Gregg Doyel calls out and challenges POP

[ViceCity86]

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Do something, Gregg Popovich. Same goes for you, Tim Duncan. Do something. Anything. Do more than what you guys did as the Western Conference finals shifted to Oklahoma City, and I'm not just talking geographically.

This series is now knotted at two games each and the Spurs remain in possession of the home-court edge, but the momentum and the mojo and the nasty have shifted to the Thunder. They took a series that was slipping away after two games in San Antonio, and they grabbed it by the throat. And they are squeezing.

Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan? They're choking.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/19247969/popovich-duncan-spurs-best-change-or-okc-will-take-their-finals-trip

[DesignatedT]

We're choking because we lost two road games to a team that finished 1 game behind us in the regular season? lmao

He acts like were playing the fucking clippers or something.

[ViceCity86]

Gregg Popovich is no child. But he is one stubborn man. He has a lot of Tony La Russa in him, good and bad. He really does seem to be smarter than most people. And he really does seem to know it. He does not appreciate criticism or suggestions, because who are you? You're not the guy who won all those NBA titles in San Antonio. You're not the guy who won 20 games in a row. Pop's the man. You don't have to genuflect, but don't question his tactics.

I tried, of course. I tried for nearly a week, asking Popovich every chance I got, "Why isn't DeJuan Blair playing?" I didn't just ask after the Spurs started losing games, though I did that as well. But I also asked after the Spurs won Game 2 to take a 2-0 series edge, noting to Popovich that the Spurs were winning so it wasn't a second-guess so much as it was an honest question:

Why isn't DeJuan Blair playing?

He wouldn't say, his non-answer all but saying, Who are you?

[ViceCity86]

Do I honestly expect Gregg Popovich to change his ways in the 48 hours between Game 4 and Game 5? No. I don't. But I will use his words against him, words he used like a scalpel before Game 4 when nobody in the San Antonio media had a question for him because they know better. Why ask Popovich a pregame question when it's not absolutely necessary? He has the sport figured out, so why put yourself out there on a limb when all he'll do is cut it off?

Translation:The media in San Antonio are a bunch of pussies.Even Doyel knows this.

[Fabbs]

Gregg Doyel :toast

Finally a journalist with nutts regarding questioning Pop.

[Axe Murderer]

Gregg Doyel :toast

Finally a journalist with nutts regarding questioning Pop.

Angels thinking they had the sweep in the bag.....then *POOF*

tee, hee

[SamoanTD]

Greg who?

[SenorSpur]

Popovich compared to La Russa?

Very good comparison.

[PublicOption]

I really thought to change it up and bring more emotional juice Pop would have started Blair in OKC and Diaw in SA. Why not........Pop, superstition, sometimes I thought Pop wanted to lose some of these playoffs games in the past.......maybe Stern gives the refs and Pop "THE CALL".

[silverblk mystix]

This is a great, great opportunity for Pop. Pop has not won a title since 2007 and yet everyone was praising him a few days ago as if he had won titles every year.

This is what will decide if these past two regular seasons meant anything. If the COTY honor meant anything.

Win a title and it is pretty impressive for Pop and the whole organization.

No title and it means a fail job since 2007.

Great, great opportunity.

Seize the moment and be a champion.

Or choke again and waste the best opportunity since 2007.

[Leetonidas]

The sports world is so "what have you done for me lately." Two games ago, the Spurs were going to go undefeated in the playoffs and the Thunder were too young, inexperienced, and top-heavy to win a title. Two games later the Spurs are chokers and Kevin Durant is Michael Jordan

[JRHernandez88]

Lol.

[Capt Bringdown]

Good call.
OKC has made adjustments and they've tied the series.

Maybe Pop will make a move when we're down 3 - 2?

I still can't get over that timeout he took yesterday that stopped the Spurs run.
That was tone-deaf micromanagement in the extreme.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Good call.
OKC has made adjustments and they've tied the series.

Maybe Pop will make a move when we're down 3 - 2?

I still can't get over that timeout he took yesterday that stopped the Spurs run.
That was tone-deaf micromanagement in the extreme.

I screamed at my TV. Jack was about to walk into a delayed transition three pointer. :lol

[DMC]

A bit premature. Did he write the same article for Brooks after game 2?

Media hates Pop because Pop hates media. I think it's played a role in the radar being tilted just above Duncan's head.

[therealtruth]

Good call.
OKC has made adjustments and they've tied the series.

Maybe Pop will make a move when we're down 3 - 2?

I still can't get over that timeout he took yesterday that stopped the Spurs run.
That was tone-deaf micromanagement in the extreme.

Typical of the simulator crew.

[SA210]

This is a great, great opportunity for Pop. Pop has not won a title since 2007 and yet everyone was praising him a few days ago as if he had won titles every year.

This is what will decide if these past two regular seasons meant anything. If the COTY honor meant anything.

Win a title and it is pretty impressive for Pop and the whole organization.

No title and it means a fail job since 2007.

Great, great opportunity.

Seize the moment and be a champion.

Or choke again and waste the best opportunity since 2007.

[SA210]

Good for Doyel :tu

pussy local media

[ElNono]

tbh, Pop is just going with what brought him here. He's obviously tweaking when it's painfully obvious something doesn't really work (ie: Diaw bumping Blair off the rotation due to lack of D, Jax not playing many minutes against the Clippers, etc).

Obviously, we're fans, and we get anxious, but I think he has a very different philosophy.

Whatever happens, this has been a tremendous season, and Pop is certainly part of that.

My main criticism with Pop will be always the same: sometimes, he sticks with certain players too long to the detriment of the team... be it Finley when he was done, RJ, Matty in the playoffs... he can be stubborn, and stubborn the wrong way.

But he also should get praise for a lot of other things he has done well, and that have put this team in a position to be 6 wins away from another title.

[TDMVPDPOY]

yet some of the clowns on here dont want a change in coach

[Russo21]

This is a great, great opportunity for Pop. Pop has not won a title since 2007 and yet everyone was praising him a few days ago as if he had won titles every year.

This is what will decide if these past two regular seasons meant anything. If the COTY honor meant anything.

Win a title and it is pretty impressive for Pop and the whole organization.

No title and it means a fail job since 2007.

Great, great opportunity.

Seize the moment and be a champion.

Or choke again and waste the best opportunity since 2007.

Agree with all that

[SA210]

yet some of the clowns on here dont want a change in coach


No, I just want the coach that coached the first two series and 1st two games of This series, where Bonner ball isn't overused, where Pop yells at the guys and doesn't pussy out with the rest of them.

[Dingle Barry]

yet some of the clowns on here dont want a change in coach

How has this complete imbecile not been pinked yet?

[therealtruth]

This is a great, great opportunity for Pop. Pop has not won a title since 2007 and yet everyone was praising him a few days ago as if he had won titles every year.

This is what will decide if these past two regular seasons meant anything. If the COTY honor meant anything.

Win a title and it is pretty impressive for Pop and the whole organization.

No title and it means a fail job since 2007.

Great, great opportunity.

Seize the moment and be a champion.

Or choke again and waste the best opportunity since 2007.

To me it comes down to coaching. If the Thunder had not made adjustments they would be fishing right now. The way they were playing in the first two games tilted the balance in the Spurs favor. After they made the adjustments they're in a much better position. Pop has to make his adjustments to counter what OKC is doing. Sure guys can play better but it also helps to make tweaks and changes. In fact once you make adjustments you can catch the other team off guard like in game 3. That's enough to steal a game by itself.