Popovich would have done a far better job than Krzyzewski

[picnroll]

Pop wouldn't have:

Named three kiddies captains and let them run the show on and off the court.
Instituted a jackass defensive scheme as the cornerstone of a moronic gameplan.
Make dumbass substitutions.
Have piss poor game management with lousy in game adjustments.

If Team USA wants to win anything they better can coach Klueless before '08 ...

... and no D D'Antoni isn't the answer dumbass Colangelo.

[PhxDog]

Pop wouldn't have:

Named three kiddies captains and let them run the show on and off the court.
If you're looking for one reason that Pop shouldn't be let within 100 yards of the national team, here it is.


These kids are U.S. basketball for at least the next two Olympics. They have to start learning the international game, and they were starting from scratch this year thanks to Larry "Pop's mentor" Brown.

Much better for them to play that stupid defense and lose than for Pop to put the kids on a short leash (and lose anyway, needless to say).

[Kori Ellis]

I think Coach K sucked in almost every way .. from defensive schemes to the subs. But I think the three kiddies should have been captains -- they are the best young basketball players in the U.S. and for the most part, they did great in the tournament.

I'm not sure if Pop is the answer for coaching Team USA, but I think he'd be better than Coach K.

[PhxDog]

I'm not sure if Pop is the answer for coaching Team USA, but I think he'd be better than Coach K.
I don't see why you would think so. Bad as Coach K was, he was light years better than either LB or George Karl.

At least this time, the team showed up with a system that was geared to their talents and depth (and to the demands of the single-elimination format). Plus, I understand the U.S. actually did some scouting this time, too, instead of just chatting up potential contacts like before...

[THE SIXTH MAN]

Pop in my opinion would have done slightly better than coach K. I mean to be beat by the high pick n roll like that was just straight up embarrassing. Also his defensive rotations made no sense to either. In early play of the tournaments the U.S. would get by because the competition wasn't nearly as good as Greece. Greece just took there weakness and exploited it plain and simple.

[Louis]

Pop wouldn't have:

Named three kiddies captains and let them run the show on and off the court.
Instituted a jackass defensive scheme as the cornerstone of a moronic gameplan.
Make dumbass substitutions.
Have piss poor game management with lousy in game adjustments.

If Team USA wants to win anything they better can coach Klueless before '08 ...

... and no D D'Antoni isn't the answer dumbass Colangelo.


zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[xamila rey]

what are the main qualities that a player should have in order to be named a captain?

For example, in soccer the captain is the one in charge to talk to the referee when there is a discrepancy in a foul call. FIBA rules says pretty much the same. The Argentinian national team selected Pepe Sanchez for the WC because of his personality and what he represents.
i personally dont agree with a team having three captains. i know they are amazing players, but it sounds to me like coach K was afraid to hurt someones ego. In the last game Wade, Anthony and Lebron were in the floor at the same time, so that means that more than half of the team in that moment were captains!! thats crazy to me..

i wish we could have a older player in the team with great leadership qualities like Bruce. i am sure someone like him would make a great captain

the reasson why i bring this up it is because is an example of the coach's mentality. He is putting talent on top over other things that are also important.

[TDMVPDPOY]

lebron, carmelo, wade or a majority of the guys on team would not get many court minutes if they dont play defense.

[ambchang]

If you're looking for one reason that Pop shouldn't be let within 100 yards of the national team, here it is.


These kids are U.S. basketball for at least the next two Olympics. They have to start learning the international game, and they were starting from scratch this year thanks to Larry "Pop's mentor" Brown.

Much better for them to play that stupid defense and lose than for Pop to put the kids on a short leash (and lose anyway, needless to say).

You mean how Pop molded Parker into one of the better point guards in the league by letting him play through his errors and two championships?

[Walton Buys Off Me]

Pop was brilliant against Dallas in the playoffs by the way.

If the Spurs didn't win the lottery twice and if R.C Buford never found Manu Ginobili, then Pop would be coaching in South Bend right now.

Let's call a spade a spade. Yeah he's a good coach and I love his passion for the game but please don't tell me that Gregg Popovich is someone who adjusts on the fly and outfoxes his opponents. Pop wins because he has two of the greatest players on the planet in front of him and he's good at pushing his guys' buttons to maximize results. He'll never be accused of outcoaching anyone.

[picnroll]

So if/when Kobe shows up are the kiddies still going to be captains? I would have named Brand captian. When one of the kiddies shows he can play both ends of the floor make him a captain.

The day Klueless announced his defensive gameplan he should have been replaced. But then again since Colangelo made the pick a screwed up defense was inevitable.

[picnroll]

Pop was brilliant against Dallas in the playoffs by the way.

If the Spurs didn't win the lottery twice and if R.C Buford never found Manu Ginobili, then Pop would be coaching in South Bend right now.

Let's call a spade a spade. Yeah he's a good coach and I love his passion for the game but please don't tell me that Gregg Popovich is someone who adjusts on the fly and outfoxes his opponents. Pop wins because he has two of the greatest players on the planet in front of him and he's good at pushing his guys' buttons to maximize results. He'll never be accused of outcoaching anyone.
With two stiffs for centers that had no right to be on the IR let alone the floor Pop came within a Manu brain fart of a possible back to back championship.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

With two stiffs for centers that had no right to be on the IR let alone the floor Pop came within a Manu brain fart of a possible back to back championship.

We would have never been in a game 7 if Pop wasn't terrified of what Avery Johnson would do to him. Pop played Dallas' brand of basketball and lost- period.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

You don't often see the favorite playing the underdogs style of play in sports do you?

For some reason, Pop thought this was a good idea and therefore, the best Spurs team ever assembled, a team that would have swept Miami in the Finals no questions asked, lost a championship that my cat could have coached them to.

Live with it, but please stop apologizing for Pop's stupidity.

[mffl89]

So if/when Kobe shows up are the kiddies still going to be captains? I would have named Brand captian. When one of the kiddies shows he can play both ends of the floor make him a captain.

The day Klueless announced his defensive gameplan he should have been replaced. But then again since Colangelo made the pick a screwed up defense was inevitable.

Allowing Kobe to be captain means giving him the green light to do whatever he feels like.

[ambchang]

Nice how people forget how Pop outcoached Brown in 2005, and Phil Jackson in 2003, aka two of the best coaches in the history of the league, but what the hell.

[Sportcamper]

So it is Coach “K's” fault that NBA Superstars are dumbfounded by Pick n Roll.... (http://static.flickr.com/52/138879607_c0778d50c4.jpg) :lol

[Brutalis]

How about Nolan Richardson or Knight!

[Slinkyman]

Pop wouldn't have:

Named three kiddies captains and let them run the show on and off the court.
Instituted a jackass defensive scheme as the cornerstone of a moronic gameplan.
Make dumbass substitutions.
Have piss poor game management with lousy in game adjustments.

If Team USA wants to win anything they better can coach Klueless before '08 ...

... and no D D'Antoni isn't the answer dumbass Colangelo.

I think you're wrong about D'Antoni, he has experience coaching in Italy and would have been the perfect fit for TEAM USA playing under FIBA rules. Also, Coach K SUCKS

[Phenomanul]

Pop would have done better than Coach K simply on the grounds that he would have known the value of selecting Bruce Bowen to the squad.

That fact alone, would not have allowed Greece to run away with 12 consecutive high pick'n'roll baskets in the second half. Brad Miller didn't stop them... neither did Battier... ehhhh.

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

Maybe Pop could convince Duncan to reconsider?

[bdictjames]

I think Phil Jackson's the best man in the job. Lots of experience, and he did lead the Lakers to the playoffs plus he 1990s Bulls and Lakers. And a bronze wouldn't have been acceptable to him

[SpurYank]

It wasn't coach K's fault. I have to believe he was trying to make our STARS play a team game, and an agressive style of defense, but they just don't know how. We lost because we had too many superstars playing a team game. The Mavericks, Heat, Pistons, or the Spurs would have done better. All those tremendous dunks, especially the BOOMER by James, are still only two points, and they were far and few between.

We'll have the same thing happen again next year in Venezuela unless we take players who are unselfish with the ball and go 100 miles an hour on defense. Better shooters will also help.