I know last night's game has been analyzed and over-analyzed to death...
But then CIA Pop came to mind....could last night's performance been purposefully designed??? I myself highly doubt it and readily accept the fact that it was a bad game...end of story (life will continue). Not to mention the Sonics played exceedingly well and aggresively on both ends of the court... something the Spurs, Manu being the exception, did not.
Pop probably doesn't like receiving too much national attention so early in the season... and so.... if you think about the oddness of Tim's performance last night could they have been in cahoots...?? Tim was mis-timing most of his rebounds, fumbling the ball in "his favorite" spot - the left elbow, and letting the likes of Fortson, Evans and James get the best of him....I mean he was playing like it was his first NBA game -- as a 6'-11'' 4th grader....
Could Pop have told Tim not to bring his "A" game so that the outcome would motivate the team to continue to work on their game and to not assume that the games will be handed to them simply by bringing their "B" game.... I mean it was the Sonics, someone we know we don't have to fear... or worse... let them think they have an edge over us (that optimistic mentality is dangerous enough in the playoffs... but since no one sees the Sonics making the playoffs... and it's early in the season... why not make a point now and ensure that your players continue to work and develop their skills.)
Pop knows, like Jackson did with the Lakers, that these sort of teams will drop their intensity because they feel that "when they want to win... they can turn 'it' on." Pop wants them bringing their "A" game to every game...period... no letting down. Just to drive the point home he gives his mid-season "the team was soft" speech -- as described by the Whott post. He further embellishes his crafty design by stating to the national media that his team has been playing with arrogance....
I tell you one thing... the Warriors need to watch out because every Spur will bring their "A" game on Wednesday (Tim will miraculously be himself again)... that is until they start to feel they are the league's shiznit once again.... and Pop has to design another 'failure' (i.e. wakeup-call) to get them working hard again.
Don't take this as a shot to Pop's integrity... look at it more from the perspective that he is doing what it takes in order to guarantee that his team will work -- and gel --- throughout the season.
Last edited by hegamboa; 11-09-2004 at 03:33 PM.
The CIA pop is fresh, I always knew Pop was not like any other coach, And to be honest that is a good thing, I think His CIA skills come to play when it's about trades or his relationship with Rose. I like the CIA pop topics keep them coming,
And remember pop has a plan.....It may not work ,but he has one...
when has cuban's plan or don nelson plan ever worked?
Again, I don't actually believe this... but for those that believe in CIA Pop's antics.... this would certainly seem to fit the mold....
Last year game One semi finals........
One more thing...and it adds to the craftiness of the design. It was essential that only Duncan and Pop know about the planning of "Tim's lack of effort." Because Pop also wants to know how his team would react to the ***whooping during the game... meaning could Parker raise his game up a notch...? Would Ginobili allow his team to fall or would he take it upon himself to lift the Spurs (ala Nov-6 2003)? Would any of the other role players bring it? Would Rasho let the Sonics' domination of Tim affect their interaction with him? All interesting questions...
I don't, however, think that Pop could have designed Evan's fortuitous bank shot or Collison's "throw it up at the buzzer" prayer... That's more attributed to the Sonic's gain of self-confidence in seeing their domination over the "hyped" Spurs...
you're high.
hey this could be something, if all he wants is some motivation for his team, yeah i can see him throwing a pretty pointless game, i think he is concerned at the points we have been giving up...
No personal shot to you but coming from someone whose avatar line is "I start Sheyitt" what I've written is not completely out of the realm of possibilities.....
There would be no reason to throw a game.
Risk > Reward
Not only do you take a L that may be important later, but if it gets out it's somebody's ass.
No reason at all to do it.
If Pop could go 82 and 0, then he would, for you to act like this is the WWF, is totally crazy and I think you are high.
I completely understand.... but being this early in the season 79 games are still within your control to be won or lost.... As far as throwing the game, and though different, the situation is not that dissimilar from benching your starters at the end of the season once the team has already secured a playoff berth (and the positioning is set). You throw in the reserves and let them develop some sort of continuity before the playoffs while you rest your starters.... I know it is a completely different cir stance, but it goes to show that the coach can in fact accept a loss by contributing to it's "failure" (i.e. not playing his best players).
Again, I don't actually believe it... and yet the notion is not completely implausible.....
That being said, I don't think a 70 game win season is completely out of the question... The west is going to be real tough on the road though.
I don't think that Pop wanted to lose on purpose, but he LOVES early season losses. It's a strategy that he learned from Larry Brown. If you lose early in the season, the team will be humbled. Then at that point, the team is more receptive to learning in practice.
If a team just wins the whole season, they can get lazy and fall in the playoffs. The idea is to start slow and then build up so that you peak in the playoffs. If you'd remember, the Pistons had a pretty significant losing streak at a point last season. That's the type of thing LB and Pop love.
Now this Spurs team is probably too good to go on any extended losing streaks, so Pop decided to use his "soft" speech right away.
I think you've nailed it... right on the head...
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
