Guru of Nothing
06-09-2005, 08:17 AM
Philadelphia Daily News (http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/11850217.htm)
By PHIL JASNER
[email protected]
SAN ANTONIO - The name was out there, just floating, drifting, an NBA version of a hanging chad. With key reserve Devin Brown down with an injury, the San Antonio Spurs' coaches, scouts and personnel specialists were scanning the lists of potential emergency replacements.
And there the name was...
Glenn Robinson.
This required some hard thinking on the part of Gregg Popovich, the Spurs' demanding coach. Was this the player who had averaged at least 20 points in eight of his first nine seasons in the NBA? What had gone wrong in Philadelphia this season? Why had then-coach Jim O'Brien, who desperately needed a proven perimeter scorer, allowed Robinson to remain in limbo on the injured list? Was he free of the ankle and elbow injuries that had plagued him? Beyond that, could a career starter and big-minutes player accept a minimal bench role with a team aiming for a ring?
Popovich put his faith in assistant coach Don Newman, who had been on the Milwaukee Bucks' staff when Robinson was in his prime. Popovich's military background and staunch, stoic approach told him that if Robinson didn't fit the plan, didn't immediately buy in, he would simply get someone else. He also knew that the framework of the team was far too strong to permit a late arrival to be in any way disruptive.
"We brought him in for a workout, told him what the ground rules were, what we were looking for, that there was no wiggle room,'' Popovich said. "He understood. He bought it.''
Did Robinson still have elevation on his jump shot?
"Yes,'' the coach said. "He still has all of it. It's there. We have a hard time guarding him in practice. It's just a matter of him getting used to the system.''
Popovich insisted that he hadn't bothered to check with the 76ers, that he placed his trust in Newman and his own instincts. But very quietly, front office executive Danny Ferry spoke with old friend Billy King, the Sixers president/general manager. Robinson, who hadn't played since October, signed April 4 for the remainder of the season. He averaged 10 points in nine games, earning a berth on the playoff roster.
"I don't want to talk about Philly,'' Robinson said yesterday. "Philly is over with. I'm not in Philly, but I do want to thank Billy for trading me, for getting me out of that situation. Without Billy, none of this would have been possible.''
As King was acquiring Chris Webber from Sacramento at the trading deadline, he also sent Robinson to New Orleans; the Hornets subsequently waived Robinson, granting him free agency. Throughout all of this, Robinson was dealing with his cancer-stricken mother, understanding that these were about to be her final days. He basically missed a playoff series when she died. In his mind, there was no time to waste concerning himself with whatever had gone wrong between him and O'Brien.
"All I know is, at the beginning of the season Jim was praising me, saying how well-conditioned I was. He said he was very impressed with Glenn Robinson, and Glenn Robinson was his MVP of the first 2 days of camp,'' Robinson recalled. "I remember everything. [He said] if the games had started [then], I would put up big numbers.
"I went from that to not being a starter, to being on the injured list, to [the idea that] I might be traded after the first five games or waived, to being hurt, to still being on the injured list. I just felt like I was being disrespected as a player, and being lied to. But that's over with. If that's what it takes to get an NBA championship, I'm all for it. Here I am, with a chance to play in the biggest game of my life. So it all worked out.''
Not everything worked out. Even after a 10-game improvement and a first-round playoff appearance, King fired O'Brien and replaced him with Maurice Cheeks. Whatever reasons King had for relieving O'Brien despite two guaranteed seasons worth about $8 million remaining on his contract, he believed he had done his due diligence on the Robinson situation.
"One thing I'm happy about is, I had constant dialogue with Dr. Tucker [Dr. Charles Tucker, Robinson's longtime agent] and Glenn,'' King said yesterday from the Chicago predraft camp. "When Jim chose not to start him, Glenn was on board with it at first. I guess when he had a chance to think about it, he changed his mind. Bottom line, Jim and Glenn were never able to get on the same page.''
Asked whether this had simply been a battle of wills, King said, "It could have been a difference of opinion on things. But once it went south, it wasn't repairable. For what reason, I have no idea.''
If the fallout from the Sixers' situation damaged his reputation, Robinson said, "I don't care. I took care of my mother... If my reputation was damaged, then let it be. I can take that hit.
"I was the scapegoat for Randy Ayers being fired [the previous season],'' he said. "How can I get Randy fired when I'm a guy that's [just] been brought on the team? I'm not A.I. [star guard Allen Iverson]. I'm not the franchise player. How am I going to get a guy fired and I'm gone the next year?''
Whatever roiled behind the scenes, Robinson said he has essentially put it aside. Even when he got word of the Sixers' latest coaching change, he tried not to look back.
"I read it, and I saw it,'' he said. "And I said, 'I'm in San Antonio. We've got a game.' ''
By PHIL JASNER
[email protected]
SAN ANTONIO - The name was out there, just floating, drifting, an NBA version of a hanging chad. With key reserve Devin Brown down with an injury, the San Antonio Spurs' coaches, scouts and personnel specialists were scanning the lists of potential emergency replacements.
And there the name was...
Glenn Robinson.
This required some hard thinking on the part of Gregg Popovich, the Spurs' demanding coach. Was this the player who had averaged at least 20 points in eight of his first nine seasons in the NBA? What had gone wrong in Philadelphia this season? Why had then-coach Jim O'Brien, who desperately needed a proven perimeter scorer, allowed Robinson to remain in limbo on the injured list? Was he free of the ankle and elbow injuries that had plagued him? Beyond that, could a career starter and big-minutes player accept a minimal bench role with a team aiming for a ring?
Popovich put his faith in assistant coach Don Newman, who had been on the Milwaukee Bucks' staff when Robinson was in his prime. Popovich's military background and staunch, stoic approach told him that if Robinson didn't fit the plan, didn't immediately buy in, he would simply get someone else. He also knew that the framework of the team was far too strong to permit a late arrival to be in any way disruptive.
"We brought him in for a workout, told him what the ground rules were, what we were looking for, that there was no wiggle room,'' Popovich said. "He understood. He bought it.''
Did Robinson still have elevation on his jump shot?
"Yes,'' the coach said. "He still has all of it. It's there. We have a hard time guarding him in practice. It's just a matter of him getting used to the system.''
Popovich insisted that he hadn't bothered to check with the 76ers, that he placed his trust in Newman and his own instincts. But very quietly, front office executive Danny Ferry spoke with old friend Billy King, the Sixers president/general manager. Robinson, who hadn't played since October, signed April 4 for the remainder of the season. He averaged 10 points in nine games, earning a berth on the playoff roster.
"I don't want to talk about Philly,'' Robinson said yesterday. "Philly is over with. I'm not in Philly, but I do want to thank Billy for trading me, for getting me out of that situation. Without Billy, none of this would have been possible.''
As King was acquiring Chris Webber from Sacramento at the trading deadline, he also sent Robinson to New Orleans; the Hornets subsequently waived Robinson, granting him free agency. Throughout all of this, Robinson was dealing with his cancer-stricken mother, understanding that these were about to be her final days. He basically missed a playoff series when she died. In his mind, there was no time to waste concerning himself with whatever had gone wrong between him and O'Brien.
"All I know is, at the beginning of the season Jim was praising me, saying how well-conditioned I was. He said he was very impressed with Glenn Robinson, and Glenn Robinson was his MVP of the first 2 days of camp,'' Robinson recalled. "I remember everything. [He said] if the games had started [then], I would put up big numbers.
"I went from that to not being a starter, to being on the injured list, to [the idea that] I might be traded after the first five games or waived, to being hurt, to still being on the injured list. I just felt like I was being disrespected as a player, and being lied to. But that's over with. If that's what it takes to get an NBA championship, I'm all for it. Here I am, with a chance to play in the biggest game of my life. So it all worked out.''
Not everything worked out. Even after a 10-game improvement and a first-round playoff appearance, King fired O'Brien and replaced him with Maurice Cheeks. Whatever reasons King had for relieving O'Brien despite two guaranteed seasons worth about $8 million remaining on his contract, he believed he had done his due diligence on the Robinson situation.
"One thing I'm happy about is, I had constant dialogue with Dr. Tucker [Dr. Charles Tucker, Robinson's longtime agent] and Glenn,'' King said yesterday from the Chicago predraft camp. "When Jim chose not to start him, Glenn was on board with it at first. I guess when he had a chance to think about it, he changed his mind. Bottom line, Jim and Glenn were never able to get on the same page.''
Asked whether this had simply been a battle of wills, King said, "It could have been a difference of opinion on things. But once it went south, it wasn't repairable. For what reason, I have no idea.''
If the fallout from the Sixers' situation damaged his reputation, Robinson said, "I don't care. I took care of my mother... If my reputation was damaged, then let it be. I can take that hit.
"I was the scapegoat for Randy Ayers being fired [the previous season],'' he said. "How can I get Randy fired when I'm a guy that's [just] been brought on the team? I'm not A.I. [star guard Allen Iverson]. I'm not the franchise player. How am I going to get a guy fired and I'm gone the next year?''
Whatever roiled behind the scenes, Robinson said he has essentially put it aside. Even when he got word of the Sixers' latest coaching change, he tried not to look back.
"I read it, and I saw it,'' he said. "And I said, 'I'm in San Antonio. We've got a game.' ''