Coach Pop's Mailbag

[romad_20]

I went with the serious approach, but I'm very interested in his answer (if he gets it)

Coach Pop,

This question is not exactly Spurs related, but as an Air Force veteran (former Forward Air Controller) I've always been interested in your AF background and your style of management and leadership. Just from seeing you coach all these years and how you conduct yourself, I would have loved to have served under you. I've heard you say on many occasions that you don't think you'd write a book. Is there any chance that you would reconsider or are you considering it once you are done with coaching?

Thanks

[FromWayDowntown]

Coach Pop,

When faced with criticism from those who've never come close to making the sorts of decisions that you must make on a regular basis, do you prefer: (a) trying to offer substantive rebuttals that will permit the questioner to understand your thought processes; (b) ignoring what was said, much as you must when coaching in a hostile arena; (c) remembering the silly criticism and laughing about the asinine comments over a nice bottle of wine with Tony and Timmy; or (d) confiding your doubts in your decision in confidence to your wife and Michael Finley?

[easjer]

You are killing me, FWD.

Dear Pop,

The hair. Let's discuss. It seems to me that you took a step in the right direction this season when you shaved the beard and lost the kind-grandfather look. However, I think that your hair is still too styled to really lead the Spurs where they need to go. In looking back to past championships and past seasons, it's obvious that there is a direct linkage to the shortness and military-style-cut of your hair and the toughness of the Spurs defense. Do you think your more styled look has led to a more flash-driven style of play and do you think cutting it to be less Hollywood will in fact make the Spurs a more tough-minded team?

[completely deck]

I went with the serious approach, but I'm very interested in his answer (if he gets it)

Coach Pop,

This question is not exactly Spurs related, but as an Air Force veteran (former Forward Air Controller) I've always been interested in your AF background and your style of management and leadership. Just from seeing you coach all these years and how you conduct yourself, I would have loved to have served under you. I've heard you say on many occasions that you don't think you'd write a book. Is there any chance that you would reconsider or are you considering it once you are done with coaching?

Thanks

I'd buy 5 copies

[dbestpro]

I'd buy 5 copies

Just curious why 5 copies when you can only read 1 at a time.

[raspsa]

Dear Pop:

Are you really quitting as coach when Timmy retires?

[senorglory]

Dear Pop,

If you don't bring back the lumberjack beard, this puppy we're holding gets it. You've got two weeks to show substantial growth. We are watching.

Anonymous.

[Phenomanul]

Dear Pop,

If you don't bring back the lumberjack beard, this puppy we're holding gets it. You've got two weeks to show substantial growth. We are watching.

Anonymous.

[spursdotcom]

The Mailbag is open. Send in your questions - http://www.nba.com/spurs/features/09...p_mailbag.html

[Chieflion]

Thanks, I sent in my question. I hope it deserves to be replied.

[Fabbs]

Coach Pop,

When faced with criticism from those who've never come close to making the sorts of decisions that you must make on a regular basis, do you prefer: (a) trying to offer substantive rebuttals that will permit the questioner to understand your thought processes; (b) ignoring what was said, much as you must when coaching in a hostile arena; (c) remembering the silly criticism and laughing about the asinine comments over a nice bottle of wine with Tony and Timmy; or (d) confiding your doubts in your decision in confidence to your wife and Michael Finley?

or a rewrite would be:

When faced with criticizm from those who must make much tougher decisions then you do on a daily basis and are not paid multi millions of dollars in having had the luxury of rolling out the practice balls to multiple HOFers anchored by Timmy Dunkar:

(a) good, the same
(b) ingnoring any and all sound strategy advice, as you have done in 3 of the last 4 playoffs. Much to the delight of the opponents coaching staffs.
(c) Respond to all legit criticism by being too arrogant to admit your faults and henceforth hiding yourself in bottles of wine.
(d) i cant tell here FromWayDowntown are you onboard that Pops overplaying time of Finley is insane or do you support Pops overplaying of FinleyBonner and is this more attempted wittiness?

[polandprzem]

The Mailbag is open. Send in your questions - http://www.nba.com/spurs/features/09...p_mailbag.html

and now what?

Will pop answer them on the internet or will some questions will be asked during the interview?



FIVE ONES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spursdotcom]

and now what?

Will pop answer them on the internet or will some questions will be asked during the interview?

Yes Pop will answer some of them. Here are last month's answers http://www.nba.com/spurs/features/pop_mailbag_0912.html

[Baseline]

Dear Pop,
Can we just pretend that Finley's ankle injury is career-ending? Can we, please?
Nobody would notice but you, anyway. Yeah, unfortunate, tragic, whatever, whatever. So we'll just go with "career-ending," okay?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Dear Pop, do you enjoy Australian wine? If so, what is your favourite region/winery?

[urunobili]

it's closed now... couldn't submit my question

Coach Pop:

While coaching a basketball team, can you tell us what the percentage is in between knowledge of the game and psychology or capacity to handle the group? (ex 50-50) Thanks for your availability

[spursdotcom]

The mailbag is open - http://www.nba.com/spurs/features/09...p_mailbag.html

[Big P]

uh oh

[Fabbs]

What research went into trading all those expirings for Jefferson and how's that working out?

Detroit just outrebounded the Spurs 49-32, yet Blair was on the bench most of the game. Why?

[Obstructed_View]

Got my questions in. My form is probably being deleted as we speak.

[DAF86]

Got my questions in. My form is probably being deleted as we speak.

What did you ask?

[phyzik]

Dear Pop,

I just wanted to commend you on your masterfull job with the team strategy this season. Your plan to incite rage from all Spurs fans is progressing quite nicely. although there are still a few that still trust in the "Old Pop". I have a plan to remedy this...

To further bring fourth mind numbing anger, I humbly suggest a starting linup that includes Ian Mahinmi at the point, Keith Bogans at center, Matt Bonner at shooting guard, Michael Finley at Power Forward and have Dujuan Blair as a second guard, but keep him out on the perimiter to keep the defense honest.

If that doesnt get them going, I dont know what will.

Regards,
Phyzik

[Obstructed_View]

What did you ask?

Basically the same things I've been asking here. How and whether smallball is related to being outrebounded, what Keith Bogans has shown Pop that he hasn't shown anyone else, why they don't have any centers when the Lakers are the benchmark of the league, why Duncan has to defend the paint by himself, and if they can return to basic basketball and turn the season around. Expect not to see any questions like that.

[lurker23]

My submission:

Do you think the team's inability to gel so far defensively has anything to do with Richard Jefferson's extended minutes at power forward, considering every observational and statistical measure shows the Spurs play better with two big men on the court?


I tried my best to keep it as neutral and civil as possible so maybe it has a minuscule chance of being answered, but I think I failed.


spursdotcom, you do a great job. I doubt you have any say in which questions Pop answers, but if he could be asked one civil and open question about small ball and/or his rotations, that would mean 100x more to Spurs fans than 1,000 questions about his favorite wine or his beard or his time at Pomona-Pitzer. Thank you.

[nkdlunch]

What research went into trading all those expirings for Jefferson and how's that working out?

We don't have a player by that name...

Detroit just outrebounded the Spurs 49-32, yet Blair was on the bench most of the game. Why?

He looked nice and comfortable sitting on the bench I said to myself, why bother him? next question