duncan228
12-12-2009, 09:22 PM
Brown to Hall: Where's Pop? (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Brown_to_Hall_Wheres_Pop.html)
Mike Monroe
Before he answered questions after his team's pregame practice at the AT&T Center early Friday morning, Bobcats coach Larry Brown had one of his own.
“When is Pop going to get in the Hall of Fame?” Brown wanted to know.
Brown was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Ever since, he said, he is consulted annually for recommendations about coaches he deems worthy of consideration.
Every year, he puts one name atop his list: Gregg Popovich.
“I just can't understand why he's not in,” Brown said. “He's got four NBA championships and one of the best winning percentages ever. What more does he have to do?”
First response to Brown's wonderment seemed to be that perhaps Popovich didn't meet the Hall's requirement for consideration of active coaches.
Players must be retired for five years before they can be considered, but active coaches can be considered if they have coached long enough.
The criteria, as stated on the Hall's Web site, requires a minimum of 25 years as either a full-time assistant or head coach on the high school and/or college and/or professional level.
Popovich graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1970 and started his commitment to the U.S. Air Force, then returned to the Academy and became an assistant coach for the Falcons, remaining on Hank Egan's staff for six years.
He left the Academy in 1979 for the head coaching job at Pomona-Pitzer College, where he remained for eight seasons. In 1988, he joined Brown's Spurs coaching staff, spending four seasons on Brown's bench.
When Brown left the Spurs after the 1991-92 season, Popovich moved to Don Nelson's Golden State Warriors staff for two seasons.
If you're keeping track, that makes 20 years as either a full-time assistant coach or head coach at the college and/or pro level.
Of course, Popovich now is in his 13th full season as head coach of the Spurs. Add that in, and he is eight years past the Hall's arbitrary longevity criteria for consideration of an active coach.
He enters tonight's road game against the Clippers just three NBA victories shy of 700 and with a pro winning percentage of .673, fourth-best in league history (minimum 500 games). His playoff winning percentage, .618, is fifth-best in NBA history, and his 102 playoff coaching victories is third-highest.
He also is one of only five coaches to have coached four NBA championship teams. The other four — Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson — all have been enshrined.
Jackson, Brown and Utah's Jerry Sloan, enshrined in September, are active NBA coaches in the Hall of Fame.
Popovich is eligible for consideration, and his accomplishments as Spurs coach were undeniably Hall-worthy the moment the Spurs swept the Cavaliers in the 2007 Finals, so Brown's Friday morning question is more than pertinent.
When is Pop going to get in the Hall of Fame?
Next September seems just about right.
Mike Monroe
Before he answered questions after his team's pregame practice at the AT&T Center early Friday morning, Bobcats coach Larry Brown had one of his own.
“When is Pop going to get in the Hall of Fame?” Brown wanted to know.
Brown was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. Ever since, he said, he is consulted annually for recommendations about coaches he deems worthy of consideration.
Every year, he puts one name atop his list: Gregg Popovich.
“I just can't understand why he's not in,” Brown said. “He's got four NBA championships and one of the best winning percentages ever. What more does he have to do?”
First response to Brown's wonderment seemed to be that perhaps Popovich didn't meet the Hall's requirement for consideration of active coaches.
Players must be retired for five years before they can be considered, but active coaches can be considered if they have coached long enough.
The criteria, as stated on the Hall's Web site, requires a minimum of 25 years as either a full-time assistant or head coach on the high school and/or college and/or professional level.
Popovich graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1970 and started his commitment to the U.S. Air Force, then returned to the Academy and became an assistant coach for the Falcons, remaining on Hank Egan's staff for six years.
He left the Academy in 1979 for the head coaching job at Pomona-Pitzer College, where he remained for eight seasons. In 1988, he joined Brown's Spurs coaching staff, spending four seasons on Brown's bench.
When Brown left the Spurs after the 1991-92 season, Popovich moved to Don Nelson's Golden State Warriors staff for two seasons.
If you're keeping track, that makes 20 years as either a full-time assistant coach or head coach at the college and/or pro level.
Of course, Popovich now is in his 13th full season as head coach of the Spurs. Add that in, and he is eight years past the Hall's arbitrary longevity criteria for consideration of an active coach.
He enters tonight's road game against the Clippers just three NBA victories shy of 700 and with a pro winning percentage of .673, fourth-best in league history (minimum 500 games). His playoff winning percentage, .618, is fifth-best in NBA history, and his 102 playoff coaching victories is third-highest.
He also is one of only five coaches to have coached four NBA championship teams. The other four — Red Auerbach, John Kundla, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson — all have been enshrined.
Jackson, Brown and Utah's Jerry Sloan, enshrined in September, are active NBA coaches in the Hall of Fame.
Popovich is eligible for consideration, and his accomplishments as Spurs coach were undeniably Hall-worthy the moment the Spurs swept the Cavaliers in the 2007 Finals, so Brown's Friday morning question is more than pertinent.
When is Pop going to get in the Hall of Fame?
Next September seems just about right.