San Antonio Spurs & Germany: Team Greatness

Sports fans of basketball and World Futbol have witnessed, and may be witnessing some of the most special achievements in recent sports history. In the NBA, basketball fans witnessed possibly the greatest NBA Finals performance we’ve ever seen by the San Antonio Spurs. In the World Cup, the German National team went out and dismantled Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese side 4-0 in what could have easily been a 6/7 goal drubbing. The similarities between what the Spurs did and what Germans are trying to emulate in the World Cup is scary.

Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James who?…

LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two best players in their respective sports. Both have wowed the sports world with their on field/court exploits and their ability to simply outclass their opponents. But all the greatness in the world from one player can’t overpower a well-oiled machine that’s run brilliantly. In the NBA, the Spurs came into the series against the Reigning champion Miami Heat with was perceived to be an even match up. The Spurs Core 3 of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker are all older than the Heat Big 3 of LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (well except Parker who is the same age as Wade). Both head coaches Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich have high basketball IQ’s and are tactically far superior to most of their other opponents.

But the deal breaker is LeBron James. LeBron was the best player on the court every second of the series. But again, greatness can only carry one player so far. The Spurs took LeBron’s best shot over and over again, and the harder he hit, the more lopsided the scores became for the Spurs. After the Cramp game, Bathroom Gate, the lack of performance from his fellow teammates, and relentless barrage of Spurs bucket after bucket, LeBron seemed defeated. He sat at the end of the bench being consoled by Udonis Haslem and Bron was just beaten.

There was nothing he could do, and there was nothing the Heat could do to stop the Spurs avalanche. In the World Cup, the Germans came up against their own World Beater in Ronaldo, and it got ugly quick. Similar to the Spurs, Germany have never relied on one main option to beat an opponent. Germany is a country predicated on wearing an opponent out with precise passing and movement and stifling opponents when they get on the ball. From top to bottom the Germans have World Class Footballers all over the pitch.

They can sub off one world-beater for another and not miss a pass in transition. Cristiano, as great as he is needs help against certain teams. Germany’s midfield made sure that none of Ronaldo’s teammates had room to breath or get service to CR9. And when the Portuguese players did get room to breath, the last thing they were thinking about doing was passing. Portugal had players like Nana and Moutinho trying to pull off highlight 1 v 1 dribbles against disciplined German defenders like Mats Hummels, Per Mertesacker and Philipp Lahm…not smart.

Ronaldo never touched the ball and when he did finally get a touch, he tried to take on the entire German team alone. The Germans used this to their advantage and created countless turnovers while burying goals in the back of the Portuguese net with ease. Again, the 4-0 score line was kind. Once Portuguese defender Pepe was sent off with a red card in the first half, the world knew the game was over, and so did Ronaldo. Ronaldo looked annoyed with his teammates and just wanted the game to end. Portugal may bounce back, but Germany sent their entire World Cup into a downward spiral. And the Germans are just getting started.

Revenge is Dish Best Served With Blowouts…

Revenge is a powerful motivator. Athletes use two things to get them mentally prepared assassinate opponents: bulletin board material and/or memories of past failures they need to rectify. The Spurs used the loss to the Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals as a driving force to get back to the 2014 Finals to seek retribution on a title they thought should have been there’s. The Spurs shot an astounding 51% from the field during the Finals. That’s the highest field goal percentage since Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls championship team from 1991. The Spurs were on another level against the Heat. The German National team finished 4th in the 2010 World Cup and they were widely tipped to at least make it to the 2010 Finals.

The Germans ended the tournament without the trophy and have been in Germany stewing ever since. Germany brought back most of those young players from the 2010 tournament, and the scary part is those same young players are still young, the only difference is they’re just four years wiser and have been playing top flight football in leagues across Europe raising trophies and separately solidifying their status and great players. The Spurs and Germans aren’t starved for titles. The 2014 title for the Spurs was their 5 in 15 years.

The Germans have won the World Cup 3 times. But unlike the Spurs who can right past wrongs yearly, the Germans have one shot every four years. And if the display against the Portuguese is any indication of what we’re about to witness, the rest of the countries in the World Cup are in serious trouble.

Joakim Low the German National coach is an intelligent tactician like his NBA counterpart Popovich. Low knows how to motivate his German side. I’m sure he never lets them forget their 2010 World Cup failure. Now their opponents will pay for Germany’s past mistakes. NBA fans just finished witnessing basketball greatness, and I think World Futbol fans are about to witness the same thing with the Germans. Congratulations to the Spurs on a well deserved NBA Finals crown. And look out World, the Germans are here, and they’re pissed. This is going to be epic.

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