Great ESPN Article on Pop and Duncan

[spursparker9]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/10955188/gregg-popovich-tim-duncan-stories

It's long, I spent 45 mins and are still not yet finish.

A lot of nice quotes from former Spurs like Horry, Avery Johnson, Mailk Rose, ******, Bowen etc

[Spur|n|Austin]

Great read! :tu

[DAF86]

"We would have three-peated if not for Manu's foul on Dirk"
"The only guy there that cares for the limelight is Tony"

Horry with the cold blooded truths, tbh. :lol

[spursparker9]

"The only guy there that cares for the limelight is Tony"

Horry with the cold blooded truths, tbh. :lol


:lol that would explain a lot

[DBMethos]

"We would have three-peated if not for Manu's foul on Dirk"
"The only guy there that cares for the limelight is Tony"

Horry with the cold blooded truths, tbh. :lol

LMAO, I was just about to post the same exact quotes. Horry still dropping bombs from retirement.

Great article though. :tu

[spursparker9]

Actually we may not win in 2006.

Remember that finals is the reason why the nickname D-Whistle is born.

[313]

I just read the hand signals part, and wow that's super cool. No wonder guys look so lost out there when they cone in mid season.

[Malik Hairston]

Actually we may not win in 2006.

Remember that finals is the reason why the nickname D-Whistle is born.

Bruce was allowed to get away with murder on defense, tbh, there's no way Wade gets those calls against the Spurs IMO..

[Shastafarian]

As legend has it, Pop was asked several years ago to change the way he signals for "Shake," which calls for a sideline pick-and-roll with another Spur stationed in the strong corner. The league is said to have decreed at the time that Pop would have to make sure his rolling-dice motion for "Shake" was done with his arm to his side -- as opposed to straight down the middle of his body -- to avoid anything suggestive.

[BillMc]

A lot of speculation by Horry and others in this excellent article that Timmy may be several years away from retirement.


"He's not ready for it all to end, and he doesn't want it to end," Rose says. "I know that for a fact."

Good news!:toast

[letmk]

A lot of speculation by Horry and others in this excellent article that Timmy may be several years away from retirement.


"He's not ready for it all to end, and he doesn't want it to end," Rose says. "I know that for a fact."

Good news!:toast

I always wish that Timmy could play 20 seasons in NBA till 2017.

[BillMc]

I always wish that Timmy could play 20 seasons in NBA till 2017.

I'd like that! :)

[spursparker9]

I just read the hand signals part, and wow that's super cool. No wonder guys look so lost out there when they cone in mid season.

:lol It is also crazy that Pop will do his hand signal thing while sitting on the bench. Man, its like you have to have your eyes on Pop, your defender, your teammates, your teammates' defenders, the shot clock all at 1 time.

[urunobili]

Don Nelson's joke on Pop :cry:

[dg7md]

Great read! :tu

[EVAY]

I just read that entire article as well. But I never could figure out who the person called "Thomas" was. I knew everybody else they were talking about, and I went back through the thing to see if I just missed the guy's first name (or last) but never could find a reference to who he was. Horry I know. Johnson I know. Elliott, Kerr, Nellie, Robinson, RC, etc. etc. But I don't know who the "Thomas" is/was. Was he a coach?

[silverblackfan]

Long article but real good one. Lots of filler from previous quotes, but put together well.

[ezau]

I just read that entire article as well. But I never could figure out who the person called "Thomas" was. I knew everybody else they were talking about, and I went back through the thing to see if I just missed the guy's first name (or last) but never could find a reference to who he was. Horry I know. Johnson I know. Elliott, Kerr, Nellie, Robinson, RC, etc. etc. But I don't know who the "Thomas" is/was. Was he a coach?

Kurt Thomas

[ezau]

Didn't know that Spurs players and even their relatives were crying after Game 6, damn. The fact that POP was able to convince them to show up and play really well in Game 7 is incredible.

[letmk]

Didn't know that Spurs players and even their relatives were crying after Game 6, damn. The fact that POP was able to convince them to show up and play really well in Game 7 is incredible.

If the Spurs can't give Timmy one more ring, I would never "forgive" Pop. I understand, as a fan only, I'm in no place to judge Pop and he doesn't give a $hit about what a Spurs fan thinks. But still, that just shows my frustration and disappointment as a Spurs fan. So I totally understand what the players and their family members feel.

[313]

... and that's because of the meal we had afterward with all the players and their families. Everybody cried, everybody bitched, everything you do after something like that. But Pop was at every table, touching every player, relating to all their loved ones, sharing the emotions of that moment and moving on to what was going to happen in Game 7.

:cry feels

[Mugen]

Great read. As somebody else pointed out, Big Shot Bob droppin' truth bombs all over that article tbh :lol

[EVAY]

Kurt Thomas

Thanks. completely forgot about him.

[UZER]

Thanks. completely forgot about him.

And it was Sean Elliott, not Sam Elliott the actor...just on case you were confused.

[pgardn]

ESPN did a very good job on a tough team to crack into.

Stein deserves big credit.

[Malik Hairston]

I don't give a fuck, I'll never like Michael Finley, tbh, even with his clutch shooting..

[Ibleedslvrnblk]

And that whole article especially the ending is why I want this team to win one more. For those two to walk out on top for everything they have given us and the city of San Antonio. Pop and Duncan will never see this but thank you....

[SnakeBoy]

If the Spurs can't give Timmy one more ring, I would never "forgive" Pop.

A ring isn't something that can just be given, it has to be taken. And in case you haven't noticed, it's not an easy thing to take.

[EVAY]

And it was Sean Elliott, not Sam Elliott the actor...just on case you were confused.

heh, heh, heh.

[TampaDude]

A ring isn't something that can just be given, it has to be taken. And in case you haven't noticed, it's not an easy thing to take.

Yup...Miami took it away from the Spurs last year, and the Spurs are going to take it back this year, book it!

[baseline bum]

Amazing how close Pop came to being fired before that Houston game, after they had just been humiliated by Utah on national TV. Not only that, but the Spurs were also seemingly close to trading David Robinson to Portland for Rasheed Wallace. Avery Johnson basically saved Pop's job by coaching that team to the title.

[DesignatedT]

Of course Tony cares for the limelight a lot more than Manu and Tim do but he still isn't nearly as obsessed with fame compared to the other stars of the NBA. He's still pretty mild when it comes to it IMO

[heyheymymy]

the nellie prank on pop was classic, "pop wants it, put it on my tab!"

[FromWayDowntown]

Amazing how close Pop came to being fired before that Houston game, after they had just been humiliated by Utah on national TV. Not only that, but the Spurs were also seemingly close to trading David Robinson to Portland for Rasheed Wallace. Avery Johnson basically saved Pop's job by coaching that team to the title.

That Utah game seemed likely to be Pop's last. They just got humiliated at home on NBC that afternoon and all of the preseason talk of the Spurs being contenders seemed likely to be supportable only if Pop left. I can remember fans shouting at Doc that he needed to take over (he had "coached" the guys during the lockout, if I remember correctly). Stein's right -- at the time, Pop certainly wasn't yet "Pop." I still recall thinking, during the 1999 Finals, that Pop must have seemed like some sort of interloper on that stage; I half thought the game officials had no idea who he was and wouldn't give him much credibility. How things have changed.

I laugh now at talking heads who question the idea of a team wanting to hire a lower profile coach when higher profile names are available; in 1996 or 1997, almost nobody would have hired Gregg Popovich to coach an NBA team and now almost everyone would hire him in a heartbeat.

And I absolutely agree with the idea that getting that team ready to play Game 7 last year might have been Pop's finest moment. Most teams would have gotten destroyed in that Game 7, given what had just happened to that team. The fact that those guys got off the mat and played their guts out, despite their disappointments, was maybe the greatest testament to "The Spurs Way" that we've ever seen.

[UZER]

That Utah game seemed likely to be Pop's last. They just got humiliated at home on NBC that afternoon and all of the preseason talk of the Spurs being contenders seemed likely to be supportable only if Pop left. I can remember fans shouting at Doc that he needed to take over (he had "coached" the guys during the lockout, if I remember correctly). Stein's right -- at the time, Pop certainly wasn't yet "Pop." I still recall thinking, during the 1999 Finals, that Pop must have seemed like some sort of interloper on that stage; I half thought the game officials had no idea who he was and wouldn't give him much credibility. How things have changed.

I laugh now at talking heads who question the idea of a team wanting to hire a lower profile coach when higher profile names are available; in 1996 or 1997, almost nobody would have hired Gregg Popovich to coach an NBA team and now almost everyone would hire him in a heartbeat.

And I absolutely agree with the idea that getting that team ready to play Game 7 last year might have been Pop's finest moment. Most teams would have gotten destroyed in that Game 7, given what had just happened to that team. The fact that those guys got off the mat and played their guts out, despite their disappointments, was maybe the greatest testament to "The Spurs Way" that we've ever seen.

That last paragraph... :cry

[AASATX]

Great article thanks for sharing.

[baseline bum]

That Utah game seemed likely to be Pop's last. They just got humiliated at home on NBC that afternoon and all of the preseason talk of the Spurs being contenders seemed likely to be supportable only if Pop left. I can remember fans shouting at Doc that he needed to take over (he had "coached" the guys during the lockout, if I remember correctly). Stein's right -- at the time, Pop certainly wasn't yet "Pop." I still recall thinking, during the 1999 Finals, that Pop must have seemed like some sort of interloper on that stage; I half thought the game officials had no idea who he was and wouldn't give him much credibility. How things have changed.

I laugh now at talking heads who question the idea of a team wanting to hire a lower profile coach when higher profile names are available; in 1996 or 1997, almost nobody would have hired Gregg Popovich to coach an NBA team and now almost everyone would hire him in a heartbeat.

And I absolutely agree with the idea that getting that team ready to play Game 7 last year might have been Pop's finest moment. Most teams would have gotten destroyed in that Game 7, given what had just happened to that team. The fact that those guys got off the mat and played their guts out, despite their disappointments, was maybe the greatest testament to "The Spurs Way" that we've ever seen.

Were you there for the river parade in 1999? Pop just had the world pulled off his shoulders when AJ hit that shot. You should have seen the way he was doing awkward white man dancing the entire time. I know they show it briefly in the credits of the 1999 Champions video, but he was doing that the entire time. :lol

[PÒÓCH]

https://31.media.tumblr.com/e060eb8821e5a2311da5ad245bfb254f/tumblr_inline_mri4nfk6Na1qz4rgp.gif

[jag]

And I absolutely agree with the idea that getting that team ready to play Game 7 last year might have been Pop's finest moment. Most teams would have gotten destroyed in that Game 7, given what had just happened to that team. The fact that those guys got off the mat and played their guts out, despite their disappointments, was maybe the greatest testament to "The Spurs Way" that we've ever seen.

I'll never forget the feeling after Game 6, and the image of Tim walking to the team bus.


Were you there for the river parade in 1999? Pop just had the world pulled off his shoulders when AJ hit that shot. You should have seen the way he was doing awkward white man dancing the entire time. I know they show it briefly in the credits of the 1999 Champions video, but he was doing that the entire time. :lol

I remember being there and taking pictures as the different player boats went by. I also remember the march from the Riverwalk to the Alamodome for the celebration. I was 11 and it was awesome.

[pad300]

Actually we may not win in 2006.

Remember that finals is the reason why the nickname D-Whistle is born.


Bruce was allowed to get away with murder on defense, tbh, there's no way Wade gets those calls against the Spurs IMO..

The other big one is that the Spurs had experience in dealing with the refs fucking them... Dallas had such a free ride to the finals that year (from the refs - remember the 50 FT game, Duncan Fouling out when Harris tripped over his own feet and fell into him, at the end of regular time game 7, it's tied, our last chance to score, Manu drives, and gets fouled twice with no call, Duncan goes up and gets the re-bound, and get fouled 3 times himself, also with no calls...). The Mavs basically went into shock when the refs turned against them. They really couldn't deal with the change in the emphasis of the referreeing.

[baseline bum]

I remember being there and taking pictures as the different player boats went by. I also remember the march from the Riverwalk to the Alamodome for the celebration. I was 11 and it was awesome.

It was a ball-sweatingly hot 103 that day; I drove to the Dome. :lol

[crc21209]

Damn, what a great, great article. Just awesome...:cry

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Fuck me, what a great article.

I felt many feels.

[ezau]

Amazing how close Pop came to being fired before that Houston game, after they had just been humiliated by Utah on national TV. Not only that, but the Spurs were also seemingly close to trading David Robinson to Portland for Rasheed Wallace. Avery Johnson basically saved Pop's job by coaching that team to the title.

Pop should thank Johnson everyday for saving his job, tbh.

[ezau]

That Utah game seemed likely to be Pop's last. They just got humiliated at home on NBC that afternoon and all of the preseason talk of the Spurs being contenders seemed likely to be supportable only if Pop left. I can remember fans shouting at Doc that he needed to take over (he had "coached" the guys during the lockout, if I remember correctly). Stein's right -- at the time, Pop certainly wasn't yet "Pop." I still recall thinking, during the 1999 Finals, that Pop must have seemed like some sort of interloper on that stage; I half thought the game officials had no idea who he was and wouldn't give him much credibility. How things have changed.

I laugh now at talking heads who question the idea of a team wanting to hire a lower profile coach when higher profile names are available; in 1996 or 1997, almost nobody would have hired Gregg Popovich to coach an NBA team and now almost everyone would hire him in a heartbeat.

And I absolutely agree with the idea that getting that team ready to play Game 7 last year might have been Pop's finest moment. Most teams would have gotten destroyed in that Game 7, given what had just happened to that team. The fact that those guys got off the mat and played their guts out, despite their disappointments, was maybe the greatest testament to "The Spurs Way" that we've ever seen.

Well put, well put

[CGD]

Excellent piece by Stien. The stuff about Doc/Houston game was interesting.

[pgardn]

Were you there for the river parade in 1999? Pop just had the world pulled off his shoulders when AJ hit that shot. You should have seen the way he was doing awkward white man dancing the entire time. I know they show it briefly in the credits of the 1999 Champions video, but he was doing that the entire time. :lol

I remember being with friends and thinking how much better we were than the Knicks. We had trouble scoring and it was frustrating but the ending was never in doubt. From that standpoint a championship this year will be so much sweeter. When Avery hit that shot we all just kind of looked at each other. Nothing. Celebrate, wipe brow, high 5s...? Nothing.

[pgardn]

Excellent piece by Stien. The stuff about Doc/Houston game was interesting.
From an SA standpoint, award winning.

[baseline bum]

I remember being with friends and thinking how much better we were than the Knicks. We had trouble scoring and it was frustrating but the ending was never in doubt. From that standpoint a championship this year will be so much sweeter. When Avery hit that shot we all just kind of looked at each other. Nothing. Celebrate, wipe brow, high 5s...? Nothing.

Wow, how could that ever be any Spurs fan's reaction at the time with the way they had lost so many times being so close? Blowing a 3-1 lead to Washington in the 79 ECF? Gilmore not able to score from 2 feet to force a game 7 in the 83 WCF? Strickland throwing away a Game 7 win and a sure Finals trip with less than a minute left in Portland? The Spurs rallying from 0-2 to knot the WCF at 2-2 with two huge wins in Houston only to have Rodman miss practice and kill all the Spurs momentum before Game 5 of 95 WCF? Then things looking like they were over once the Spurs got bounced in the second round by Utah the next year? Robinson's back injury in the 96 Olympics? You're literally the only Spurs fan I have ever heard with a ho-hum reaction to that shot. I was watching with friends and family and we were going fucking nuts when AJ hit that after Mario hit that huge three to tie the game. Not to mention New Orleans gunning to steal the team, which would have happened with a playoff flameout and a second failed arena vote after the first one went so badly the year before.

[pgardn]

Wow, how could that ever be any Spurs fan's reaction at the time with the way they had lost so many times being so close? Blowing a 3-1 lead to Washington in the 79 ECF? Gilmore not able to score from 2 feet to force a game 7 in the 83 WCF? Strickland throwing away a Game 7 win and a sure Finals trip with less than a minute left in Portland? The Spurs rallying from 0-2 to knot the WCF at 2-2 with two huge wins in Houston only to have Rodman miss practice and kill all the Spurs momentum before Game 5 of 95 WCF? Then things looking like they were over once the Spurs got bounced in the second round by Utah the next year? Robinson's back injury in the 96 Olympics? You're literally the only Spurs fan I have ever heard with a ho-hum reaction to that shot. I was watching with friends and family and we were going fucking nuts when AJ hit that after Mario hit that huge three to tie the game. Not to mention New Orleans gunning to steal the team, which would have happened with a playoff flameout and a second failed arena vote after the first one went so badly the year before.

Because it was so clear we had superior talent and we were going to win.

The Washington series was the worst thing I have ever experienced in sports.
Young age and the way my dad reacted.

Up to 99 with Robinson the thought was good guys can't win.
That was really the only sense of accomplishment, as it was so obvious we were so much better than the rest of the league. Portland folded like a cheap tent, the only team I was worried about.

We lost 2 games in the playoffs I believe. We were simply the best. This year we are much less talented and really have to play well to win. In 99 it seemed as we could miss shots all day long and still smother the opposition.

[Jimmy Cobaine]

Amazing how close Pop came to being fired before that Houston game, after they had just been humiliated by Utah on national TV. Not only that, but the Spurs were also seemingly close to trading David Robinson to Portland for Rasheed Wallace. Avery Johnson basically saved Pop's job by coaching that team to the title.

How do you know all this Spurs info?? I think you also said Charles Barkley almost got traded to SA.

[baseline bum]

How do you know all this Spurs info?? I think you also said Charles Barkley almost got traded to SA.

The Robinson for Wallace deal was all over ESPN and sportstalk radio at the time. The Barkley deal being shot down by Red comes from timvp (http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=8).

[milkyway21]

Pop on the brink of being fired, the Spurs trio David (15 pts, 9 rbds, 3 blocks), A.Johnson (18 pts, 13 assts) & Duncan (23pts, 14 rbds, 5 blocks) delivered against Olojawon, Barkley & Pippen, sending the message & support for Pop was the turn-around.
I think Duncan if he decided to sign with Orlando, might be able to win some championships having Hill & TMac there but I'm glad he remains a Spur & stick with David & Pop.

Nice article. :tu thanks.

[exstatic]

Pop on the brink of being fired, the Spurs trio David (15 pts, 9 rbds, 3 blocks), A.Johnson (18 pts, 13 assts) & Duncan (23pts, 14 rbds, 5 blocks) delivered against Olojawon, Barkley & Pippen, sending the message & support for Pop was the turn-around.
I think Duncan if he decided to sign with Orlando, might be able to win some championships having Hill & TMac there but I'm glad he remains a Spur & stick with David & Pop.

Nice article. :tu thanks.

There was never going to be Duncan, Hill and TMac in Orlando. TMac only signed because they whiffed on Duncan, and had money left. If Tim had signed, it would have been him and a crippled for like 3 years Hill.

[taps]

The other big one is that the Spurs had experience in dealing with the refs fucking them... Dallas had such a free ride to the finals that year (from the refs - remember the 50 FT game, Duncan Fouling out when Harris tripped over his own feet and fell into him, at the end of regular time game 7, it's tied, our last chance to score, Manu drives, and gets fouled twice with no call, Duncan goes up and gets the re-bound, and get fouled 3 times himself, also with no calls...). The Mavs basically went into shock when the refs turned against them. They really couldn't deal with the change in the emphasis of the referreeing.

These are the baptisms by fire a team needs to win a championship as a 3 seed and a Finals underdog w/out homecourt advantage. That Finals steeled Dirk's mind and 5 years later Dirk came back with that tunnel vision and flipped on god mode.

[lefty]

:cry " great read"
:cry " hey look guys, a positive article about us, so it'sa good read"