Spurs Mailbag: Coach Pop Answers Your Questions

Spurs Mailbag: Coach Pop Answers Your Questions

Coach Pop's answers your questions during this inaugural edition of Coach Pop's Mailbag.

Ahmet
Location: Turkey
Question: Hi Mr. Popovich. What do you think about Spurs' NBA title chance this season?

Gregg Popovich: I think we’re one of about six or seven teams that has an opportunity to win a championship. It’s a very difficult accomplishment and dependent on many, many factors. For us at the moment, we have to become a much more consistent basketball team and integrate a lot of new players into the system for us to be the last team standing.



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Luis Montoto
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Question: Coach, what is it about the Spurs' system that takes new players so long to learn? It would seem to me that the learning curve for a pro would be fairly quick.
Pop: Well sometimes I think that’s overplayed. Players who are new to a system do pick it up a little more quickly than people think. It’s just that if you’re a team that has been at a championship level, it takes a lot longer for people to find their place, because that team is already successful and to understand where you fit in takes a little bit longer.



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Matt Reedy
Location: San Antonio, TX
Question: What is your thought process when you see a player who is obviously struggling offensively? Do you leave him on the floor hoping he will work through the "slump" or do you replace him with another player who might be able to score more easily? Is there a threshold at which you make that decision?
Pop: That’s a subjective decision. You don’t want to destroy a player’s confidence by pulling them out when they’re missing shots or not playing well, but at the same time winning the basketball game is important also, so it’s always a thin line to walk, but that’s where relationships come in, where communication comes in, so a player always understands why you’re doing what you’re doing.



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Thomas Mauro
Location: Edgewood, WA
Question: Hi was wondering if you plan on staying in the NBA after Tim Duncan retires? If so will you stay with the Spurs? Go Spurs Go!
Pop: (Laughs) I’ve always made a joke about the fact that Tim’s contract and my contract have always coincided as far as length, and it’s served as a real good joke. In all honesty I have no idea how long I want to keep doing it, but Timmy’s situation won’t be the factor that will make me retire or continue to coach.



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< Brad Phillips
Location: Austin, TX
Question: Hey Pop, You like wine. Maybe you can help me out on this one. I was not a huge white wine drinker until I discovered LaFond's 2005 Chardonnay (Santa Rita Hills)--the balance, depth and price ratio were in perfect balance. The problem is that I drank it all. All of it. Any suggestions on a comparative domestic replacement for under $20?
Pop: (Laughs) Well I don’t want to get myself in trouble by picking one winery over another, he’ll need to figure that out on his own, but I would tell him to go to a good wine purveyor and describe what qualities he liked about the wine he as drinking and they ought to be able to match it up pretty well for him.



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Rachel Gray
Location: Arcadia, CA
Question: Hi Pop! Good to see you taking questions. I have the impression the team has changed more than usual this year, not just because of the number of new guys but because some of the new guys (McDyess, Jefferson) are pretty big impact players. Has it been any trickier than usual to figure out the best lineups and substitutions?
Pop: Well you're correct; 53% of the bodies are new and 60% of the starting lineup is new, but we have more players who are going to make a quick impact than usual, and that demands more time to see how they’re going to fit with Tony, Manu and Tim.



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Sehaj B
Location: Old Bridge
Question: George Hill, as we all can see is progressing really well. Do you see him as a future all star in the NBA? I know he still has a lot to learn, but what do you think about the Parker/Hill backcourt?
<Pop: Well I don’t know what accolades are in George Hill’s future, but I do know he’s a vastly improved player, he’s doing a great job for us, and we’ve already used him on the court quite a bit with Tony Parker, and I like the combination and it will continue.



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Ryan Hernandez
Location: San Angelo, Texas
Question: What happened to the beard?!?!?
Pop: Well I just got tired of it. Trim it, cut it, look at it, trim it again, look at it, trim it again, I was too lazy to keep it.



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Cory Bellamy
Location: Northwest San Antonio
Question: At what point did being a professional basketball coach become a real goal for you, and what sacrifices did you have to make to get there?
Pop: I never thought about it, I always wanted to do other things, both in civilian life and in the military. Like many of us in life, circumstances arise that lead us in a different direction, and when I became acquainted on a more personal level with Larry Brown and he asked me to come as an assistant and leave Division III collegiate basketball, that’s when it first hit me that it was a different career, that the NBA was a very different career than a collegiate career and I found that I liked it. So from that time on, being an NBA coach was something that I wanted to do.

http://www.nba.com/spurs/features/pop_mailbag_0912.html

Pop was anything but CIA in this mailbag....

His answers seemed pretty genuine and open...

:tu great read.

awesome read! as always thanks.

This can't be good for the local Spurs reporters..this mailbag was more interesting than anything I've ever read from them..

nobody asked questions about Ian or hairston lol

So is this a regular thing now?..I guess I should submit some questions..

I bet Fabbs has been sending them non-stop..

Wow, Pop was very candid in his mailbag answers. Honestly did not expect that from him. Good read!

lol also was expecting yes.........no...........and akward stares lol

He said he will continue to coach after Timmy retires, huh? Well, that's great.

Very good read. Only CIA Pop was the wine part, which interested me the least. If he still thinks they have a chance, why wouldn't I/we?

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

This can't be good for the local Spurs reporters..this mailbag was more interesting than anything I've ever read from them..

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:lolHAHA :toast

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Originally Posted by HarlemHeat37

This can't be good for the local Spurs reporters..this mailbag was more interesting than anything I've ever read from them..

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yeah it's funny that we get media folk who ask stupid questions and then we actually get this and there's substance from the non-media people.

Coach Pop has answered that the system is actually easier than some people think it is. Where did he get the idea that the team was a championship calibre team last year though?

Nice honest answers. My bet is he doesn't retire after Duncan retires.

He still hasn't disclosed the true nature of his relationship with Michael Finley!!!!

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Originally Posted by FromWayDowntown

He still hasn't disclosed the true nature of his relationship with Michael Finley!!!!

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No one dares to ask that question.

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Originally Posted by Chieflion

Coach Pop has answered that the system is actually easier than some people think it is. Where did he get the idea that the team was a championship calibre team last year though?

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Without injuries to be the Big 3 it might have been.

Great read!

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Originally Posted by Pop

I’ve always made a joke about the fact that Tim’s contract and my contract have always coincided as far as length, and it’s served as a real good joke. In all honesty I have no idea how long I want to keep doing it, but Timmy’s situation won’t be the factor that will make me retire or continue to coach.

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This took me a bit by surprise. But I like it.

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Originally Posted by RuffnReadyOzStyle

Without injuries to be the Big 3 it might have been.

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To be a championship calibre team, you must be in a discussion whereby you are one of the tier 1 teams in the league, cause last year, it was LA and no one else in the West. I would say we had an outside shot at the championship before inuries happened and Manu......

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Originally Posted by RuffnReadyOzStyle

Without injuries to be the Big 3 it might have been.

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We have over 15 rings within our players and Pop. It shouldn't be a question that we are contenders as long as Timmy, Manu, Tony and Pop are around.

With Finley home with the ankle injury, are you having T_Park oil you two up more often or less often?

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Originally Posted by Spursmania

Nice honest answers. My bet is he doesn't retire after Duncan retires.

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Are odds being given?

The sad thing here is that fans are able to ask more interesting questions than the entirety of the SA sports journalism sect. I'd like to see someone challenge pop's strategy/gameplan instead of constantly kowtowing to him, but I'm assuming those questions don't make it through the screening process.

Surprisingly good read, and no mysterious shit from Pop is always a surprise lol

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Originally Posted by Chieflion

To be a championship calibre team, you must be in a discussion whereby you are one of the tier 1 teams in the league, cause last year, it was LA and no one else in the West. I would say we had an outside shot at the championship before inuries happened and Manu......

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Additionally, why would it be more difficult and take more time for a player to fit into a **system** that had Championship players intact!

Pop: Well sometimes I think that’s overplayed. Players who are new to a system do pick it up a little more quickly than people think. It’s just that if you’re a team that has been at a championship level, it takes a lot longer for people to find their place, because that team is already successful and to understand where you fit in takes a little bit longer.

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Originally Posted by Fabbs

Additionally, why would it be more difficult and take more time for a player to fit into a **system** that had Championship players intact!

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Did you submit any questions?

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Originally Posted by Spurs Brazil

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Matt Reedy
Location: San Antonio, TX
Question: What is your thought process when you see a player who is obviously struggling offensively? Do you leave him on the floor hoping he will work through the "slump" or do you replace him with another player who might be able to score more easily? Is there a threshold at which you make that decision?
Pop: That’s a subjective decision. You don’t want to destroy a player’s confidence by pulling them out when they’re missing shots or not playing well, but at the same time winning the basketball game is important also, so it’s always a thin line to walk, but that’s where relationships come in, where communication comes in, so a player always understands why you’re doing what you’re doing.

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This was the most interested question for me

I think this is something we as fans do not understand at all (not saying all of you). Guess that is why he is the coach and we are not

Good stuff. Will have to send him a question about the mythical "Derrick McKey" player that he so coveted a couple of years ago.

I'm quite sure he was flooded with questions about his relationship with Finley and Bonner in regards to why they get so much playing time, he just refused to answer them. :lol

Good on him, I say. Those are the questions that would get the awkward stare down.

Good post.

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Originally Posted by phyzik

I'm quite sure he was flooded with questions about his relationship with Finley and Bonner in regards to why they get so much playing time, he just refused to answer them. :lol

Good on him, I say. Those are the questions that would get the awkward stare down.

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And that is "Good on him" because of why?

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Originally Posted by z0sa

Did you submit any questions?

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Were i to have any confidence that he would answer any strategic questions sincerely I would.

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Originally Posted by Fabbs

Were i to have any confidence that he would answer any strategic questions sincerely I would.

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So you didn't submit any questions.

Why complain and ask questions here but not when the actual chance arises?

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Originally Posted by z0sa

So you didn't submit any questions.

Why complain and ask questions here but not when the actual chance arises?

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Fine, I'll submit some questions and let you know when CIA Dodgeball doesn't respond.

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Gregg Popovich: I think we’re one of about six or seven teams that has an opportunity to win a championship. It’s a very difficult accomplishment and dependent on many, many factors. For us at the moment, we have to become a much more consistent basketball team and integrate a lot of new players into the system for us to be the last team standing.

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Is he serious ?