Pop's Mistake

Pop is an absolute genius when it comes to Xs and Os. He is a good with people because he is a straight shooter and because of that veterans love him. He is, however, an average coach at best when it comes to rotations, half time adjustments, and time out management. He also has trouble sticking to what is working. He always seems to flutter away to try something else. Point in case the defense found itself last night by doubling the shooters. It caused various turn overs and poor shots by Portland. So what happens in crunch time? Straight up man to man.

Pop has also had a hard time with young players. Pop would have benefited bei8ng enlisted in the military instead of just being officer. The colonel barks his orders and expects them to be followed no questions asked. That's Pop. He could do with a litter sergeant who makes the same orders but then teaches the whole way to make sure that the private can accomplish the mission. That is not Pop.

I also despise the fact that he will never take responsibility for bad decisions. It's a bad statement for the kids.

So I guess the question I am left with is has Pop always been this bad of a coach as he is this year and the team won in spite of his quirkiness or is their something wrong with Pop. Maybe he is starting to exhibit a little OBS (organic brain syndrome - old mind.)

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Originally Posted by dbestpro

Pop is an absolute genius when it comes to Xs and Os.

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Disagree, I think he's had others on staff that we're much better, like PJ. Not that I am suggesting he be fired, I just think the overall decision-making has been suspect for some time now.

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Originally Posted by dbestpro

He is a good with people because he is a straight shooter and because of that veterans love him.

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Agree, this IMO is his greatest strength. If there's anything I'd put the "genius" label on it would be his ability to manage personalities and keep issues, for the most part, in-house.

I just think he needs to stop treating the regular season like it's an extension of the preseason, and get the personnel in to win some games.

Pop's mistake, and R.C's too for that matter, is for foolishly trying to patch/repair this beat-up old car. It was foolish of them to think that this beat-up old heap could make it through another long road trip. At some point, you have to stop trying to fix it up and break down and purchase a new car.

Pop is insane!

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Originally Posted by toki9

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ile-spurs-wilt

Parker watches while Spurs wilt
February, 5, 2010

By John Hollinger



Until the fourth quarter, that is, when a 76-66 San Antonio lead wilted under Portland's defensive pressure and clutch shooting by Martell Webster, who made all five of his 3-point attempts. LaMarcus Aldridge had a breakout game with 28 points and 12 rebounds to help the undermanned Blazers rally.

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The Spurs have always had a way of making otherwise pedestrian players look like future HoF'ers...... happens nearly every damn game. My bet is that Webster and Aldridge combine for 7 out of 20 in their next game.

But it's kinda fitting though. Other teams have someone or a few someones who step up for a game. We simply don't have anyone on our roster who is doing that, especially in the fourth. Sickening.

Watching it live (at 6.30AM in Paris), it looked like it was a matter of pride/ego, more that a tactical decision to me...

It was like : "I know I supposed to call a timeout, I know you're all waiting for it, but I'm not like everybody, I'm a genius..."

I really don't get it, I mean, the lack of timeouts we had left is not a good enough reason for not calling one at that momment, not only to put Parker bck in the game, but also to cut the momentum...

It's the first time I really start losing trust in Pop, he looks really nervous all game long, overreacting to a lot of plays...

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Originally Posted by Pauleta14

Watching it live (at 6.30AM in Paris), it looked like it was a matter of pride/ego, more that a tactical decision to me...

It was like : "I know I supposed to call a timeout, I know you're all waiting for it, but I'm not like everybody, I'm a genius..."

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Yep, that's my perception, and not just from this game.
Like I've said in other post, it's Pop that needs to "get over himself".

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Originally Posted by dbestpro

Pop is an absolute genius when it comes to Xs and Os. He is a good with people because he is a straight shooter and because of that veterans love him. He is, however, an average coach at best when it comes to rotations, half time adjustments, and time out management. He also has trouble sticking to what is working. He always seems to flutter away to try something else. Point in case the defense found itself last night by doubling the shooters. It caused various turn overs and poor shots by Portland. So what happens in crunch time? Straight up man to man.

Pop has also had a hard time with young players. Pop would have benefited bei8ng enlisted in the military instead of just being officer. The colonel barks his orders and expects them to be followed no questions asked. That's Pop. He could do with a litter sergeant who makes the same orders but then teaches the whole way to make sure that the private can accomplish the mission. That is not Pop.

I also despise the fact that he will never take responsibility for bad decisions. It's a bad statement for the kids.

So I guess the question I am left with is has Pop always been this bad of a coach as he is this year and the team won in spite of his quirkiness or is their something wrong with Pop. Maybe he is starting to exhibit a little OBS (organic brain syndrome - old mind.)

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While i agree with most of your post some parts i do find at least a tad bit pointing in the wrong direction with regards to blame...

1st-POP is a great coach when coming out of time outs- probably top 2-3 coauchs in the league..

2nd- is Blame duncan for not being able to hold on to the ball, he looses the ball alot cause he brings it down to where the migits can get it...

3rd-There primeter defense just plain sucks and its not going to change with this current roster....there are no defensive minded players under the age of 30 on the floor.. Ecept for GHILL.....

4th-How unfairly it might be to say it, i'm going to any way, RJ and McDyess simply suck, if it wasnt for McDyess's jumpshot he would not even being playin in the games...His defense is MIA... RJ is a walking blind man on the courst missing rotations & building extra practice facilties for the opposing teams with his bricks he throws up.... I would like to truely find something to say he is doing well but, i cant find a single thing he is doing well...

Face it guy anf gals the spurs of old are no more......Look at Ginobs bald spot man its gettign bigger as the season comes to a close... HD you got too get it...

P.S. someone whisper in JR's ear and tell teh man to Shave that god
awful attempt at a "gotee"(spelling error im sure)...

Pop looked like a nervous wreck last night.

At first I thought it was an Albert Einstein genius guise, then I summed it to be a disgruntled coach searching for answers.

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

Pop's mistake, and R.C's too for that matter, is for foolishly trying to patch/repair this beat-up old car. It was foolish of them to think that this beat-up old heap could make it through another long road trip. At some point, you have to stop trying to fix it up and break down and purchase a new car.

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I agree with this somewhat, eventually you do need to get a new car, but I still think this year they could have gotten the clunker to run.

It's just that some of the used parts they spent too much money for, and either they don't fit or they're not installed right. I still think there's time to get these working correctly.

They also have some shiny new parts sitting on a workbench in the garage that they have no idea how to install and use. Unfortunately, I think they'll trade these for some more old parts at the Pick-and-Pull within the next two weeks.

The problem is Pop doesn't know when to call a timeout. It is his game management that is suspect.

The perimeter defense sucks because there seems to be no game plan other than straight man to man. We use to crowd the shooters and force they to drive into our bigs. We have no bigs when Pop constantly goes with small ball. The perimeter defender has to lag off to help cover the rim thus all the open jump shots. If the one big on the floor makes a play then there still is no one to cover the put back.

Yes, I agree right now RJ sucks. The team sucks. I feel that the problem remains with Pop trying to play players outside of their comfort zone. If Tony was only allowed to shoot three pointers how long would it be before we all started calling him a dog. Pop needs to let RJ play SF and allow him to play where he can succeed. His confidence has to be shot trying to keep up with the Tinkermeister Pop.

I still believe that the players can play championship level ball, but they need championship level coaching.

I agree with the OP. On the other hand, I have to give props to Pop for sticking his head out of his ass when it comes to Blair. He's been handing the most minutes to him since the Sacto game, and that was a welcome view.

Pop playing Blair is a no brainer. Pop would be run out of town if Blair found the bench like Mahinmi.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

I agree with the OP. On the other hand, I have to give props to Pop for sticking his head out of his ass when it comes to Blair. He's been handing the most minutes to him since the Sacto game, and that was a welcome view.

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I was getting concerned when bonner was comming in before him but in the last game or so it looks like he is the first big off the bench again which is a wise choice imo.

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Originally Posted by Old School 44

Pop playing Blair is a no brainer. Pop would be run out of town if Blair found the bench like Mahinmi.

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That's what we were saying about Hill last season... yet Finley was getting the minutes. So, I definitely have to give Pop props for sticking with the rook this season.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

That's what we were saying about Hill last season... yet Finley was getting the minutes. So, I definitely have to give Pop props for sticking with the rook this season.

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Hill was still playing decent minutes at this point last season. It wasn't until Manu's final injury that Hill finally got relegated to the bench with Mason taking his minutes full-time.

I'm just saying, don't give Pop that much credit. He hasn't done anything out of the ordinary concerning Blair. Pop playing Hill halfway through that playoff series was an absolute miracle, actually.

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Originally Posted by ElNono

That's what we were saying about Hill last season... yet Finley was getting the minutes. So, I definitely have to give Pop props for sticking with the rook this season.

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True, but IMO Blair's production has been much better and more consistent than Hill's at the same point in his career last year.

And on the flipside if Pop called that timeout and the game still went down to the wire; we'd be one timeout short to move the ball up the court.

Coulda/shoulda/woulda is good and all; but the problem definitely lied in the players more than anyone else. I liked Pop's actions especially when he got incredibly fired up against Jefferson earlier in the game.

The Spurs aren't going to win very many games if they can't hit the 3 and they allow the other team to do so. That one play where Webster was Bruce Bowen-open and Pop yelling at McDyess to cover him summed up why we lost.

Still a pretty close game; hopefully this only adds more fuel to the Spurs fire.

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Originally Posted by Old School 44

Pop playing Blair is a no brainer. Pop would be run out of town if Blair found the bench like Mahinmi.

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It's amazing how some clubs can still find time for young players, during the course of the game. With all the young talent and depth the Blazers already have, they still found some court time for rookies Dante Cunningham & Jeff Pendergraph.

Obviously, the team scenarios are different because the Blazers do not have a veteran-laden team like the Spurs. However, unlike the Spurs, the Blazers seem to understand that the only way for young players to become regular contributors is to PLAY them.

How good would Ian look on the Blazers team? Think he'd be "riding the pine" there? I doubt it.

Before that - not calling a timeout after the blazers took the lead on the 4th quarter, I was for Pop to publicly cane all the players in the court and bench. But then I realized that if Pop called a time out everytime the Spurs lose the lead, he would run out of time outs in the first 5 mins of each half.

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

It's amazing how some clubs can still find time for young players, during the course of the game. With all the young talent and depth the Blazers already have, they still found some court time for rookies Dante Cunningham & Jeff Pendergraph.

Obviously, the team scenarios are different because the Blazers do not have a veteran-laden team like the Spurs. However, unlike the Spurs, the Blazers seem to understand that the only way for young players to become regular contributors is to PLAY them.

How good would Ian look on the Blazers team? Think he'd be "riding the pine" there? I doubt it.

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Amen!

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Originally Posted by Cane

And on the flipside if Pop called that timeout and the game still went down to the wire; we'd be one timeout short to move the ball up the court.

Coulda/shoulda/woulda is good and all; but the problem definitely lied in the players more than anyone else. I liked Pop's actions especially when he got incredibly fired up against Jefferson earlier in the game.

The Spurs aren't going to win very many games if they can't hit the 3 and they allow the other team to do so. That one play where Webster was Bruce Bowen-open and Pop yelling at McDyess to cover him summed up why we lost.

Still a pretty close game; hopefully this only adds more fuel to the Spurs fire.

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I could not disagree with you more. Take any job in the country. Ask the employee to continually do jobs that they are not good at and you will have a crappy product. This is what Pop is doing with his players. There is no need to complain about one player not doing his best until Pop starts putting them in the positions where they are most likely to succeed.

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

It's amazing how some clubs can still find time for young players, during the course of the game. With all the young talent and depth the Blazers already have, they still found some court time for rookies Dante Cunningham & Jeff Pendergraph.

Obviously, the team scenarios are different because the Blazers do not have a veteran-laden team like the Spurs. However, unlike the Spurs, the Blazers seem to understand that the only way for young players to become regular contributors is to PLAY them.

How good would Ian look on the Blazers team? Think he'd be "riding the pine" there? I doubt it.

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exactly. we had a lineup of ALL sub-6-7 guys on the floor for huge periods of time...the blazers are one of the tallest teams and have length and youth...so Pop puts out there 3 guards, a 2/3 at the 4, and a 6-7 center.

meanwhile ratliff and ian continue to watch uselessly from the bench.

the best part, is to hear the announcers trying hard to rationalize what pop is doing...hahahaha

lol midget spurs

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Originally Posted by SenorSpur

It's amazing how some clubs can still find time for young players, during the course of the game. With all the young talent and depth the Blazers already have, they still found some court time for rookies Dante Cunningham & Jeff Pendergraph.

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Cunningham and Pendergraph only started playing after Oden and Przybilla saw their knees explode.