Kori Ellis
05-02-2005, 12:26 AM
Buck Harvey: Old Spur vs. new Spur: Karl as Manu
Web Posted: 05/02/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA050205.1D.COL.BKNharvey.23292361e.html
San Antonio Express-News
DENVER — George Karl sounded desperate. Delusional. And in denial.
But those who knew Karl when he played for the Spurs thought he sounded funny. When Karl went off on Manu Ginobili — announcing Ginobili has ruined basketball for a generation — one of Karl's former Spurs teammates laughed.
"Manu and George," said Allan Bristow, "are from the same basketball gene pool."
Meaning?
Ginobili torments Karl today the way Karl tormented others yesterday.
Ginobili and Karl don't look like family, nor do they act like it. And they've always been on opposite sides.
Ginobili's Argentina was the first country to beat NBA players in international play, then in the 2002 World Championships, when Karl coached the U.S. team.
Now Karl faces the same odd assortment of South American arms and legs, and that's likely why Karl played the officiating card Saturday. Nothing else has worked against Ginobili.
Gregg Popovich rarely does the same. Popovich prefers to point at his own team after losses, and Karl could have easily done that. The Nuggets missed 13 free throws in an eight-point loss.
And Karl, if he was determined to talk about the refs, could have mentioned the third foul on Tim Duncan. Did any one officiating mistake mean as much Saturday?
Karl instead raged about Ginobili and Bruce Bowen: "I'm going to put it on tape and show my son how to play basketball — just put your head down and run into people. I guess that's a new brand of basketball. It's not very pretty. (Ginobili) just goes in there and throws his arms up in the air and throws his elbows at us. He hits you as much as you hit him."
Karl didn't back off Sunday. Asked what adjustments he would make for Game 4, he said "new referees."
But he did elaborate. He said, "I love Manu," and he called him courageous and fearless. "I'd want him on my team."
Bristow thought Karl would say that, but Bristow went further. "I guarantee you," Bristow said Sunday, "if George Karl was picking sides, he'd take Manu first."
Karl wouldn't go that far. "I'd take Duncan," he said.
Karl also wouldn't back off what he said about Ginobili. "I don't know how to say it," Karl said. "He just creates uncertainty. I don't like watching him."
Charles Barkley disagrees, as does Kobe Bryant and anyone who likes daring and creativity. Has there been a more mesmerizing Spur since George Gervin?
Bristow wonders. "I love Ginobili's approach, I love his energy, I love his heart, I even love his interviews," Bristow said. "And I love how much he loves being in the NBA."
Bristow paused and added, "Those are the same qualities that made George a fan favorite in San Antonio."
Bristow should know. Now the general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, he played with Karl in San Antonio.
A new generation of Spurs fans isn't familiar with Karl as a fan favorite, and this series isn't helping Karl's status with the old generation, either. If he keeps belittling Ginobili, he will get a reception in South Texas usually reserved for Phil Jackson.
But back in the '70s? When Karl came off the bench as one of the original Spurs?
"He captivated fans because he'd flop, he'd agitate, he'd do anything," said Bristow. "You can't compare his game with Ginobili's, because Ginobili does it more offensively. But you can compare their approach to games. And George decided, 'This is how I'm going to make my mark.'"
Others complained about Karl then, too. Once in San Antonio, after watching Karl take about four charges, an Indiana muscleman named George McGinnis had enough. Just as Carmelo Anthony, on Saturday, apparently had enough of Ginobili in the final seconds.
McGinnis took the ball and ran — traveling before he could foul — until he plowed full-speed into Karl.
Karl remembers. "McGinnis called me a flea," Karl said, smiling.
Since Anthony calls Bowen "a fly" in this series, does that mean Karl also played the way Bowen does?
Karl nodded, smiling again.
Funny, all right.
Web Posted: 05/02/2005 12:00 AM CDT
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/bharvey/stories/MYSA050205.1D.COL.BKNharvey.23292361e.html
San Antonio Express-News
DENVER — George Karl sounded desperate. Delusional. And in denial.
But those who knew Karl when he played for the Spurs thought he sounded funny. When Karl went off on Manu Ginobili — announcing Ginobili has ruined basketball for a generation — one of Karl's former Spurs teammates laughed.
"Manu and George," said Allan Bristow, "are from the same basketball gene pool."
Meaning?
Ginobili torments Karl today the way Karl tormented others yesterday.
Ginobili and Karl don't look like family, nor do they act like it. And they've always been on opposite sides.
Ginobili's Argentina was the first country to beat NBA players in international play, then in the 2002 World Championships, when Karl coached the U.S. team.
Now Karl faces the same odd assortment of South American arms and legs, and that's likely why Karl played the officiating card Saturday. Nothing else has worked against Ginobili.
Gregg Popovich rarely does the same. Popovich prefers to point at his own team after losses, and Karl could have easily done that. The Nuggets missed 13 free throws in an eight-point loss.
And Karl, if he was determined to talk about the refs, could have mentioned the third foul on Tim Duncan. Did any one officiating mistake mean as much Saturday?
Karl instead raged about Ginobili and Bruce Bowen: "I'm going to put it on tape and show my son how to play basketball — just put your head down and run into people. I guess that's a new brand of basketball. It's not very pretty. (Ginobili) just goes in there and throws his arms up in the air and throws his elbows at us. He hits you as much as you hit him."
Karl didn't back off Sunday. Asked what adjustments he would make for Game 4, he said "new referees."
But he did elaborate. He said, "I love Manu," and he called him courageous and fearless. "I'd want him on my team."
Bristow thought Karl would say that, but Bristow went further. "I guarantee you," Bristow said Sunday, "if George Karl was picking sides, he'd take Manu first."
Karl wouldn't go that far. "I'd take Duncan," he said.
Karl also wouldn't back off what he said about Ginobili. "I don't know how to say it," Karl said. "He just creates uncertainty. I don't like watching him."
Charles Barkley disagrees, as does Kobe Bryant and anyone who likes daring and creativity. Has there been a more mesmerizing Spur since George Gervin?
Bristow wonders. "I love Ginobili's approach, I love his energy, I love his heart, I even love his interviews," Bristow said. "And I love how much he loves being in the NBA."
Bristow paused and added, "Those are the same qualities that made George a fan favorite in San Antonio."
Bristow should know. Now the general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, he played with Karl in San Antonio.
A new generation of Spurs fans isn't familiar with Karl as a fan favorite, and this series isn't helping Karl's status with the old generation, either. If he keeps belittling Ginobili, he will get a reception in South Texas usually reserved for Phil Jackson.
But back in the '70s? When Karl came off the bench as one of the original Spurs?
"He captivated fans because he'd flop, he'd agitate, he'd do anything," said Bristow. "You can't compare his game with Ginobili's, because Ginobili does it more offensively. But you can compare their approach to games. And George decided, 'This is how I'm going to make my mark.'"
Others complained about Karl then, too. Once in San Antonio, after watching Karl take about four charges, an Indiana muscleman named George McGinnis had enough. Just as Carmelo Anthony, on Saturday, apparently had enough of Ginobili in the final seconds.
McGinnis took the ball and ran — traveling before he could foul — until he plowed full-speed into Karl.
Karl remembers. "McGinnis called me a flea," Karl said, smiling.
Since Anthony calls Bowen "a fly" in this series, does that mean Karl also played the way Bowen does?
Karl nodded, smiling again.
Funny, all right.