"There can't be a worse candidate ... than Popovich"

[Kori Ellis]

Vecsey: GET COACH K FOR OLYMPIC TEAM

http://nypost.com/sports/39996.htm

February 6, 2005 -- SOURCES confirm Jerry Colangelo has been quietly chosen to preside over the Olympic Basketball Selection Committee and overhaul it how he sees fit.

A perfect place to start is at coach. If the former Suns owner knows what's good for the team he won't think twice about promoting Gregg Popovich, highest ranking assistant when Team USA strangled into sixth place in Indianapolis and staggered into third in Athens.

As many as seven players from that bronze- medal finisher will be representin' their respective franchises in Denver Feb. 20 at the All-Star Game; two of 'em, despite barely breaking a sweat, are legit MVP candidates.

LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire sure must have learned a lot practicing for Larry Brown; something James outright denied earlier this season, by the way. The Cavaliers and Suns should be grateful to him for enabling them to stay fresh for this season.

Obviously, Brown didn't like (or appreciate) a lot of what he saw from James and Stoudemire (Emeka Okafor and others) during their month together.

Obviously there was a lot not to like. By many accounts, James' attitude was as distasteful as Carmello Anthony's on and off the court; Tim Duncan was as uncooperative regarding outside commitments as those two, I'm told, which is nothing new. League sources reveal both youngsters, not just Anthony, wrote letters of apology to those concerned.

OK, so in all probability, James didn't earn quality time while it's anyone guess why Stoudemire didn't play an integral part, especially since Duncan always seemed to be in foul trouble.

At the same time, you almost can't blame James for pouting himself into a corner. Recklessly critical, insensitive coaches (and teachers!!!) often squelch the enthusiasm and confidence of highly motivated players (students) with one careless, caustic comment.

I remember reading about a play last summer in which James dove for a loose ball and someone praised him for his great hustle.

"When you're his age you're supposed to dive on the floor," Brown grumped unfavorably rather than simply seconding the compliment.

This next incident wasn't recorded. Sources say one day James missed a 3-point jumper in an exhibition or practice, I'm unsure which one.

"You shouldn't be taking shots that far out," Brown scolded. "You can't shoot."

Yeah, that's the kinds of inspiring stuff players love to hear from coaches at all levels. By all means, accentuate the negative and downplay the positive. In the starkness of such distrust, underscored by escaping blame at all costs for the assemblage and pointing crooked little fingers in all directions but the mirror, is any wonder Team USA failed to measure up in Athens? Is it any wonder Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton wanted to get away from such negativity from the summer?

Brown, of course, must be held primarily accountable for the poisoned atmosphere. But guess who greatly influenced every last decision? Guess who rubbed almost every player the wrong way with his tough-guy military mindlessness? Guess who had nothing to offer in terms of attacking and breaking opponents' zones?

That's right, Popovich: This season's western conference All-Star coach; a two-time NBA champion, spoiled senselessness by having the luxury of ideal leaders like David Robinson and Duncan to rely on to keep teammates in line regardless of how much he intimidates or humiliates them.

During a Jan. 27 game in San Antonio Malik Rose threw the ball away against Sacramento. He was so angry with himself he jerked his jersey halfway up his chest in frustration and berated himself for a split-second. Just long enough for a Kings player to streak behind him and score an unmolested layup.

You would've thought Rose committed an atrocity. The eight-year vet didn't play two nights later against New Orleans, or again two nights later in Seattle. Not until a week later, this past Thursday against the Lakers, did Popovich decide Rose had learned his lesson.

Yeah, that'll teach him to act like Darius Miles, Rafer Alston, Qyntel Woods, Stephon Jackson and the rest of the NBA's unmanageable desperados.

Yeah, there's no one better than Popovich at correlating crime and time.

But just try such disrespect and deformed discipline when a team's superstar doesn't have your back. Demean and degrade players in a losing environment and see what happens; in fact ask assistant P.J. Carlesimo to show you his neck burns. Get under enough thin skins in Athens and see how quickly you're peeled away from consideration from the next engagement.

There can't be a worse candidate for Team USA's next World Games/Olympic run than Popovich.

At the same time, can there be a more competent candidate than Mike Krzyzewski? The way I hear it, he'd love to have the job.

Who cares if a professional has piloted Team USA since NBA players began to participate in '92? After finishing sixth and third in the last two international competitions seems to me nothing should be written in granite.

If Krzyzewski were appealing enough to be recruited by the Lakers, Celtics, Sixers and numerous other NBA outfits I assume he's good enough to coach our country's Olympic team.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Yes, but Jackson was "manageable" when he was in San Antonio.

Oh, and Vecsey should never, ever type "representin'" ever again.

[SPARKY]

It's Vescey but it is interesting how unquestioned Pop's coaching style is, at least in this forum, considering that if not for David Robinson and Tim Duncan he'd probably be back at Pomona Fizer or whateveritsname.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt that a similiar outcome could happen, but that's only if Pop couldn't get the players he wanted.

I seriously bet he could work wonders and take the skill-sets of players like LeBron, Amare, etc. and get them to work with players that complement their talents.

[Kori Ellis]

What is funny to me is that Vecsey called him "Stephon" Jackson -- he can't stop thinking about Marbury, I guess.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

****** WARNING WARNING WARNING ******

Do not let this man write about basketball.

http://nypost.com/img/cols/pvecsey.jpg

****** WARNING WARNING WARNING ******

[Sec24Row7]

Vescey is an idiot.

Always has been.

He is the white Stephen A Smith.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

Wasnt there a press conference where Pop and vescey had a litlte confrontation?

Im not positive but i thought i remember hearin something

[GoSpurs21]

I cant believe Vescey still is allowed to publish his crap. He obviously doesnt know shit about how the players feel towards Pop. Maybe he should do his home work and actually interview the stars that have worked with Pop the last two summers. But then again this would mean the those players would want to talk to Pariah Vescey.

Once again this hack shows he has no idea what's going on in basketball

[Tek_XX]

Gawd Vecsey is so hard to read. Someone needs to tell him that written and spoken words should remain separate.

We have a nice system here in SA, i think Pop does a good job. Yeah he's a screamer but the system works well. Vescey is just jealous.

[TMTTRIO]

I still remember the one where he was trying to get Tim to say that Kobe was God or something when he asked Tim about the majesty of Kobe and all Tim said was he had a heck of a game and he said that's all and Tim said yeah :lol.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

You're right GINNNNOBILI. The confrontation you're thinking of took place two summers ago, while the spurs were en route to the championship. After losing a game to the Nets in the finals Vescey asked Pop why he didn't put Steve Kerr in the game in light of Kerr's heroics in the Dallas series. Pop, clearly looking annoyed by the question, decided to answer what I'm sure every coach thinks when they get that question after a loss: "Because it was my decision and that's what I chose." Or something to that effect. Vescey kept pushing and Pop basically ignored. At least that's my recollection of events. And then Vescey was all over the next broadcast talking about how Pop was too thin skinned and couldn't take criticism. I think Vescey got off light frankly because the look on Pop's face said that his first instinct was to tell Vescey to go fuck himself with the biggest pineapple he could find.

Vescey is a dipshit who doesn't know the first thing about basketball. I remember when he used to do the NBA on NBC pregame show. I can't remember who else they had on there but it would always follow the same pattern. The first two guys offer legitimate game analysis and predictions. And then it was Peter's turn, who would invariably start off with, "My sources tell me..." and he was wrong half the time. The players who psyched for the game would suck it up and the guys who were too hurt to play were usually in the starting line up. He was, and apparently still is, a gossip columnist parading as a sports journalist.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

You know, I'm as critical of Pop as anyone.

But I can't help but wonder how far Vecsey had his head up his ass when he wrote this.

[Das Texan]

What a fucking tool.



Has Coach K ever coached in a losing situation anytime in recent memory or had to put up with players that dont get along?


Please, thats like calling the kettle black.


What a fucking New York dumbfuck.....reminds me of why I hated listening to him so much like that dumbfuck from Philly now.

[whottt]

After losing a game to the Nets in the finals Vescey asked Pop why he didn't put Steve Kerr in the game in light of Kerr's heroics in the Dallas series. Pop, clearly looking annoyed by the question, decided to answer what I'm sure every coach thinks when they get that question after a loss: "Because it was my decision and that's what I chose." Or something to that effect. Vescey kept pushing and Pop basically ignored.


Actually, that happened after game 4 of the finals. Hate on Vescey all you want, but in game 5 Pop put in Kerr when we were in the middle of choking away a big lead in the second half...like most of us wanted him to do in game 3. Vescey was right on that.


But this article is pretty stupid though...he can't hold Pop responsible for what Larry Brown did. The way I see it, Pop can't go around telling Larry Brown how to coach or talk to players when Brown is the head coach and Pop is the assistant...he can't go around undermining Brown's authority.

I also think Pop is actually a lot more patient with young players than Brown...Brown never plays young guys and his players have a history of getting sick of him.

Pop OTOH...his style may not work on every player in the NBA...but it certainly hasn't made Malik want to leave...or a lot of other guys. Most of the guys that do come here tend to want to stay.

And unlike Brown, Pop does know how to kiss ass for the good of the team(see most of Duncan's career)

So Vescy is is way off with his criticism of Pop this time around. Although I don't know how well Pop will work as coach of the National team, since he has a habit of starting slow when he has new players.


I just hope that who ever is in charge of player selection is not as stupid as this last guy was, when it comes to constructing a team.

[atlfan25]

Vecsey is a moron.

[BronxCowboy]

As much as I agree with you people about Vescey, I have to say that he has a point about Pop being too abrasive. But I can't buy what he seems to be implying, i.e. that Pop is more responsible for the disaster in Athens than Larry Brown. Pop is certainly overrated as a coach in this forum, but Larry Brown is probably the most overrated coach in the world.

[MosesGuthrie]

You would've thought Rose committed an atrocity.

He did. He was selfish and chose to whine and not to play defense.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

IMO, there is nothing wrong with a little discipline. I like the way Pop runs this team. He makes sure the players know what he wants, and how he wants it. Clearly he knows what it takes to win, seeing as though is one of the winingnest coaches out there. This guy thinks that players of this caliber should be pampered and complimented on every "nice" play they make. I mean, look a Ginobility, he dives, he hustles, he does everything he can, and does not expect a pat on the back every time. He knows it is what is expected when you're a professional player who is getting multimillion dollar paychecks. If James was pouting because of what Brown said, then he is probably not mature enough to be in this league. However, I don't think Pop is a good candidate for our national team. He focuses on a strict defensive scheme, while what we need is being able to counter their 3point shooting; I mean, that's what killed us in Athens. Pop just doesn't seem to focus much on that, and if you don't think so, that a look at the 3p% the Spurs allow per game!.

[Mark in Austin]

Funny how "overrated coaches" are winning so many championships these days...

[SpursWoman]

Funny how "overrated coaches" are winning so many championships these days...


No kidding ... I think Pete is waaaay off target. Because Pop doesn't cater to primadonnas and expects everyone to know and perform their role, that makes him the worst candidate? So I guess being on a decent track to win 3 championships in 6 years makes him overrated?


mmmKay. :shootme

[Useruser666]

What a load of shit! Did Phil Jackson cater to Kobe? What did that get him? The boot that's what. Larry Brown is a shitty coach. He has great skill, but the shitty part is that he can't stand staying with a team, especially one that is losing.

[Rummpd]

Idiot, about the day the SuperBowl is won x 3 by a similar style coach who is loved by his players despite his harshness and aloofness, Mr. V. calls out the closest in demeanor and results coach in the NBA.

It would be nice if we could all figure out a way to send this loser an e-mail with about 50 forum sigs attached. Vescey, who is rarely right about anything re the NBA, has crossed the line by callling out a very good if not great man and coach in a totally non-classy way. By the way, it Pop ever had coached either NY team they would be a lot better off than today = Nets possibly a championship as he would have found better role players needed to surround Kidd and Martin and as a GM or coach he could sure do a lot better than Isiah friggin Thomas. Look at Pop's retention of Duncan, Manu and Parker and they all could have walked out of SA to greater riches but play in a system.

Kori or TimVP you have my permission to use my comments and I hope others Sign ON!

[BronxCowboy]

Funny how "overrated coaches" are winning so many championships these days...

Coaches don't win championships, they just get the credit for it. Anyway, I only said Pop was overrated in this forum. People in here worship the ground he walks on. Either he's overrated in this forum, or he really is the best thing to happen to the NBA since Jordan. I wonder which it is. And don't even start with Larry Brown. I'm sick of hearing how he's the greatest coach ever. That thesis was pretty much blown to shit at the Olympics, despite the fact that he lucked into a championship with a team built by someone else.

[Rummpd]

Mr. Bronx Cowboy and Mr. Mark in Austin

I respect your opinions and good discourse: Brown pulled the strings in the Olympics period and your rightfully described his over-hyped coaching for this peripatic loser of a man who is always PUBLIC in calling out players.

But is Pop over-rated - I don't think so = he rarely gets the attention despite # 1 winning percentage and a system that simply produces results.

Pop also carefully built this team, albeit around Duncan but he working in various ways with Buford drafted Parker, Manu, Beno, got with Buford Barry, and made a defensive star about Bowen, a good to occassionaly great role player out of Brown, etc. etc.

Pop may have his fallacy's but he is better than 90% of the coaches in the NBA PERIOD and his players are loyal to him.
I like many people complain about his tx of Rose but look how Rose responded and Pop never called him out publically on the "shirt thing" on his media show when he could of, instead taking the high road.

MadDoc

[IX_Equilibrium]

Coaches don't win championships, they just get the credit for it. Anyway, I only said Pop was overrated in this forum. People in here worship the ground he walks on. Either he's overrated in this forum, or he really is the best thing to happen to the NBA since Jordan. I wonder which it is. And don't even start with Larry Brown. I'm sick of hearing how he's the greatest coach ever. That thesis was pretty much blown to shit at the Olympics, despite the fact that he lucked into a championship with a team built by someone else.


So who, in your opinion, is a better coach than Pop or Larry Brown?

[MosesGuthrie]

Coaches have a part in winning a title, just as players do.

[BronxCowboy]

So who, in your opinion, is a better coach than Pop or Larry Brown?

Pop, no question. I just don't think he deserves as much of the credit for the success of the Spurs as posters on this forum would like to give him.

Edit: Sorry I misread your question. I thought you were asking who was a better coach between Pop and LB. But again, I don't think that Pop is overrated in general, just in this forum. I can't point to any coach who is clearly better than Pop, but there are a lot of good coaches out there, who, in the right situation, could be very successful. A few posters in this forum pretend that Pop made the Spurs, the Spurs would be nothing without Pop, etc., and I simply don't believe that.

[IX_Equilibrium]

Pop, no question. I just don't think he deserves as much of the credit for the success of the Spurs as posters on this forum would like to give him.


That wasn't my question.

You were saying that Pop and Larry Brown were both overrated, so I was asking you who was a better coach THAN them.

[Solid D]

I've been reading Vecsey's material for years. I didn't read this as a slam to Pop, at all. Peter drips with sarcasm. The people dissed in this article are Larry Brown and players known for being spoiled, catered-to and troublemakers.

[IX_Equilibrium]

I've been reading Vecsey's material for years. I didn't read this as a slam to Pop, at all.


Then you must be seeing Vecsey through rose colored glasses.

[boutons]

Vecsey is all wrong about Pop and the Olympic coaching, but he does have a point about Pop terrorizing and bawling out grown men in the middle of games as if he were a drill seargent and they were boot camp losers.

I can't forget how he bawled out Manu just about into the front row a few weeks ago. I think the players play well in spite of these vein-popping public humiliations and tolerate them because of everything else Pop does, rather than because of the humiliations.

Comparing Malik's bonehead jersey trick with balla trash just shows how different the Spurs' culture and accepted behavior are from other teams. I bet part of Malik's bone-headedness, and the Spurs' frequent over-passing, comes from being spooked by fear Pop's punishments, which could be part of the problem, rather than a solution.

[Shelly]

Didn't Vescey's 'sources' confirm that Tim was headed to Orlando????

[BronxCowboy]

Coaches have a part in winning a title, just as players do.

Of course, but you can't say that the team with the title is always the team with the best coach. That was my point. If titles were all you had to look at, Phil Jackson has "won" more titles since Pop has been a head coach than Pop has, but I don't think that makes him a better coach, and you would be hard pressed to find a Spurs fan who does think that.

[BronxCowboy]

That wasn't my question.

You were saying that Pop and Larry Brown were both overrated, so I was asking you who was a better coach THAN them.

Sorry about that. See my edit.

[Solid D]

Vecsey is a guy who goes all over the place, sometimes difficult to see where he is going, but he tries to be humorous...quite sarcastically, 1st and foremost. It's all about the clever jab and the laughs with him.

People skimming through the article might see otherwise.

[BronxCowboy]

Vecsey is all wrong about Pop and the Olympic coaching, but he does have a point about Pop terrorizing and bawling out grown men in the middle of games as if he were a drill seargent and they were boot camp losers.

I can't forget how he bawled out Manu just about into the front row a few weeks ago. I think the players play well in spite of these vein-popping public humiliations and tolerate them because of everything else Pop does, rather than because of the humiliations.

Comparing Malik's bonehead jersey trick with balla trash just shows how different the Spurs' culture and accepted behavior are from other teams. I bet part of Malik's bone-headedness, and the Spurs' frequent over-passing, comes from being spooked by fear Pop's punishments, which could be part of the problem, rather than a solution.

Well put, boutons. Pop is a good coach, but he does make mistakes. Unlike what some posters in this forum believe, everything he does is not for good reason. He is entirely human.

[MosesGuthrie]

Of course, but you can't say that the team with the title is always the team with the best coach. That was my point

I agree, my point was that it is a team effort. Same conclusion but from different angles.

[MosesGuthrie]

Didn't Vescey's 'sources' confirm that Tim was headed to Orlando????

right after they said he was staying. :lol

on a different note, Peter Vescey looks just as old close up as far away! :)

[IX_Equilibrium]

Vecsey is a guy who goes all over the place, sometimes difficult to see where he is going, but he tries to be humorous...quite sarcastically, 1st and foremost. It's all about the clever jab and the laughs with him.

People skimming through the article might see otherwise.


He is dog shit on the bottom of my shoe.

He isn't funny, he doesn't know squat about b-ball, and he just sucks. Period.

[Rummpd]

My own belief is that there is only one coach in the NBA potentially that I would take straight up over Pop = Sloan despite never winning it all. In many ways he resembles Pop but his team always seem to play hard even in meaningless games.

There are several young and up and coming coaches (McMillian, D'Antonio, Van Gundy of Miami) that I would rather hand a team over to than Brown, especially if I had any young talent that Brown just destroys. Watch out too for Karl = Denver will be signficantly better with him than before. With talent, excepting in Milwaukee (and even there he gave Spurs fits) he has done pretty good over the years and gave the Bulls as much trouble as anyone in the early Payton, Kemp years.

[wildbill2u]

No kidding ... I think Pete is waaaay off target. Because Pop doesn't cater to primadonnas and expects everyone to know and perform their role, that makes him the worst candidate? So I guess being on a decent track to win 3 championships in 6 years makes him overrated?


mmmKay. :shootme


I agree. This abrasive coach has managed to win a couple of championships with different teams that didn't have the supposedly magic '2-3 Superstars formula' .

Look at this year, outside of TD, we don't have superstars--or even serious all-star performers. What Pop has done is take some very good players and mold them around a superstar into an excellent team. He's able to do this virtually every year with an almost constant turnover.

That's good coaching and no gossipy ink-stained wretch should claim otherwise.

[SPARKY]

Drifting ever so slightly away from the "Vescey is an idiot" discussion...does Pop have any flaws as a coach?

He's mindnumbingly stubborn as a coach. That is a good thing when it comes to defense and providing some stability for players yet it can also be a hindrance when it comes to in-game strategy, I feel.

Also, the "he's coached 2 title teams so go fuck yourself" boilerplate response is cute but perhaps he could've won more.

And at times he does seem to let his emotions get the better of him. It's nice that he will maintain some team discipline but he also seems to have a tendency to let his ego take over sometimes.

His stubborness also perhaps places more of a leash on Parker than he should have at this point in his career.