A little bit louder: Tim Duncan still exudes quiet confidence, but he's learning to speak up more as the Spurs try to erase the memory of last season's playoffs. (Playoffs: NBA).

Forget? Who could forget? Better yet, who would want to forget? This is something that, at worst, you let terrorize you, hoping it scares you straight. At best, you hope it motivates and provides some unrelenting voice in your head, like Mick nagging at Rocky Balboa, hunched over and chasing chickens. You can't just forget something like this.

In last year's postseason, the Spurs were pulverized by the Lakers. It's not just that they were swept, they were demoralized. They put up as much fight as Switzerland. Never mind that only six players from that team still are with the Spurs. That kind of loss gets into your uniform and seeps into the hallways and locker ...