This is why I love Gregg Popovich...

[Amuseddaysleeper]

http://www.usatoday.com/community/profile.htm?UID=f06a7610a6fe2b78&plckController=PersonaBlog&plckScript=personaScript&plckElementId=personaDest&plckPersonaPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3af06a7610a6fe2b78Post%3a4811755b-164c-40a8-9c2c-5e117a62c0e0

NEW ORLEANS—San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich possesses one of basketball’s best minds. He is thoughtful and insightful.

And he does not suffer fools gladly.

So if you’re a member of the media, you’d better ask a question with merit. The San Antonio media know this.

Apparently that’s not the case with everybody in the Big Easy press corps.

At yesterday morning’s shootaround session, somebody asked about Tim Duncan only scoring five points in Game 1.

“If you double-team somebody, that person’s not going to get all the shots they might want,” Popovich said. “If we decided to double-team Chris Paul every time, he’s probably going to give it up a little bit and not get his points.”

“So that means you’re going to double-team Chris Paul every time he touches it?” asked veteran San Antonio Express-News writer Mike Monroe. “That was joke, by the way.”

“That’s why I ignored it—because it wasn’t very funny,” Popovich said with humor.

But that humor evanesced when a local reporter asked him if he thought the Hornets would continue to dare the Spurs to shoot 3-pointers.



POP: “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask them.”

SEMI-CLUELESS MEDIA PERSON: “That’s kind of what they did in the first game.”

POP: “They did a lot of things well.”

NEW ORLEANS RADIO GUY: “Will you try to change up your defenses on David West at all tonight?”

POP: “Right. We’re going to probably do four or five things you’ve never seen before in basketball.”

NEW ORLEANS RADIO GUY: “I sense sarcasm.”

POP: “That’s correct. We’re going to spend the afternoon inventing the light bulb. Those CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps), a lot of people are having problems with them, so we’re going to think of something different.”

SEMI-CLUELESS MEDIA PERSON: “Do you have any words for Hugo, the mascot, by any chance?”

POP: “Who?” (media laughter)

(Someone chimes in, “the guy who jumped through the fire.”)

POP: “Why would you ask me that?”

The media is laughing now, but I sense Popovich doesn’t think this is all that funny.

TRYING-TO-BE HELPFUL LOCAL MEDIA PERSON: “Talking about the ring of fire.”

POP: “Hopefully that’s over with. We all know it wasn’t a great move. We all make mistakes.”

SAME GUY WHO ASKED ABOUT DEFENDING DAVID WEST: “Do you think you might try to use (Bruce) Bowen on David a little bit tonight?”

Ohmigod. This is going to set him off…

POP: “That’s a good idea! Look at this guy right here! He’s got all kinds of ideas! Let’s do that! What’s he gonna do, get 30? Maybe we’ll put Bruce on him. Bruce weighs, what 90 pounds? He’ll just knock the (bleep) out of him. That’ enough. You guys are terrible…”


End of interview.


That evening, in Byron Scott’s pregame meeting with the media, local reporters asked Scott for advice on “how to talk to Pop.”
“That’s one thing I can’t answer,” Scott says.

When the San Antonio media met with Popovich before the game, they asked him about the morning session.

“It’s a flaw,” Popovich said. “I should be less judgmental and more accommodating to ignorant questions.”

I told him it actually turned out way more entertaining that the typical coach-speak deal we usually get. “And you worked a CFL in there. I had to Google that to find out what you’re were talking about.”

Said Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, “Yeah, I was trying to figure out what the Canadian Football League had to do with any of it.”

[Amuseddaysleeper]

wtf, I put 2 G's in "Gregg" in the thread title.......seriously

[CubanMustGo]

Said Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, “Yeah, I was trying to figure out what the Canadian Football League had to do with any of it.”

Why does this not surprise me at all? :bang

[T Park]

:lol

[T Park]

:lol

You people's hatred of McDonald borders on childish.

[ClingingMars]

:lmao

Pop is the Bill Parcells of Basketball.

- Mars

[kbyanks21]

oh pop just doesnt have much patience with the media

[ClingingMars]

:lol

You people's hatred of McDonald borders on childish.

yeah, something here I really never understand...guess its a local thing?

- Mars

[Phil Hellmuth]

LOL popovich one of a kind

[Kori Ellis]

Pop is very nice if you don't ask stupid questions. He just doesn't have a lot of patience with people who a) don't listen b) don't have a clue.

He always starts his media sessions with some opening comments about the game. He gets infuriated when the sequence goes like this...

"I think we played a really good defensive second half. We kept the pressure on them. Bruce did a really good job denying Peja the ball. He got in space and pestered him .. that's what Bruce does. On offense, Manu and Tony stayed aggressive. I thought we got a little stagnant early in the game but the ball movement picked up in the second half."

First Question: "Can you tell me what you thought of Bruce's defense on Peja?"

:lmao

It happens almost every single game. I don't know if the reporters don't listen to the opening comments because they are concentrating so hard on what they are going to ask or what.

[Brutalis]

Crap that is hilarious^^^

[HighLowLobForBig-50]

thats funny kori.
i still say mcdonald , monroe ,and finger are all > than harvey

[Budkin]

I love watching Pop make the media look like the fucking idiots they are. Awesome.

[HighLowLobForBig-50]

yeah hes pretty raw when mic'd up on a nat tv game and havin to talk somebody he dont want to talk to

[BonnerDynasty]

For once, just once, I want to see Duncan/Manu/Horry do the post-game interview after a big win and say "Yeah, it was pretty good for an old, nonathletic, dirty, boring team."

Then just walk off leaving the interviewer speechless.

[BlackSwordsMan]

lol that was funny

[polandprzem]

I always was wondering why on press conferences are such "boring" questions.
And mostly about the same thing.

Local media, like Don Harris (exc) knows Pop and the conversation on the interview is quite intresting.

I always loved how Pop handled that media stuff.

"You gonna write stories..." (I don't give a shit)

[Trainwreck2100]

I love watching the press conferences, when a guy asks a stupid question, you just know pop's gonna get pissed

[jag]

What i will never understand is the quality of the questions they ask. These people act like they've been in the business for days instead of years. I could randomly pick 5 posters from this forum (other than SD21) who would ask questions that we all want to know and that Pop would be willing to answer.

They all seem so inept and their questions so redundant.

[m33p0]

:lmao

new orleans media corps got owned.

[1Parker1]

Said Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News, “Yeah, I was trying to figure out what the Canadian Football League had to do with any of it.”

:lol

[whottt]

Kori would you ask Pop what kind of tree he would be if he was a tree? Thanks, in advance :tu

[Steve_Javie]

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll162/timmodude/Spurs/pop_o.jpg
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x7/vf15hammer/nba_a_popovich_268.jpg
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg87/monuow/popovich.gif
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/jpnrc/gregpopovichJP.jpg
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u43/nbaactionphotos/gspopovich.jpg
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s316/mrjones_2007/popovich_gregg030428.jpg

[whottt]

:lmao

Pop is the Bill Parcells of Basketball.

- Mars



Tha's exactly what I've always thought. Except when Parcells was young he had more attitude than Pop has ever had.

I remember after a loss by the Giants Parcells getting this big sneer on his face and then putting his hand over the camera and telling them to get that effin camera out of his face. Was pretty funny...it was supposed to be a post game interview put they picked the wrong time to try and interview him.

[Steve_Javie]

I think Pop has one over on Parcells.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

That's great. Barry's right about Pop; poor reporters :lmao.



:lol

You people's hatred of McDonald borders on childish.

Are you related to Jeff McDonald?

...or did you know him in high school?

[GrandeDavid]

Pop is far too witty for some of those NO beat writers, I assume.

[SouthTexasRancher]

:lmao

Pop is the Bill Parcells of Basketball.

- Mars

Actually, Pop (4 NBA Championships from 1999-2007) is a whole lot like Chuck Noll was with the Pittsburgh Steelers (4 Super Bowl Championships from 1974-1980). Intensity, X's & O's, instilling the team concept and total prep for the opponent are hallmarks of excellent coaches. Chuck, like Pop could/can be both scary and funny with the media but, both could/can only put up with so much media stupidity before ending the interview. Let's just hope that Pop gets one more ring & trophy this year to top Noll's 4.

:flag::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::lobt2::flag::lobt:

[Tiro]

pop pops pop.

[atxrocker]

so pops a dick in interviews and somehow manages to come across as a comedic genius to spurs fans? :rolleyes pretty great humor.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

so pops a dick in interviews and somehow manages to come across as a comedic genius to spurs fans? :rolleyes pretty great humor.
Depends on your humor sensibilities.
He's pretty much an ass (especially on ESPN's inside track stuff)
But those examples can test anyone's patience. He's just one of those 'cut-the-bullshit' kinda guys. Pop's got a dry wit, that some can appreciate but he's not the most charismatic guy :lol.

Some people bring it upon themselves though, (stupid questions, etc.)

[Michi_Germany]

Pop is great. I love his answers in Interviews.

[m33p0]

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll162/timmodude/Spurs/pop_o.jpg
he would have given jack a run for his money in playing col. nathan jessep.

[Shelly]

http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg87/monuow/popovich.gif

:lol That's awesome!

[Kriz-Maxima]

I love Pop, thats hilarious.

[JP le Requin]

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w41/jpnrc/gregpopovichJP.jpg


hey you have taken my picture with Da pop', it was in france for the weding of TP & eva...lol

[ClingingMars]

so pops a dick in interviews and somehow manages to come across as a comedic genius to spurs fans? :rolleyes pretty great humor.

:dont

- Mars

[O-Factor]

so pops a dick in interviews and somehow manages to come across as a comedic genius to spurs fans? :rolleyes pretty great humor.

Pop>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Theus

[curtismedellin]

He's just one of those 'cut-the-bullshit' kinda guys. Pop's got a dry wit, that some can appreciate but he's not the most charismatic guy :lol.

Exactly, I always love the "during the game" interveiws. Some of the answers are priceless.

You can put Pop in the same interveiw catagory as Bill Parcells and Bobby Knight.

[bigfundamental21]

I love to watch interviews with Pop. He comes up with some really great lines. Someone should put together a montage of all time greatest Pop interviews.

[Beno Udrih]

Pop>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Theus

seconded

[oboymeetsogirl]

There's been a lot of criticism of Pop for sticking with a game 1 & 2 game plan -- having Bruce cover CP3 most of the time -- that was solid, only for two things: Timmy has obviously been under the weather, and Manu has been playing at only about 80% because of ankle (plus -- let's hand it to the Hornets, they were on a roll). Lest anyone forget, the Spurs play an ultimate example of team D, based upon the principle of funneling ball handlers directly into the team's nine-time all-NBA defensive player. In other words, no matter how good Bruce's one-on-one perimeter D is, it doesn't work if the big guy behind you is suffering from the flu.

That said, game 3 was obviously different not only because Manu started and Bruce had Peja covered, but also because Tim was obviously more energetic and active in the paint. But the way I look at it, no way West and Peja would have gotten into such great rhythms in the first two games if the Spurs were full strength.

Tomorrow's game, presumably the Spurs will be much readier physically. I can see Pop playing it safe in the beginning, continuing the same strategy that helped them blow the Hornets apart in the second half of game 3. Nevertheless, I'll stick to my guns by saying that Pop's strategy was sound in the first two games, but it wouldn't have mattered what they did because Timmy was so weak.

The great thing about the Spurs, of course, is they make no excuses. If the Hornets win tomorrow, it will be because they earned it. But chances are, they will find that the Spurs led by a fully recovered Duncan are a way different team than the one they've seen in the first three games.

[hater]

my favorite quote from Pop to Craig Sager:

"How can you wear that suit and call yourself a professional?"

:lmao

[nfg3]

:lmao

That was so funny! Pop's a riot and I don't feel sorry for those guys at all. I get this same type of treatment at work, too. I find myself repeating things at work regularly. It's like "didn't they hear me the first time or even the second?" People are so concerned with what they are doing that they fail to pay attention to what's going on around them.

God help these reporters if he gets an Abe Lemons sense of humor to go with his sarcasm. Now that man was truly hilarious.

[Avitus1]

I love how Pops handles the media.

[jag]

I'm waiting for Pop to hit us with an epic one liner...something that will go down in the history books. A little "they are who we thought they were!" would be nice.

m_N1OjGhIFc

"...and we let 'em off the hook!"

[m33p0]

isn't that the reason why Pop conducts pre-interview postgame comments to answer the obvious questions in the first place? :rolleyes

[SCSnare]

Here's some more great humor from Pop. :toast

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE3PkC5wwS0

[Kori Ellis]

Pop is very nice if you don't ask stupid questions. He just doesn't have a lot of patience with people who a) don't listen b) don't have a clue.

He always starts his media sessions with some opening comments about the game. He gets infuriated when the sequence goes like this...

"I think we played a really good defensive second half. We kept the pressure on them. Bruce did a really good job denying Peja the ball. He got in space and pestered him .. that's what Bruce does. On offense, Manu and Tony stayed aggressive. I thought we got a little stagnant early in the game but the ball movement picked up in the second half."

First Question: "Can you tell me what you thought of Bruce's defense on Peja?"

:lmao

It happens almost every single game. I don't know if the reporters don't listen to the opening comments because they are concentrating so hard on what they are going to ask or what.


Tonight in the postgame, something very similar to this happened to Tony. One of the first questions was asking about the experience factor. Tony answered the question completely. Two questions later, another reporter asks the exact same freakin' question.

Tony is learning from Pop by his reaction:

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/nba/nbacom/press_conf/pc08_parker_p234_nohsas_080511.asx

:lmao

[T Park]

:lol

I already answered that sorry :lol

[spurscenter]

Pop is very nice if you don't ask stupid questions. He just doesn't have a lot of patience with people who a) don't listen b) don't have a clue.

He always starts his media sessions with some opening comments about the game. He gets infuriated when the sequence goes like this...

"I think we played a really good defensive second half. We kept the pressure on them. Bruce did a really good job denying Peja the ball. He got in space and pestered him .. that's what Bruce does. On offense, Manu and Tony stayed aggressive. I thought we got a little stagnant early in the game but the ball movement picked up in the second half."

First Question: "Can you tell me what you thought of Bruce's defense on Peja?"

pop is a great guy off and on the court

:lmao

It happens almost every single game. I don't know if the reporters don't listen to the opening comments because they are concentrating so hard on what they are going to ask or what.

[polandprzem]

I'm waiting for Pop to hit us with an epic one liner...something that will go down in the history books. A little "they are who we thought they were!" would be nice.

m_N1OjGhIFc

"...and we let 'em off the hook!"

:lmao:lmao:lmao :lol:lol:lol :lmao:lmao:lmao

[jmard5]

oh pop just doesnt have much patience with the media

I think he even hates those sidecourt interviews...

[GSH]

Pop is a teacher. He's managed to teach the local media to learn more about the game, and to think a little before they ask questions. The poor bastards from other cities, being deprived of a good coach to teach them things like that, continue to blunder along like lemmings.

When you think about it, it's an awful lot like what happens on the court.

[Spurminator]

Pop's between-quarters interview with the sideline reporter is the most uncomfortable 60 seconds on television.

[GSH]

Pop's between-quarters interview with the sideline reporter is the most uncomfortable 60 seconds on television.

The commentators are used to saying things like, "You're ahead going into the locker room... how does that feel?" Popovich doesn't accomodate laziness. When they know they are going to interview him, maybe they should spend less time in make-up and a little more time trying to figure out what really happened in the first half.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I think it's just a matter of time before Pop slaps a white wig on one of his assistant coaches and uses them as his stunt double with the media. Better yet, put Bonner to work.

[Spurminator]

The commentators are used to saying things like, "You're ahead going into the locker room... how does that feel?" Popovich doesn't accomodate laziness. When they know they are going to interview him, maybe they should spend less time in make-up and a little more time trying to figure out what really happened in the first half.


I think it has more to do with the fact that he thinks the sideline interviews are stupid (I agree with him). The questions aren't intended to be thought-provoking, they're just trying to get his thoughts at that point of the game.

It's not so much that the questions are lazy... the whole stupid concept is a lazy addition by producers who are bored with their jobs and think they have to somehow trick up the broadcast every year.

[RandomGuy]

What i will never understand is the quality of the questions they ask. These people act like they've been in the business for days instead of years. I could randomly pick 5 posters from this forum (other than SD21) who would ask questions that we all want to know and that Pop would be willing to answer.

They all seem so inept and their questions so redundant.

DID SOMEONE SAY "RANDOM"??!?!?!?

Spurstalk, it seems, like many forums/webpages, assigns numbers to people who register. These numbers are assigned sequentially, in ascending order. The lower the number, the earlier the person signed up.

You can see these numbers by clicking on the profile, and looking at the URL.
Mine for example is 1813 as seen below:

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=1813
or the clickable version:
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=1813

Kori, one of the founding members, is number 6

As of the time this jackoff registered this morning there were about 12,000 total users.
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=12154

So, to get five random posters from this board you need 5 numbers between 1 and 12154

Go to random.org/ (http://www.random.org/) (no affiliation) and, if you know what you are doing, you can get those numbers.


Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

9478
883
8153
1095
5253
Timestamp: 2008-05-12 21:06:20 UTC

So, all you have to do is stick those numbers into the profile URL, and you have 5 randomly selected people who are registered here.

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=883
DeJaVu, last activity: 08-23-2005 02:14 PM

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=1095
Twisted_Dawg, Last Activity: Today 03:57 PM

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=5253
zach0722pl, Last Activity: 06-10-2006 02:44 PM

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=8153
tru2ou, Last Activity: 04-23-2008 09:37 PM

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/member.php?u=9478
First Comic Sitting, Last Activity: 02-05-2008 12:11 PM

There you go, 5 randomly selected posters from Spurstalk.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

wow, i was one of the first 200 posters here

[phxspurfan]

random