBA team. He was originally signed by the Seattle Supersonics as a FREE AGENT August 2, 1988. After two seasons with the Sonics, he had stints with Denver, San Antonio, Houston and Golden State during his 11 year NBA career. He's like a BAD COLD with the Spurs, he won't go away. They can't get rid of him. They realize what he brings to the team. When he rejoined them for the 1994-95 season, it marked the third time he became a Spur.

Johnson had previous stints when he split the 1990-91 season between the Spurs and Denver. The following season was spent with the Spurs and Houston.

Say what!!! Quit??? The guy doesn't know when or how to quit. He went to three different colleges over a five-year period. You know this is before the NOW GENERATION age when college athletes quit school after their first or second year. Now it's fashionable not to go to college at all; just jump from high school to the NBA - but that's NOT IN JOHNSON'S LIFE. You betcha….

Taking giant steps was not in the cards for the 5-11 fireplug floor leader. He couldn't afford to do that. He's never been considered a superstar. He's better known as a guy that can't shoot. He only averaged 7.5 ppg. in college.

This year he converted that number to equate to 7.4 assists per game, ranking him sixth in the league. That puts him one tenth of a percentage point behind the NBA's all-time assist leader JOHN STOCKTON who had 7.5 apg this season.

Johnson is just a guy that works his butt off to make the team. He had to do that by taking little iddy-biddy steps to be where he is today, you know…playing for that NBA championship. Yup…I reckon…

Jackson is another guy that doesn't know the words NO or QUIT. He won't go away. After four years of playing for JOHN THOMPSON at Georgetown University, he found that he wasn't good enough to be a NBA draft pick. He averaged a non-spectacular 7.5 ppg. in college. He signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets October 3, 1989.

The 6-6 guard/forward is sort of a TWEENER. Ain't a guard and ain't a forward, just kind of a Mr. In-between. Jackson has been with EIGHT DIFFERENT teams in his NINE-YEAR NBA career. The Spurs are the first team to have him for two consecutive seasons.

You have to wonder if Jackson ever unpacked his suitcase. After one year with the Nets, he had one-season stints with the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers [Ah-hem…Save the Clipper jokes], Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Washington Bullets/Wizards and last season became a Spur. He's been a career free agent player.

Jackson never possessed the best looking shot you ever saw. He's improved enough to gain the confidence of Spurs coach Greg Popovich. He now has the green light to be one of the Spurs 'See The Three - Be The Three' guys with Elliott and Elie.

Prior to joining the Spurs, his highest-scoring average in a season was 5.0 ppg. in 75 games with the Bullets during the 96-97 season. He improved that mark to 8.8 in 82 games with the Spurs last season. It was last season that he posted career best three-point shooting numbers when he hit 112-397 (.377). His numbers were slightly down this season to 6.4 ppg, and .361 in 3's.

He showed up big in game one helping the Spurs defeat the New York Knicks, 89-77. Jackson scored 17 points and hit 5-of-10 three point shots during his 25 minutes of play.

ELIE is also one of those tweener guys. He's listed as a 6-5 guard/forward. This year's Spurs experience makes it his fifth NBA team over his nine year NBA career. As a member of the Houston Rockets, he won two NBA championship rings in 1994, 1995.

Of these three scrappers, Elie has pedigree by being the ONLY ONE drafted by a NBA team. He was selected in the seventh round (160th pick overall) by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1985 draft. The team waived him before playing a regular season game.

From 1985 to 1990 he honed his basketball skills in Portugal, Argentina and Ireland. Elie also banged around in the pro bush leagues of America, the United States Basketball League, the Continental Basketball Association and the World Basketball League. He never quit.

It took five years for him to work his way back to the NBA. He was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Lakers, October 2, 1990, but was waived 13 days later. He then signed a 10-day contracts with the Philadelphia 76ers (1990) and the Golden State Warriors (1991). He remained a Warrior through the 1991-92 season. He followed with stops in Portland and Houston before signing with the Spurs this season.

The last of the Spurs PIT BULLS is the scrappy MALIK ROSE. Rose is listed as a 6-7 forward. When I first interviewed him last season, I was shocked how SMALL he really is. Looking at him almost directly in the eye from my 6-1 stature, my first reaction was that he'd NEVER BE 6-7 unless he wears 3" heels, AND THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

Rose reminds me of CHARLES BARKLEY in stature. Barkley is listed at 6-6. He never saw 6-6 in his life. Rose plays like he's 6-7. They're both on the upside of 6-4.

For Rose, it's really impressive how much he can do with his full but small body having to go against much bigger opponents. When you think about how he put the muscle on the Lakers Shaquille O'Neal in the semi-final series, you have to respect his Herculean efforts.

Rose was drafted in the second round (44th pick overall) by the Charlotte Hornets in the 1996 NBA draft. After one year with the Hornets, he signed with the Spurs last season as a free agent. Rose has had to make a serious adjustment from being a big player at the small Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA, to being an undersized forward in the NBA. He's is earning his stripes and respect from his diligent hard work.

Rose attended Philadelphia's Overbrook High School, which is where former NBA players Wilt Chamberlain, Walt Hazzard, Wally Jones and Wayne Hightower played.

These four Pit Bull style players exemplify the saying "WINNERS NEVER QUIT, and Quitters Never Win." These four winners are key contributors to the success of the Spurs. They are role players who are on the verge of winning the biggest basketball prize of all… a NBA CHAMPIONSHIP.

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TRIVIA QUESTION: In his rookie year 1979-80, MAGIC JOHNSON helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a NBA Title. The Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games. WHO was the NBA rookie of the year that season?

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The THAILAND NATIONAL soccer team [see Feature Archives, Asian Soccer Fit To be Thai'd defeated NEW ZEALAND 4-3 in the Four Nations International Soccer tournament in Bangkok Wednesday. The match was decided in a penalty shoot-out after the regulation match ended in a 2-2 tie.

New Zealand scored first on captain CHRIS JACKSON's goal in the 44th minute. The smaller quicker Thais roared back after the break. Striker KIATISAK SENAMUNUG scored two goals in a four-minute span [52nd and 56th minutes]. Jackson then tied the game for New Zealand when he scored in the 76th minute.

In the shoot-out Thai goalkeeper VIRACH WANGCHAN saved two New Zealand spot kicks to earn the Thais the victory.

After the match New Zealand coach KEN DUGDALE said of the Thai team. "They're very skillful players, very quick and have a lot of natural ability. They played well particularly through the middle of the field."

It was the second straight strong showing by the Thai team, who upset ARSENAL of the Premiere League, 4-3 May 23rd.

In the other match BRAZIL struck quickly to defeat Poland 2-0. Brazil's DARCY MONTERO scored in the 12th minute and ANDRE QULTERIO in the 18th.

Saturday, Thailand will face Brazil for the championship. Poland will play New Zealand for third place.

TRIVIA ANSWER: The Boston Celtics LARRY BIRD.

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