Theo Ratliff, Larry, and Pop: Burning Questions.

[Parker2112]

1) Will Ratliff get an meaningful minutes under Larry anytime this season?
2) If so, will Ratliff produce anything substantial for the team?
3) If Ratliff does produce, does that mean Pop has lost his touch and needs to hang it up?

Predict amongst yourselves...

[PDXSpursFan]

1) No.
2) N/A
3) N/A

[Mr. Body]

This thread is burning up the forum.

[ChumpDumper]

1) No.
2) N/A.
3) It wasn't a basketball trade.

[murpjf88]

1. Who cares
2. who cares
3. No

[Spursmania]

Who cares...

[ElNono]

I wouldn't put it past Larry to play him. He loves his vets as much or even more than Pop. If Ratliff does end up playing any meaningful minutes, I would say you won't see much different that what you saw in glimpses here. Above average shot blocking, and below average everything else. It's noteworthy that he still looked springy out there. As far as Pop, well, does it matter? I mean, he's not going anywhere anyways.

[Parker2112]

1) No.
2) N/A.
3) It wasn't a basketball trade.

Bottom Line: I think Pop's strict adherence to "corporate" philosophy leads to the under-use of roster talent time and again.

But will Larry make Pop look like a chump by getting production out of Theo?
Pop is known as a L.B. disciple, will LB show him up with the corpse of theo ratliff?

This thread is really posted so I can bump it the first time Theo gets 10 pts, 8 boards, and 4 blocks for his old coach. Then I will promptly call for Pop's resignation. I'll resort to citizen's arrest if I have to.

[timvp]

Ratliff was the fifth or sixth best bigman on the Spurs. He didn't have a chance to pass the players ahead of him in the rotation. Trading him to save money and open a roster spot was a no-brainer.

[Dr. Gonzo]

I think it's amusing how people over rate the players. If Ratliff was getting substantial minutes and producing the same numbers as Blair or even McDyess then everyone would bitch and saw Pop sucks and he just loves old guys.

[ChumpDumper]

Bottom Line: I think Pop's strict adherence to "corporate" philosophy leads to the under-use of roster talent time and again.Why don't you just state your agenda up front?


But will Larry make Pop look like a chump by getting production out of Theo?
Pop is known as a L.B. disciple, will LB show him up with the corpse of theo ratliff?No and no.


This thread is really posted so I can bump it the first time Theo gets 10 pts, 8 boards, and 4 blocks for his old coach. Then I will promptly call for Pop's resignation. I'll resort to citizen's arrest if I have to.Meh, he got 10, 7 and 2 against the Clippers. I don't know if he is going to get a chance to play 21 minutes in a game for the Cats.

You don't seem to understand that you have absolutely zero effect on the Spurs.

Will you bump this thread the first time he gets a DNP-CD?

[Parker2112]

Why don't you just state your agenda up front?

No and no.

Meh, he got 10, 7 and 2 against the Clippers. I don't know if he is going to get a chance to play 21 minutes in a game for the Cats.

You don't seem to understand that you have absolutely zero effect on the Spurs.

Will you bump this thread the first time he gets a DNP-CD?

If the only posts worth posting were those that had impact on the team, would this board exist?

[ElNono]

I would a actually argue that not playing Ian early in the season makes more sense if you absolutely have to have a pet peeve with Pop about who he plays...

[Parker2112]

My opinion of Pop is based on other guys who have played here with limited production and moved on to star in other systems (e.g. Hedo), as well as good players who came here and tanked (e.g. endless).

[Parker2112]

Ratliff was the fifth or sixth best bigman on the Spurs. He didn't have a chance to pass the players ahead of him in the rotation. Trading him to save money and open a roster spot was a no-brainer.

I don't disagree with the move at all, dont get me wrong. It benefits us, but I am waiting to see how Larry, who I respect very much, will utilize Theo, who at one time was my dream Spur, and who never saw PT even after showing potential this season. Small ball prevailed in his case, which I think is regretable.

[ChumpDumper]

If the only posts worth posting were those that had impact on the team, would this board exist?The difference is you act as if your posts and actions will have an impact.

[Parker2112]

I would a actually argue that not playing Ian early in the season makes more sense if you absolutely have to have a pet peeve with Pop about who he plays...

I think not playing Ian is just another example of Pop not trusting young guys, which has led to a lack of young talent on our roster. Even if he is not good enough now, that doesnt mean we cant develop him in limited minutes. Hairston is another. But hey, thats Pop.

[Parker2112]

The difference is you act as if your posts and actions will have an impact.

its just the way i phrase things. I dont actually believe they have affect. If I believed that I would post alot more than I do:lol

Funny thing, I think the same thing about other posters when I read 60 pages worth of "We should trade <blank> for <blank>...."

[pad300]

1) I understand from a couple of Charlotte fans that I saw post, that all 3 of Charlottes centers (Nazr, Diop, Chandler) are at least temporarily injured. So they see that Ratliff will get some minutes immediately. This may drop off as the injured guys come back.
2) Maybe
3) No. I will admit there are other indications Pop has lost it, but this is not one of them...

[sananspursfan21]

u suck

[ohmwrecker]

I think the real question here is: Does the Spurs FO owe their fanbase an explanation as to why they made the decision to stand pat after publicly declaring an "all-in" philosophy at the start of the season? I understand if an effort was made and there just weren't any takers, but I would like to hear it from horse's mouth, as it were. Maybe a "state of the union" type response? Anyone?

[Parker2112]

I think the real question here is: Does the Spurs FO owe their fanbase an explanation as to why they made the decision to stand pat after publicly declaring an "all-in" philosophy at the start of the season? I understand if an effort was made and there just weren't any takers, but I would like to hear it from horse's mouth, as it were. Maybe a "state of the union" type response? Anyone?

I think we suffer at the trade deadline, as we have for years, because we have a lack of talent and a glut of role players. No one wants RMJ, Bonner, Finley, Bogans, etc.

The bad part is, before they came and played for Pop, both Dice and RJ were marketable...:lol

[Parker2112]

:deadhorse, i know...

[Walton Buys Off Me]

Who cares?

A thread dedicated to Theo Ratliff?

He's on a team with a better chance at winning a title- good for him.

[Parker2112]

Who cares?

A thread dedicated to Theo Ratliff?

He's on a team with a better chance at winning a title- good for him.

Thread dedicated to Pop's shortcomings. And Brown being a better coach (yeah I said it)...

[Chomag]

Well it looks like Theo is allready getting minutes. 2 blocks as well right now. lol

[ChumpDumper]

If the reports of injuries are correct, I'm not surprised.

[poop]

theo already getting minutes, defending the paint.

meanwhile our 2-year starting center continues to be 100% useless.

[TJastal]

theo already getting minutes, defending the paint.

meanwhile our 2-year starting center continues to be 100% useless.

Tyrus Thomas and Ratliff combining for 4 blocks so far in the 1st half against the best team in the league.

:wow

[Parker2112]

Tyrus Thomas and Ratliff combining for 4 blocks so far in the 1st half against the best team in the league.

:wow

if we had gotten Tyrus and kept Theo, neither would have played in San Antonio this year. They dont have enough corporate knowledge. :nope

[poop]

who wants bigs who defend the paint when you can have Bonner?????

FUCK pops stupid ass.

[hitmanyr2k]

Wow...Theo, got some burn tonight. Blocked a couple of shots, altered others, and picked up a few boards (3 offensive). I thought that was what San Antonio brought him in for :lol :lol

[TimDunkem]

Wow...Theo, got some burn tonight. Blocked a couple of shots, altered others, and picked up a few boards (3 offensive). I thought that was what San Antonio brought him in for :lol :lol
This season is full of so much fail. Why did SA even sign him?

[ChumpDumper]

If the season is a fail, why keep him?

[SCdac]

Ratliff getting nearly 20 minutes in a win against Cleveland is truly discouraging.

[hitmanyr2k]

If the season is a fail, why keep him?

Why not use him in the first place?!? :lol I was saying this all season long. What the fuck did San Antonio bring him in for?

[Mr Bones]

Well, put it this way-- Theo did more for Charlotte tonight than Mahinmi did for San Antonio.

[TimDunkem]

If the season is a fail, why keep him?
Why sign him in the first place? He rarely played.

[ChumpDumper]

Why not use him in the first place?!? :lol I was saying this all season long. What the fuck did San Antonio bring him in for?


Why sign him in the first place? He rarely played.He was going to play spot minutes regardless.

If you think Ratlff = championship, that's fine.

[Obstructed_View]

He was going to play spot minutes regardless.

If you think Ratlff = championship, that's fine.

Don't be a twat. No individual bad choice by this team makes the difference between a championship and the lottery, but you know damn well that 20 bad choices can. If there were ever a basketball example of death by a thousand cuts, it's this one.

You think the plan when the Spurs signed Ratliff was for him to play exactly how many minutes he played? Of course not.

[SCdac]

And surely salary dumping one of Bonner or Mason or Finley would have saved more money... Not saying any of that was plausible or any offers were on the table... But if the season is a fail clear cap space with one of them.

[bigdog]

Ratliff only got most of those minutes because Chandler didn't play. I agree, though. It hurts to see him playing like that for the Bobcats when he could have been doing that for the Spurs. Good job, Theo. Have some fun over there and play your ass off. You deserve the minutes on a team that might get further in the playoffs than the Spurs.

[TJastal]

It's hilarious that the first day he's in a bobcat uniform and he's instantly a rotation player for them and making significant contributions for Larry Brown

Give me Larry Brown over dumbassovich any day of the week.

[ChumpDumper]

Don't be a twat.OK, I'll leave that up to you. :toast


No individual bad choice by this team makes the difference between a championship and the lottery, but you know damn well that 20 bad choices can. If there were ever a basketball example of death by a thousand cuts, it's this one.

You think the plan when the Spurs signed Ratliff was for him to play exactly how many minutes he played? Of course not.Of course not. A guy like Ratliff never has a set number of minutes planned for him to play at this point. It could have been even less.

[Mr Bones]

It amazed me that Pop couldn't find even limited minutes for Theo-- for example, at the end of a quarter coming out of a timeout where the Spurs have a defensive stand with 5-10 seconds on the clock...

[Obstructed_View]

Is John Lucas busy?

[Duncan2177]

Why not use him in the first place?!? :lol I was saying this all season long. What the fuck did San Antonio bring him in for?

:tu

[Obstructed_View]

It amazed me that Pop couldn't find even limited minutes for Theo-- for example, at the end of a quarter coming out of a timeout where the Spurs have a defensive stand with 5-10 seconds on the clock...

Same thing he did with Rasho and Nazr in 2006. When Horry and Duncan were in foul trouble, he put Oberto in, who was a rookie.

[spurtech09]

This is my burning questions.....what is wrong with you pop?small ball?bonner and bogans in the starting line up?why don't you give Ian some mins?

[TimDunkem]

It amazed me that Pop couldn't find even limited minutes for Theo-- for example, at the end of a quarter coming out of a timeout where the Spurs have a defensive stand with 5-10 seconds on the clock...
Pop thought he could take a 10 man small ball rotation featuring Bogans, and Bonner deep into the playoffs.

[poop]

pop needs to be fired, too bad everyone in SA is too afraid of him to do anything but praise his wine soaked balls off, even in the face of monumental, galacticly glaring mountain of fail.

[Obstructed_View]

Pop thought he could take a 10 man small ball rotation featuring Bogans, and Bonner deep into the playoffs.

Even though it couldn't take a 63 win regular season team past the second round of the playoffs.

[ElNono]

Well, looks like the 37 year old washed up vet with a broken back still has a few more blocks left in him... Good for Theo :tu

[Parker2112]

Bump.



Ratliff, who turns 37 next month, hardly was playing for the veteran Spurs, but Brown quickly put him into his starting lineup. The Bobcats have won seven of his 11 starts, including the last six consecutive games.

He was especially instrumental in their 96-89 victory Sunday over the Orlando Magic -- a potential first-round playoff opponent -- and particularly down the stretch when he thwarted a potential home-team comeback.

He had 10 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes, but statistics never have been his forte. In the last six minutes: he blocked a shot by Vince Carter, who tried to drive on him. He changed two driving layups, by Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus, that became misses. He also grabbed an offensive rebound to keep another possession alive..

I Fuggin Knew This shit.:bang

Pop is so fucking untrusting its pathetic.

[barbacoataco]

It was real strange that the Spurs never gave Ratliff a chance to play when they so obviously lack a true center.

[poop]

It was real strange that the Spurs never gave Ratliff a chance to play when they so obviously lack a true center.

exactly barbacoataco, exactly.

what we've been saying since 2008. (great san antonio handle, btw haha)

[SequSpur]

Ratliff was the fifth or sixth best bigman on the Spurs. He didn't have a chance to pass the players ahead of him in the rotation. Trading him to save money and open a roster spot was a no-brainer.

that's interesting since the spurs only have 2 big men on the roster...

Duncan and Ian....

And No Bonner plays like a 6 foot 3 point shooter from Slovenia.

McDyess is washed up and can't rebound at all...

So 5 or 6?

Oh, Roger Mason, Power Forward and Richard Jefferson, hall of fame Center...

It was a stupid move.

[SequSpur]

pop needs to be fired, too bad everyone in SA is too afraid of him to do anything but praise his wine soaked balls off, even in the face of monumental, galacticly glaring mountain of fail.
:tu

[jjktkk]

pop needs to be fired, too bad everyone in SA is too afraid of him to do anything but praise his wine soaked balls off, even in the face of monumental, galacticly glaring mountain of fail.

LOL, 13 games over 500 is a monumental, galacticly, glaring mountain of fail? Most NBA coaches, execs, and fans actually praise Pop for winning 4championships, has taken the Spurs to the playoffs 13 consecutive times. Thats a failure to you? Sure Pop makes mistakes, hell you can hate em, but you can't be that ignorant to think Pop is a failure. His record is proof that hes one of the best coaches in the NBA.

[Mr Bones]

Looks to me like Ratliff can in fact play 8-10 minutes a game and still block and alter shots at a pretty good rate.

[jermaine]

As I watched the Cats against the Magic with my lady friend (who's a Laker fan), she said aint that the dude that palyed for yal you called Rat!?! The look on my face said everything & she said why didn't yal play him. Yal gone miss him in the playoffs. Every rebound, point, altered shot, block, or every foul an Howard went to the line & missed a ft I said dumdass Pop! I'm so happy for Rat. That's the kinda love he shouldve got here! FUCK POP an HIS SMALLBALL

[wildbill2u]

Maybe we could have traded McDie for someone useful and plugged Theo into his spot. Is anyone but me tired of the mantra, "McDie plays better late in the season. Just wait." Bullshit, it's March and I don't see any late season miracle.

Both are at the end of their careers, but Ratliff would have been a better defensive presence in the middle, given the same minutes.

[SenorSpur]

Bump.



I Fuggin Knew This shit.:bang

Pop is so fucking untrusting its pathetic.

Pop is undoubtedly a HOF-level coach and a very smart man. Yet, it's these kinds of decisions that make one scratch their head about his decisions and his decision-making process. In spite of what some think, the man isn't flawless and makes his share of mistakes. Ratliff is certainly one of his most obvious blunders.

...and I'm supposed to believe that Ian Mahinmi is a bust or that he can't play simply because Pop refuses to play him? No thanks.

Reminds me of the Wizard of Oz, "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain". In other words, "don't believe your eyes, believe in me", says Pop. No thanks.

[jjktkk]

Pop is undoubtedly a HOF-level coach and a very smart man. Yet, it's these kinds of decisions that make one scratch their head about his decisions and his decision-making process. In spite of what some think, the man isn't flawless and makes his share of mistakes. Ratliff is certainly one of his most obvious blunders.

...and I'm supposed to believe that Ian Mahinmi is a bust or that he can't play simply because Pop refuses to play him? No thanks.

Reminds me of the Wizard of Oz, "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain". In other words, "don't believe your eyes, believe in me", says Pop. No thanks.

I agree with most of what you're saying. Ratliff is playing really well for Charlotte, but when he was a Spur, he was no better than the 4th big man off the bench. Ratliff is strictly a defensive player, which is obviously important, but can be a liability as well, because oppposing teams know that they never have to worry about guarding Ratliff, which in turn can mean more double teams,etc... My guess is that Pop wanted more offense out of his big men than the defense Ratliff can provide. If this comes back to bite Pop in the ass, then fans can definitly call out Pop for his blunder. It wouldn't be the 1st blunder Pop has ever made, but don't forget that Ratliff has played for 8 other NBA teams in his career, so it seems that other NBA coaches have made the same blunder about Ratliff.

[TJastal]

I agree with most of what you're saying. Ratliff is playing really well for Charlotte, but when he was a Spur, he was no better than the 4th big man off the bench. Ratliff is strictly a defensive player, which is obviously important, but can be a liability as well, because oppposing teams know that they never have to worry about guarding Ratliff, which in turn can mean more double teams,etc... My guess is that Pop wanted more offense out of his big men than the defense Ratliff can provide. If this comes back to bite Pop in the ass, then fans can definitly call out Pop for his blunder. It wouldn't be the 1st blunder Pop has ever made, but don't forget that Ratliff has played for 8 other NBA teams in his career, so it seems that other NBA coaches have made the same blunder about Ratliff.

Ratliff actually has a pretty good inside game, he hangs around near the low block most of the time and the bobcats actually throw him the ball on cuts to the basket and guess what... he usually dunks it! Seemed like all Ratliff did in Pop's system was set picks on the top of the key, and once in awhile get a return pass for a jumpshot on the free throw line extended which isn't his game at all (Fits McDyess to a tee though). Which shows Popovich had no idea how to fit Ratliff into the offense. Apparently Larry Brown knows because Ratliff is scoring in his offense.

[ChumpDumper]

Ratliff is scoring about one more point per game if you compare his production on both teams.

He's an offensive juggernaut.

[TJastal]

Ratliff is scoring about one more point per game if you compare his production on both teams.

He's an offensive juggernaut.

I think the most telling stat is his FG% has shot way up from a paltry 44% with the spurs to a respectable 51% for the 'cats.

Still no offensive juggernaut by any means but much improved because Larry Brown knows how to use him.