The Ten Commandments of Lord Popovich

[Warlord23]

After all the wishful thinking about Mahinmi/Hairston getting more PT in the future, I just thought it'd be good for Spurs fans to pause and take a reality check. We're not talking about what's logical and good for the team, we're talking about how the genius mind of Gregg Popovich works.

So, my Spurs brethren, learn and accept Pop's Ten Commandments before speculating on the starting lineup for the next game. When things unfold according to this script, we can sticky this thread for future reference.

Without further ado, Pop's Ten Commandments:

1. Thou shalt Pound The Rock my way, because my "system" alone can succeed (aka I am a one-trick pony that doesn't have a Plan B)

2. Thou shalt value Corporate Knowledge (aka I will blindly give playing time to old farts, because they know my "system")

3. Thou shalt value character more than ability (aka I'd rather play obedient stiffs, even if they can't do shit on the court)

4. Thou shalt be loyal to your Chosen Ones (aka I love me some Finley and Bogans, so they get playing time no matter how bad they stink)

5. Thou shalt try to turn water into wine (aka I want SFs to convert to PFs, I want Bogans to become a shooter, I want Bonner to turn into a legit starter)

6. Thou shalt expect Smallball at any given time (aka I want an Horry-type player at PF, even if he's 7 inches too short for the job)

7. Thou shalt not tolerate rookie mistakes (aka I'd rather see my vets get punked like it's Space Jam)

8. Thou shalt not miss a defensive rotation (aka I'd rather see an unathletic team rotate, just in time to get scored on)

9. Thou shalt stick to the script in press conferences (aka no tough questions on my lineups/decisions)

10. Thou shalt respect my 4 rings (aka I coattailed Duncan to 4 titles, so I know best)

[Chomag]

:lol nice! :toast

[TIMMYD!]

Good one.

:lol

[SpursNextRomanEmpire]

nice haha

[exstatic]

You forgot #11

Thou shalt honor me with my favorite vintage in Springfield Mass. when I am inducted into the HOF.

[Warlord23]

You forgot #11

Thou shalt honor me with my favorite vintage in Springfield Mass. when I am inducted into the HOF.

Someday Dick Bavetta will make it to Springfield, just on the strength of how long he's been Stern's favorite puppet. At least then Pop won't be the worst HOF inductee ever. :toast

[exstatic]

Someday Dick Bavetta will make it to Springfield, just on the strength of how long he's been Stern's favorite puppet. At least then Pop won't be the worst HOF inductee ever. :toast

There's like 3-4 guys with more coaching rings than Pop, so he's deserving.

I doubt Bavetta makes it. There's only 13 refs, all time, in the HOF. I've been watching b-ball for > 25 years, and the only one I've heard of was Earl Strom. Nice try to knock down Pop, though.
:toast

[Warlord23]

There's like 3-4 guys with more coaching rings than Pop, so he's deserving.

I doubt Bavetta makes it. There's only 13 refs, all time, in the HOF. I've been watching b-ball for > 25 years, and the only one I've heard of was Earl Strom. Nice try to knock down Pop, though.
:toast

I'm not trying to knock Pop down at all. He deserves to be in the HOF the same way Robert Horry deserves it. Both were in the right place at the right time, and managed not to screw it up (I'm being a bit kind and overlooking Pop's coaching debacle in the 2006 Mavs series).

[SenorSpur]

Good stuff. :tu

[exstatic]

I'm not trying to knock Pop down at all.


Someday Dick Bavetta will make it to Springfield, just on the strength of how long he's been Stern's favorite puppet. At least then Pop won't be the worst HOF inductee ever. :toast

I beg to differ.

Oh, and Horry's NEVER going to make the HOF. I'm one of his most huge fans, and love the fact that the Lakers cast him off in 2003, thinking he was done, and gave us 2 rings, but 7 ppg scorers DON'T GO IN, EVER.

[Warlord23]

I beg to differ.

Oh, and Horry's NEVER going to make the HOF. I'm one of his most huge fans, and love the fact that the Lakers cast him off in 2003, thinking he was done, and gave us 2 rings, but 7 ppg scorers DON'T GO IN, EVER.

Oh I completely agree with you on Horry's HOF eligibility (or lack thereof). Which is why I said:

"He (Pop) deserves to be in the HOF the same way Robert Horry deserves it."

Although Pop will make it to Springfield for his rings alone, I would rate his contributions to his 4 titles at around the same level as Horry's contributions to his 7 titles.

[silverblk mystix]

what about blashemy?...
as in thou shalt not question my decisions?...

oh...nevermind....i see #9---is pretty much the blasphemy commandment...

[Baseline]

Actually, Horry is a large part of the reason we're seeing smallball now. Horry was so good and so skilled that Pop had the luxury of playing him at the 4, even though he was more of a 3.

We all know that Pop has been trying to replace Horry for years, putting round pegs in square holes (RJ at the 4, thinking Bonner is a Horry, signing Haislip, playing Finley at the 4, etc.).

Pop was extremely fortunate to have a guy like Horry. Just like he's been extremely fortunate to have Tim.

And yes, it's obvious that Pop would not have even one ring if it weren't for Tim. But Pop's BS falsse modesty is all an act. I think the guy's an egomaniac. Otherwise we'd see some semblance of ingenuity out there. Instead, what we see is "the system" and a bunch of losses to mediocre teams.

[jdev82]

youre a fucking idiot. this forum sucks.

[Baseline]

One more point...Horry was a playmaker, especially at the defensive end. So with Horry and Manu both on the floor at crunchtime, we had two guys who were uncanny at making plays like steals, blocks, and tipped balls. Add those two guys to Duncan and Bowen and you've got a nightmare for opposing teams. That goes a long way toward getting the defensive stops the Spurs were famous for.

The key word being "were." Now, we only have Manu who can make plays, and Tim has zero help, so we're constantly on our heels instead of on our toes as we were during the championship years.

[exstatic]

Oh I completely agree with you on Horry's HOF eligibility (or lack thereof). Which is why I said:

"He (Pop) deserves to be in the HOF the same way Robert Horry deserves it."

Although Pop will make it to Springfield for his rings alone, I would rate his contributions to his 4 titles at around the same level as Horry's contributions to his 7 titles.

The coaches that beat Phil Jackson during his championship eras:

Pat Riley - 1995 No MJ
Brian Hill - 1996 MJ returned late
Greg Popovich - 2003
Larry Brown -2004
Kobe era of non champs competitors - 2004-2007
Gasol acquired in 2008
Doc Rivers - 2008


That's it, in 15 years of championship contending in CHI and LAL.

All coaching, good coaching that is, is getting out of the way, and not fucking up.

[pjjrfan]

Pop's fire helped the Spurs win all thier titles, maybe he hasn't been a coaching genius, but as far as I'm concerned next to Manu Pop is the next most competitve guy on this team at least up until 2007, the last 3 years he has mellowed to the point that he doesn't seem to have any fire left in the tank. Ok gas. So I blame the current state of the Spurs on Pop but that just means that he probably just lost that intensity he use to bring, but when he gets in the Hall he won't need to hang his head about being selected, it will be well deserved, and for that time and during that run this team coudln't have had a better coach. Now, I got a lot questions, and I don't think there's anky answers coming anytime soon, makbe after the season is over and we have gotten bounced out.

[Obstructed_View]

All coaching, good coaching that is, is getting out of the way, and not fucking up.

I miss the Pop that did both, because he used to exist. I'm holding out hope that he's in there somewhere.

[The Truth #6]

Pop's confusion now shouldn't diminish his past success. However, perhaps his past success solidified his way of doing things and now that the situation has changed he's at a loss for ideas because he keeps thinking what he had can be recreated.

With worse players, I don't think they can comprehend his "system", which in the end seems to be another way of saying "Pop".

[Russ]

Without further ado, Pop's Ten Commandments:

1. Thou shalt Pound The Rock my way, because my "system" alone can succeed (aka I am a one-trick pony that doesn't have a Plan B)

Shorthand version of the above:

"Organizations win championships, not players."


2. Thou shalt value Corporate Knowledge (aka I will blindly give playing time to old farts, because they know my "system")



Shorthand version of the above:

"Organizations win championships, not players."


3. Thou shalt value character more than ability (aka I'd rather play obedient stiffs, even if they can't do shit on the court)

Shorthand version of the above:

"Organizations win championships, not players."

10. Thou shalt respect my 4 rings (aka I coattailed Duncan to 4 titles, so I know best)

Shorthand version of the above:

"Organizations win championships, not players."


That mentality seems to creep in at about this point.

[ginobilized]

Pop's confusion now shouldn't diminish his past success. However, perhaps his past success solidified his way of doing things and now that the situation has changed he's at a loss for ideas because he keeps thinking what he had can be recreated.

With worse players, I don't think they can comprehend his "system", which in the end seems to be another way of saying "Pop".

+1

Well put.

[tdunk21]

thou shalt not play mahinmi and hairston

[FeZZy]

:lmao wow

[dbestpro]

youre a fucking idiot. this forum sucks.

I didn't think much of this thread, but after reading your post I believe this has to be one damn nice thread.

[Dex]

youre a fucking idiot. this forum sucks.

Still wondering why you're pinked?

[Chieflion]

20. Thou shalt not question the yes men within the coaching staff.

21. Thou shalt agree with the power of the almighty small ball.

[Spurs7794]

Agreed with all the commandments except the last one. Despite Pop's awfulness in the last two years, he was amazing from 1997-2005. Tim woulda won a championship or two without Pop but no way they get all 4 without him.

[Pucho!!!]

2. Thou shalt value Corporate Knowledge (aka I will blindly give playing time to old farts, because they know my "system")


Funny thing is though Hairston and Ian should know our system better than any old player or new member on our team as much as they've spent in the D-League. We need a young coach on our staff to advocate playing young talent. I have yet to see why Mahimni gets 0 playing time. He has shown nothing but potential and at only 22 yrs old, its ridiculous

[Warlord23]

Bump.

Another ho-hum day in Pop-land

[SA210]

After all the wishful thinking about Mahinmi/Hairston getting more PT in the future, I just thought it'd be good for Spurs fans to pause and take a reality check. We're not talking about what's logical and good for the team, we're talking about how the genius mind of Gregg Popovich works.

So, my Spurs brethren, learn and accept Pop's Ten Commandments before speculating on the starting lineup for the next game. When things unfold according to this script, we can sticky this thread for future reference.

Without further ado, Pop's Ten Commandments:

1. Thou shalt Pound The Rock my way, because my "system" alone can succeed (aka I am a one-trick pony that doesn't have a Plan B)

2. Thou shalt value Corporate Knowledge (aka I will blindly give playing time to old farts, because they know my "system")

3. Thou shalt value character more than ability (aka I'd rather play obedient stiffs, even if they can't do shit on the court)

4. Thou shalt be loyal to your Chosen Ones (aka I love me some Finley and Bogans, so they get playing time no matter how bad they stink)

5. Thou shalt try to turn water into wine (aka I want SFs to convert to PFs, I want Bogans to become a shooter, I want Bonner to turn into a legit starter)

6. Thou shalt expect Smallball at any given time (aka I want an Horry-type player at PF, even if he's 7 inches too short for the job)

7. Thou shalt not tolerate rookie mistakes (aka I'd rather see my vets get punked like it's Space Jam)

8. Thou shalt not miss a defensive rotation (aka I'd rather see an unathletic team rotate, just in time to get scored on)

9. Thou shalt stick to the script in press conferences (aka no tough questions on my lineups/decisions)

10. Thou shalt respect my 4 rings (aka I coattailed Duncan to 4 titles, so I know best)

:tu