Kori Ellis
12-29-2005, 04:04 AM
Popovich the Spur of the moment
Merrillville grad returning home to have jersey retired
BY AL HAMNIK
[email protected]
219.933.4154
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Thursday, December 29, 2005 12:28 AM CST
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2005/12/29/sports/top_sports/4fd856975ad1396a862570e600009c52.txt
MERRILLVILLE | Amy Beckham couldn't believe it.
Gregg Popovich, a 1966 Merrillville grad and coach of the three-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, had given her a "yes" without the slightest hesitation.
"He's just such a down-to-earth gentleman. It's hard to believe, when you talk to him, that he has the job that he has," said Beckham, the Pirates' assistant athletic director. "He hasn't forgotten where he's come from.
"He's the most humble person I've ever met. I don't think I've ever met somebody who doesn't like to speak about himself more than he does."
Popovich will have his No. 21 basketball jersey retired during halftime of Friday's Crown Point-Merrillville game and had agreed to appear in person when first contacted by the athletic department last summer.
He'll join Merrillville football standouts Jamel Williams and Eugene Wilson as the others who've had their jersey numbers retired.
"As a fan, it's always neat to see things like that," said Beckham. "I'd attend the game, wherever it was."
Helping make it a night to remember will be Popovich teammates Wayne Svetanoff, Jerry Fox, Rick Joliff, Mike Lester, John Morton, Arlie Pierce, Bill Schmidt and Perry VanRosendale. Former coaches will include Jim Vermillion, Max Hutchinson, Tom Feeney, Lafey Armontrout and then-principal Jim Bovard.
Morton is flying in from Florida. Pierce was best man at Pop's wedding.
"His teammates always have a lot to say. They'll give him an earful, I'm sure," Beckham said with a laugh.
The fifth-winningest coach in NBA history, Popovich has led San Antonio to NBA titles in 1999, 2003 and 2005, served as Larry Brown's assistant in the 2004 Olympic Games, coached in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, and is the Spurs' all-time leader in regular season and playoff wins.
Going into Wednesday's game, Detroit had the league's best record at 23-3. Next were the Spurs at 22-7.
As for Friday's festivities: "Oh, God. It's embarrassing," said Pop. "Maybe it'll snow and I can't get on a plane."
That could really mess up an already exhausting schedule. The Spurs host New Orleans tonight. Popovich will fly out early Friday, then leave Merrillville before the sun's up on Saturday for his team's game in Denver.
"I'm appearing at halftime of a basketball game. If you think about the reality of the situation, 99 percent of the people there don't know who the hell I am -- they know the Spurs -- so the last thing they want is a 10-minute speech from somebody while they're running around, getting hot dogs," said Popovich.
"It's not like it's a banquet room and I'm talking to a group. They're fans running around like crazy, so I don't think anything too heavy or too long would be appropriate."
That's Pop for ya.
"I'm from Northwest Indiana. That's the bottom line," he said. "That's where I grew up. That's what's in my bones. I don't need anything else.
"I don't think anybody there is all that impressed with themselves. They just do what they're supposed to do."
Merrillville grad returning home to have jersey retired
BY AL HAMNIK
[email protected]
219.933.4154
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Thursday, December 29, 2005 12:28 AM CST
http://www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2005/12/29/sports/top_sports/4fd856975ad1396a862570e600009c52.txt
MERRILLVILLE | Amy Beckham couldn't believe it.
Gregg Popovich, a 1966 Merrillville grad and coach of the three-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, had given her a "yes" without the slightest hesitation.
"He's just such a down-to-earth gentleman. It's hard to believe, when you talk to him, that he has the job that he has," said Beckham, the Pirates' assistant athletic director. "He hasn't forgotten where he's come from.
"He's the most humble person I've ever met. I don't think I've ever met somebody who doesn't like to speak about himself more than he does."
Popovich will have his No. 21 basketball jersey retired during halftime of Friday's Crown Point-Merrillville game and had agreed to appear in person when first contacted by the athletic department last summer.
He'll join Merrillville football standouts Jamel Williams and Eugene Wilson as the others who've had their jersey numbers retired.
"As a fan, it's always neat to see things like that," said Beckham. "I'd attend the game, wherever it was."
Helping make it a night to remember will be Popovich teammates Wayne Svetanoff, Jerry Fox, Rick Joliff, Mike Lester, John Morton, Arlie Pierce, Bill Schmidt and Perry VanRosendale. Former coaches will include Jim Vermillion, Max Hutchinson, Tom Feeney, Lafey Armontrout and then-principal Jim Bovard.
Morton is flying in from Florida. Pierce was best man at Pop's wedding.
"His teammates always have a lot to say. They'll give him an earful, I'm sure," Beckham said with a laugh.
The fifth-winningest coach in NBA history, Popovich has led San Antonio to NBA titles in 1999, 2003 and 2005, served as Larry Brown's assistant in the 2004 Olympic Games, coached in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game, and is the Spurs' all-time leader in regular season and playoff wins.
Going into Wednesday's game, Detroit had the league's best record at 23-3. Next were the Spurs at 22-7.
As for Friday's festivities: "Oh, God. It's embarrassing," said Pop. "Maybe it'll snow and I can't get on a plane."
That could really mess up an already exhausting schedule. The Spurs host New Orleans tonight. Popovich will fly out early Friday, then leave Merrillville before the sun's up on Saturday for his team's game in Denver.
"I'm appearing at halftime of a basketball game. If you think about the reality of the situation, 99 percent of the people there don't know who the hell I am -- they know the Spurs -- so the last thing they want is a 10-minute speech from somebody while they're running around, getting hot dogs," said Popovich.
"It's not like it's a banquet room and I'm talking to a group. They're fans running around like crazy, so I don't think anything too heavy or too long would be appropriate."
That's Pop for ya.
"I'm from Northwest Indiana. That's the bottom line," he said. "That's where I grew up. That's what's in my bones. I don't need anything else.
"I don't think anybody there is all that impressed with themselves. They just do what they're supposed to do."