An Open Letter for Everyone Defending Pop

[dbestpro]

For those of you that are unsure, yes this is a parody.

[mavsluva]

Dear sticks,

I, along with a growing number of real Spurs fans on this site, am growing tired of your bull . By openly defending Pop of not being the problem on the Spurs and by extension insinuating that he be kept (hint: the only worse coach than Pop in the NBA right now is Kiki Vandeweghe and you might be better with him at that) will make this team perform better, you are either admitting your status as a moomoofan stick or have overdosed on the greatness of Tim Duncan and the four championships he has delivered to this team.

Many of us remember the days before this current Pop and see it as an improvement. Many of us remember what it was like to have a team whose rotations made sense, and one which the players believed in, including the years of the previous Pop with four championships. Three NBA franchises have more rings than the Spurs, and since you probably don't know who they are, it's the Celtics, Lakers and Michael Jordan. That's some pretty ing good company if you ask me that we should continue to enjoy. Going to the back of the pack is not acceptable for a true Spurs fan.

This team needs to play SFs at SF and their current big men next to Duncan to succeed. A new coach is needed if Pop can not return to form. If you believe otherwise, you must be shrooming.

MooMoo fan: A fan who will follow their team without question to the the slaughter.

True Fan: A fan who will follow their team and will question every move that does not result in a championship.

Your NBA playing, coaching and management experience: none
Popvich's experience: TONS!

Just because you watch each game and are able to make certain suggestions AFTER the game is played does not make you an NBA caliber decision maker. You are simply self smarted. You have to remember. Popovich makes his decisions BEFORE the game/play is carried out. You, on the other hand, simply criticize his plan AFTER it succeeds or fails. (most likely because it failed if you're criticizing it)

Truth is, if you were calling the shots, you'd be open to the same criticism as is any other coach for any sports team. And there's a better than average chance that you'd be called a dumbass just as often as you call Popvich a dumbass.

It's important to keep in mind that you're simply a spectator with NO NBA experience. Respect those that have the experience and enjoy the presentation. If you choose not to, then don't tune it.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Maybe you can coach the Spurs.

[dbestpro]

Your NBA playing, coaching and management experience: none
Popvich's experience: TONS!
Blah, blah, blah.

You must be new here. Look at the post prior to yours and you will be set free.

[Rummpd]

I know longer defend Pop. Pop goes the weasel - he has lost it.

[romsho]

His team was outrebounded 49-32, 16 of which were offensive, and Pop talked after the game about just not making shots...who the does he think is buying into his bull ? His ridiculous smallball lineup is the 800lb gorilla in the room-but no one in the media has the balls to question any of it. God forbid anyone question or discuss strategy with the resident genius. This is what really sucks about being a one sport city- Pop has a dictator like stranglehold on everything Spurs. He would never get away this in a major media market. His pompous, arrogant, I'm smarter than you act certainly played better when success followed. Now, he just looks like a senile head.

[ploto]

There are enough guys now for a support group--

Nazr
Rasho
Francisco
Kurt
Antonio
Theo

[J.T.]

For those of you that are unsure, yes this is a parody.

That you had to explain this means you failed. Good job.

[itzsoweezee]

There are enough guys now for a support group--

Nazr
Rasho
Francisco
Kurt
Antonio
Theo

you forgot Malik Rose

[taps]

you forgot Malik Rose

fo handled rose perfectly to the tune of three championships, malik may feel slighted but spur fans should be happy with the way our choices for him ended up (notwithstanding nazr walking)

[LongtimeSpursFan]

Top 5 Pop mistakes this year

Pop's been the guy that has steered the ship off course more than the injuries or anything else pertaining to the players.


Top 5 Popped screw ups

1. Not moving on a trade for Tyrus Thomas & John Salmson when they we're both available. TT/JS would have =

It takes two sides to make a trade. I seriously doubt Chicago would move Thomas and Salmons for anything we had.

2. Signing Bogans which torpedoed the more athletic and talented Hairston's role on the team.

Why are Spurs fans stuck on Hairston? Yeah he's athletic and great D-League player but he's not an impact NBA player. Have you seen him on the court? He is lost most of the time.

2. Playing regular minutes of small ball as a habit, instead of a situational tactic.

We only have two quality bigs...Duncan and Dice. Both of which Pop tries to limit their minutes. He is forced to play small ball because Ratliffe, Ian, and to some exent Bonner just cant get the job done. Small ball allows his best players on the court.

3. Constant tinkering with lineups and rotations. Roger Mason seemed to have gotten the worst of it ... his role/minutes have fluctuated all year long.

Probably your only valid argument. But I think the reason Pop does this is because he has failed to find any combination of players that can play well together. Bonner understand defensive schemes but struggle on offensive side of ball...ditto with Bogans. McDyess has stuggled on both offensive and defensive side of court. Blair shows some flashes of brilliance but also prone to rookie mistakes. Mason is inconsistent (I would like to see him back to starter minutes like last year). Jefferson is Jefferson. The only players he can count on right now are Tim, Tony, Manu and Hill (when they are healthy)

4. Dumb strategy of sitting Tim Duncan on B2B's .... took the spurs out of rhythym both times he tried it, which effectively ended their two best winning streaks of the year.

Tim needs to rest. I dont like it either but if Tim is not healthy for playoffs we have no chance of making any kind of run. Same with Tony and Manu. Although Manu seems to have fully recovered.

5. Using Michael Finley in the rotation.

Finley hasnt been a part of the rotation in months. BTW...as much as people hate Finley for getting minutes he understands Pop's system. Right now there are way too many guys that are having difficulty with schemes. There are several games that come to mind where Pop is yelling at players to their correct rotations before the opposing players even have the ball...McDyess, Jefferson and Blair are some examples. Pop rather have someone on the court that is making correct rotation and challenging shot than having players on court giving opposing players good looks. The Finley/Bonner combination was good enough for a 3rd place seed in the West.


I'm sure I could come up with more, but these are the main problems

Pop is not the problem. Although he is a much better defensive coach than offensive mind. That aspect of the Spurs needs to be addressed.
The problem in most part lies with the players. Their unwillingness or inability to understand the system, in addition to poor play in fourth quarters are hurting this team.

[erikuff]

Pop is not the problem. Although he is a much better defensive coach than offensive mind. That aspect of the Spurs needs to be addressed.
The problem in most part lies with the players. Their unwillingness or inability to understand the system, in addition to poor play in fourth quarters are hurting this team.

This and the quote is truth.
Though small ball is a pain in the ass to watch, pop's other gameplans are not as idiotic as you all make it to be.

[itzsoweezee]

This and the quote is truth.
Though small ball is a pain in the ass to watch, pop's other gameplans are not as idiotic as you all make it to be.

yes they are. and not only are they idiotic, they reek of desperation. 18 lineup changes. starting bonner again? starting small? it all points to popovich having absolutely no clue of what to do.

[Obstructed_View]

Yeah, I gotta say most of Pop's game plans here so far are demonstrably idiotic. Those that defend him don't really do it with anything other than emotion.

I don't know that he's any more an offensive mind than he is a defensive coach, at least in a basketball sense. In real life he's proving to be both.

[lennyalderette]

im with you guys on this, i love my spurs and it makes me furious when i know if he just played the right lineup we could be winning more games, im so disgusted i seriously cant watch them too much right now pop is making me sooo furious. he has changed and is a s of himself. he acts and carries himself as if its preseason all year!!!! who is this guy?? what in the is he doing with our team? ill say it fire him!!! replacehim with avery johnson or mike budenholzer as head coach with P.j carlis.. as assis coach theres the replacement!!!! are you happy and i know we would do better

[mingus]

Tony Parker hasn't been himself all year. he's not getting us baskets anywhere near as effeciently as he was last year

Bowen's toughness, leadership, and "glue" quality (aside from his elite defense) is a void that hasn't been filled by either RMJ, Hill, Bogans, or RJ. Bowen was the teams vocal leader, and he was 1/2 of the balls on the team, Manu being the other. this team might be the most talented of any spurs' teams but they're by far the softest.

these are two things that are more detrimental to the Spurs than anything Pop has done.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Dear sticks,

I, along with a growing number of real Spurs fans on this site, am growing tired of your bull . By openly defending Pop of not being the problem on the Spurs and by extension insinuating that he be kept (hint: the only worse coach than Pop in the NBA right now is Kiki Vandeweghe and you might be better with him at that) will make this team perform better, you are either admitting your status as a moomoofan stick or have overdosed on the greatness of Tim Duncan and the four championships he has delivered to this team.

Many of us remember the days before this current Pop and see it as an improvement. Many of us remember what it was like to have a team whose rotations made sense, and one which the players believed in, including the years of the previous Pop with four championships. Three NBA franchises have more rings than the Spurs, and since you probably don't know who they are, it's the Celtics, Lakers and Michael Jordan. That's some pretty ing good company if you ask me that we should continue to enjoy. Going to the back of the pack is not acceptable for a true Spurs fan.

This team needs to play SFs at SF and their current big men next to Duncan to succeed. A new coach is needed if Pop can not return to form. If you believe otherwise, you must be shrooming.

MooMoo fan: A fan who will follow their team without question to the the slaughter.

True Fan: A fan who will follow their team and will question every move that does not result in a championship.

...or maybe Pop is as baffled by this team's lack of success as the rest of us and he's trying every inconceivable thing under the sun to get them to click, but with no success - ergo, the players have a lot to answer for. That makes a lot more sense than Pop, who as you mention has 4 championship rings, suddenly forgetting how to coach.

Also, who are you going to replace him with? AJ? PJ? Really? You think these guys offer a better future chance of success than a 4-time NBA championship coach, who, might I add, is also 4-0? No frickin way.

Reactionary fan: see OP.

True fan: understands that what's on paper doesn't always pan out in reality, sometimes teams don't gell (especially with injuries and aging, declining players), and teams go through rebuilding cycles. We are entering one. Deal with it.

[Chieflion]

...or maybe Pop is as baffled by this team's lack of success as the rest of us and he's trying every inconceivable thing under the sun to get them to click, but with no success - ergo, the players have a lot to answer for. That makes a lot more sense than Pop, who as you mention has 4 championship rings, suddenly forgetting how to coach.

Also, who are you going to replace him with? AJ? PJ? Really? You think these guys offer a better future chance of success than a 4-time NBA championship coach, who, might I add, is also 4-0? No frickin way.

Reactionary fan: see OP.

True fan: understands that what's on paper doesn't always pan out in reality, sometimes teams don't gell (especially with injuries and aging, declining players), and teams go through rebuilding cycles. We are entering one. Deal with it.

Hey, read this thread, it gives you an idea why this thread was made.
http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147220

[dbestpro]

That you had to explain this means you failed. Good job.

Yes, I guess you're right. Sometimes, intellectual humor does not reach everyone.

[EmptyMan]

We need DRob's 3 pt shooting back.

[MrFundamental]

yes they are. and not only are they idiotic, they reek of desperation. 18 lineup changes. starting bonner again? starting small?

So who in the should he start? Starts Bonner (big) Spurs fans: "Rabble... rabble... rabble"

Doesn't start Bonner, goes small Spurs fans: "Rabble... rabble... rabble"

it all points to popovich having absolutely no clue of what to do.

Exactly, when your team woefully under-performs like this team has, it's no wonder he doesn't know what line-up might actually play worth a any given night.

[Obstructed_View]

So who in the should he start? Starts Bonner (big) Spurs fans: "Rabble... rabble... rabble"

Doesn't start Bonner, goes small Spurs fans: "Rabble... rabble... rabble"


Exactly, when your team woefully under-performs like this team has, it's no wonder he doesn't know what line-up might actually play worth a any given night.

Fail. The gripe on starting Bonner is because Bonner's a jump shooting role player who has little athletic ability and can't block shots or rebound. Bonner, Duncan and three guards is not a "big" lineup. When you see Bonner at small foward next to Duncan and Mahinmi then we can discuss big vs. small lineups.

[Chomag]

So who in the should he start? Starts Bonner (big) Spurs fans: "Rabble... rabble... rabble"

Doesn't start Bonner, goes small Spurs fans: "Rabble... rabble... rabble"


Exactly, when your team woefully under-performs like this team has, it's no wonder he doesn't know what line-up might actually play worth a any given night.

There are 3 other bigs that could start over Bonner in this order. Dice,Blair,Ian. SO don't tell me thart there are no other options other then bonner without going small.

(yes Blair is a big, but he just has to be matched up correctly. Not the whole only big out on the floor like Pop likes to use him)

[Brazil]

Fail. The gripe on starting Bonner is because Bonner's a jump shooting role player who has little athletic ability and can't block shots or rebound. Bonner, Duncan and three guards is not a "big" lineup. When you see Bonner at small foward next to Duncan and Mahinmi then we can discuss big vs. small lineups.

I was thinking the other day: how a parker hill bonner dice duncan would work ?

[MrFundamental]

There are 3 other bigs that could start over Bonner in this order. Dice,Blair,Ian. SO don't tell me thart there are no other options other then bonner without going small.

Out of the last 5 games, small ball once, Bonner started 2, and Dice started 2. , Dice has started more games then Bonner this month.

(yes Blair is a big, but he just has to be matched up correctly. Not the whole only big out on the floor like Pop likes to use him)

Blair is good, but he has to control his rookie mistakes and foul trouble if he wants to expect to be a starter.