David Robinson, national pride (1 Viewer)

[Bri]

I saw "David Robinson not being a superstar is when I noticed something wrong with this country" this morning.

One reply was "that dude would have been a legend if he played in 1950, after world war ii."

I thought Robinson was excellent and people did mention his military service and that he was a class act. I didn't think we were less than appreciative of him. Do you guys?

Also the Spurs would go on to win a championship or two and their roster filled with a lot of "good guys" and....I don't usually even think of this. Do we "give credit" for instilling a good guy team attitude? 

I suppose it's fairly normal to have more national pride during a war and less when there is not. Right?

Anywho, I thought all this was an interesting concept for discussion and figured I'd share it here. See what y'all think

 

[McBokonon]

I think a lot of superstars are superstars because they make an effort to be superstars. I never really got the impression that was Robinson’s bag.

 

[Bri]

I think a lot of superstars are superstars because they make an effort to be superstars. I never really got the impression that was Robinson’s bag.

That's a fair point and he looked pretty uncomfortable in Mr Robinson's neighborhood spots.

Duncan was a gem. I think it's possible he gets credit that Robinson should get but all in all it's a lot of love and I don't think unappreciated 

 

[Eephus]

I think Robinson has gotten an appropriate amount of recognition. He was named to the NBA 50th and 75th anniversary teams.  He won RoY and MVP awards.  The Spurs won two (well actually 1.6) championships while he was on the team, although not until he was joined by Duncan and Pop.

He was a great player but is overshadowed a bit by contemporary centers like Olajuwon and Shaq.  Robinson wasn't a self promoter, played his entire career in a small market and never seemed to be totally consumed by the game like other superstars.  The latter is an admirable trait but probably has something to do with his stature in the sport's annals.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I remember reading an article (I think in SI) when the Spurs were making their title runs where the rest of the team watched old film of Robinson and were shocked at how dominant he was in his younger days. They had no idea even then.

 

[AAABatteries]

I never even considered bumping Robinson due to his military service - maybe if he had missed some of the prime of his career like some ball players in the wars.  I don’t think it really helps or hurts him.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

The latter is an admirable trait but probably has something to do with his stature in the sport's annals.

Well done sir, whether intentional or not. Like Robinson himself, one of the great if under appreciated nicknames. 
 

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Good thing he never had to serve on a submarine. Would have eventually got a concussion.

 

[dkp993]

I saw "David Robinson not being a superstar is when I noticed something wrong with this country" this morning.

One reply was "that dude would have been a legend if he played in 1950, after world war ii."

I thought Robinson was excellent and people did mention his military service and that he was a class act. I didn't think we were less than appreciative of him. Do you guys?

Also the Spurs would go on to win a championship or two and their roster filled with a lot of "good guys" and....I don't usually even think of this. Do we "give credit" for instilling a good guy team attitude? 

I suppose it's fairly normal to have more national pride during a war and less when there is not. Right?

Anywho, I thought all this was an interesting concept for discussion and figured I'd share it here. See what y'all think

David Robinson was my favorite player growing up (even though I grew up in SoCal).  Have been a Spurs fan ever since. How he, Duncan and Pop carried themselves was a big factor.  

 

[dkp993]

I played ball in HS. Wore the Robinson “pump up” shoes.   Lol

 

[Tick]

I never even considered bumping Robinson due to his military service - maybe if he had missed some of the prime of his career like some ball players in the wars.  I don’t think it really helps or hurts him.

He missed his first two years due to military service.

It helped him in my opinion - it was a hook.  The nickname, the good-guy attitude, the military history... he was about as well-liked of a player as I can remember.

The way Hakeem destroyed him in that playoff series in his MVP year was shocking, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NoX7I3oJSM&ab_channel=SecretBase

 

[Eephus]

He missed his first two years due to military service.

He also played four years in college which wasn't unusual at the time.

 

[-OZ-]

I think Robinson has gotten an appropriate amount of recognition. He was named to the NBA 50th and 75th anniversary teams.  He won RoY and MVP awards.  The Spurs won two (well actually 1.6) championships while he was on the team, although not until he was joined by Duncan and Pop.

He was a great player but is overshadowed a bit by contemporary centers like Olajuwon and Shaq.  Robinson wasn't a self promoter, played his entire career in a small market and never seemed to be totally consumed by the game like other superstars.  The latter is an admirable trait but probably has something to do with his stature in the sport's annals.

Yep 

even as a Pistons fan, the Admiral was my favorite player. 

I never even considered bumping Robinson due to his military service - maybe if he had missed some of the prime of his career like some ball players in the wars.  I don’t think it really helps or hurts him.

Missing the first two years might not be prime, but I don’t doubt for a second that it set him back just a bit. 

 

[Ray Barboni]

I played ball in HS. Wore the Robinson “pump up” shoes.   Lol

Same. I sprained my ankle REALLY bad in my first game as a Varsity starter - got some #### over it. Ya know, because I had the “pumps”

bug fan of the admiral, but those shoes blew (blowed?)

 

[dkp993]

Same. I sprained my ankle REALLY bad in my first game as a Varsity starter - got some #### over it. Ya know, because I had the “pumps”

bug fan of the admiral, but those shoes blew (blowed?)

I loved them but do remember them being heavy.  

 

[Mister CIA]

The Admiral carried the Spurs before Duncan's arrival. What he had to work with was not that good:  Sean Elliott, he was a №3 at best (and then there was Vinnie Del Negro, Avery Johnson, to name two); lost in the great playoff battle between Robinson and Olajuwan was the fact that Rodman no-showed; and let's not forget he played for the worst NBA coach of all-time,  Bob Hill. The same Bob Hill that Fordham fired after posting 36-78 during his three year stint.

Also, not helping was the littlest sports talk host on radio tagging him as the little mermaid.

Also, there's the whole before the back injury and after. While he was still good, the greatness was gone. 

 

[Bri]

Should we adore? appreciate? him more than other players because he served? 

 

[Mister CIA]

Should we adore? appreciate? him more than other players because he served? 

Yes, because he lost his first two years of production.  Can't recall if those two years would have included pre‐injury Terry Cummings.

 

[Eephus]

Should we adore? appreciate? him more than other players because he served? 

It's part of his story

 

[kevzilla]

I saw the Admiral's quadruple-double in the Alamodome against the Pistons. They tried everything, it just didn't matter. In his prime, he could have led the league in whatever he chose, but he deferred to the team concept. 

 

[Bri]

It's part of his story

Yeah but should it have more (word?) respect on it? 

Some people may say Patrick Ewing was better. Are you "allowed" to not reply with Robinson has two championships but simply say Robinson served his country? 

Are we patriotic enough that that would have an effect on us?

 

[FairWarning]

Robinson was the anti-superstar, like Duncan.  They were team-first, both humble also.  I met him a couple of times in South Bend while his kid was playing for the Irish.  He’s very grounded for a person of his stature.  We need far more of him.

 

[Ilov80s]

Yeah but should it have more (word?) respect on it? 

Some people may say Patrick Ewing was better. Are you "allowed" to not reply with Robinson has two championships but simply say Robinson served his country? 

Are we patriotic enough that that would have an effect on us?

If you are discussing who was the better basketball player, serving in the military is irrelevant IMO. 

 

[Chemical X]

robinson’s first year was at age 24.  he pretty much missed 5 years if he was in the here and now.  he is roger staubach, nba version.  

 

[dkp993]

Robinson was the anti-superstar, like Duncan.  They were team-first, both humble also.  I met him a couple of times in South Bend while his kid was playing for the Irish.  He’s very grounded for a person of his stature.  We need far more of him.

This is exactly why he was my favorite player growing up despite living in So-Cal.  It’s also why I didn’t like MJ or Kobe.  In my early 20’s I met MJ, my life long feeling were only proven correct in that meeting. 

 

[FairWarning]

This is exactly why he was my favorite player growing up despite living in So-Cal.  It’s also why I didn’t like MJ or Kobe.  In my early 20’s I met MJ, my life long feeling were only proven correct in that meeting. 

Never meet your heroes.  More often than not, you’ll be disappointed.

 

[dkp993]

Never meet your heroes.  More often than not, you’ll be disappointed.

Sometimes for sure.  Though as I said he wasn’t my hero and meeting him only proved that point.  He was a massive ahole.  

 

[Ilov80s]

robinson’s first year was at age 24.  he pretty much missed 5 years if he was in the here and now.  he is roger staubach, nba version.  

It wasn't as weird for the era to start at 24. Bird, McHale and Parrish were 23 their rookie years. If Robinson had been in the NBA at the age of 19-20, he likely would have needed time to develop his game.