"Head of the snake" phrase?

[toki9]

Seems like a lot of NBA writers/people/players are now using the "head of the snake" phrase in their interviews, commentaries, etc. Isn't this originally a Pop terminology? Back in 2005, Duncan attributed the quote to Pop in a NYTimes article: "'To use one of his quotes, he's the head of the snake,' Duncan said of Popovich, his kindred spirit." Does anyone recall someone else using this phrase in basketball context before Pop? Just curious.

[capek]

It's a pretty conventional idiom that dates back centuries, so I'm sure it's been used in a basketball context at some point in time pre-Pop.

[SpursFan86]

Yeah, it's definitely been around long before Pop used it. Pretty sure it was initially used for military purposes...take out the most important leader or aspect of an army and the rest will follow.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

I can confirm... I am snake

[SnakeBoy]

Does anyone recall someone else using this phrase in basketball context before Pop? Just curious.

Yes it has been used before and I still find it very offensive.

[LASToog36]

pointless thread... tbh get a life

[heyheymymy]

loved how he threw it in there for his interview duing game 3 to tease the blazers after the locker room incident

[Man In Black]

That phrase has been around a long time. I had to think about it, but it's been used when teams have to shutdown a stellar point guard. The first time I hear that term, was for a point guard who played a ways back. It was University of Kentucky player, Kyle Macy. Look that one up. I've lived a bit but I remember that term being used THEN.

[will_spurs]

In this specific context what I find funny is that Pop has been calling Parker "the head of the snake" for I don't know how many seasons (I think dating back to Phil Jackson's strategy of collapsing on Parker in the paint) but the media is reacting as if it was the first time Pop ever used it. That just shows the quality of "journalism" in the NBA.