Gregg Popovich sees ‘world’ differently

[LoneStarState'sPride]

When they got the 2005 one, right? They changed the first two, or was it before that?

Pretty sure it was the '05 one. Then they went back and changed the other two. This only started after Argentina won gold in '04.

[mingus]

with as good as European ball has been in the last decade or so and how much it's progressed, he's got a point. you can't just assume anymore that the NBA Champions are World champions. It's highly likely that they would beat any European team, though. technically, speaking he's right. i personally prefer NBA champions in this day and age now, but i think it's much ado about nothing. probably the hournalist asked Pop about it. i seriously doubt Pop just mentioned it out of nowhere just to be contrary.

[mingus]

i do think that back when Russell won all his rings and the US had the one and only real compe ive league, the "World Champions" le is correct. so i disagree w/ pop on that.

[DMX7]

World Champions=best team in the best league in the world. Wtf is so hard about that?

Can't agree with Pop on this one. The ing lakers are the world champions right now.

exactly.

[Buddy Holly]

Yeah pop you've stated before how ty our country is. Please keep reminding us.

WTF?

Do you have a sign on your back spelling out that you're one of those conservatives?

The one's that take any slight to the US no matter how little as some major " ty on our heads" put down.

[jmard5]

I think Ginobili pointed that out when Argentina won the world championships?

[Calavera]

Pop is right. Americans have some kind of "world" fetish, that`s why the rest of the world likes to make fun of them. If you are so ignorant to call your national tournament "World series" you deserve it.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Pop is right. Americans have some kind of "world" fetish, that`s why the rest of the world likes to make fun of them. If you are so ignorant to call your national tournament "World series" you deserve it.

Ignorance is acting like we can't call our champions what we choose when we invented the goddamn game in the first place.

[Bukefal]

“There are no world champions in the NBA, so anybody that has the flag up that says world champions is not correct,” said Popovich prior to last night’s 94-73 Spurs win. “It’s not appropriate.

“The world champions, I believe, are the Spanish team right now. USA is the Olympic champion. The Lakers are the NBA champion. It doesn’t make sense for an NBA team to call themselves world champions. I don’t remember anybody playing anybody outside our borders to get that tag. Isn’t that true? I keep waiting for somebody to tell me I’ve missed something.”

When someone mentioned Toronto, Pop said, “There’s a team in Canada. That’s true. The world’s bigger than North America. I know sometimes we as arrogant Americans don’t respond to the rest of the world, but it’s true. There’s a big world out there.”

Props for this Mr. Popovic!

[all_heart]

It seems Olympic champs is more "world" than the Spanish champs. Isn't that just the Euroleague? Olympic teams compete from all over the world..

[polandprzem]

it seems olympic champs is more "world" than the spanish champs. Isn't that just the euroleague? Olympic teams compete from all over the world..

tadam

[Brazil]

Ignorance is acting like we can't call our champions what we choose when we invented the goddamn game in the first place.

stupid post.

Pop is right, it shouldn't be a debate.

[WalterBenitez]

Hmmmm,

For this time only, I'd say I am completely agree with POP
(There's no World Champion in NBA and US' citizens are arrogant )

Well, I also remember him saying ARG's wine is one of the top's wine in the world, so POP could be called an smart guy.

[WalterBenitez]

It seems Olympic champs is more "world" than the Spanish champs. Isn't that just the Euroleague? Olympic teams compete from all over the world..

not sure what to say, Euroleague isn't the FIBA's World Cup, POP is mentioning FIBA's World Cup and Spanish is the Champion for a compe ion where almost 150 countries participate (OK, only 24 goes to FWC).

[urunobili]

I am with on this one...

Shame...

[bigfan]

This is another example of CIA Pop needling the opposition. Looks like it worked.

[disciple]

Spurs acually changed the banners from the world to the nba champions


As to me the comment is funny.
I wonder how Pop reacts when somebody will tell him that NBA stands for NATIONAL Basketball Association

It is "National" Basketball League, not International Basketball League. So Pop is right.

[smeagol]

Yeah pop you've stated before how ty our country is. Please keep reminding us.

How the do you conclude this from Pop's comments?

[Mel_13]

World Champions=best team in the best league in the world. Wtf is so hard about that?

Can't agree with Pop on this one. The ing lakers are the world champions right now.

No basketball fan outside of the United States would agree with this.

[smeagol]

Ignorance is acting like we can't call our champions what we choose when we invented the goddamn game in the first place.

Wasn't Naismith Canadian . . . ?

[smeagol]

with as good as European ball has been in the last decade or so and how much it's progressed, he's got a point. you can't just assume anymore that the NBA Champions are World champions. It's highly likely that they would beat any European team, though. technically, speaking he's right. i personally prefer NBA champions in this day and age now, but i think it's much ado about nothing. probably the hournalist asked Pop about it. i seriously doubt Pop just mentioned it out of nowhere just to be contrary.

This issue has nothing to do with the fact the NBA champions are better than the WC champions or the Olympic champions. It has to do with the fact the NBA is not a world tournament. Countries don't compete against each other. If the US competed with their NBA stars every four years in the WC, then they would prabably be the perennial World Champions (the US NT, that is, not an NBA team).

In order for an NBA team to be named "World Champs" they woulkd have to play against the champions of the other leagues (Europe, South AMerica, Asia, etc).

[GSH]

Okay... technically, Pop is right. But if you have to throw in the word "technically", there is a little more to the story.

FIBA has done everything they can to take over the game, and to declare themselves the world's "official" authority on basketball. The U.S. fields a team, but it's never the best team possible, by any means. The games are played under the ****ed-up FIBA rules, and presided over by the equally-****ed-up FIBA referees. Bottom line, it's a totally different game than what is played in the NBA. And many, if not most of the U.S. players treat the "World's" as exhibition games.

By Pop's logic, Tiger Woods isn't the best golfer in the world, because he has always played poorly in the Ryder Cup. The Ryder Cup was an exhibition match that the international players decided to take deadly serious. It's played by a different set of rules. The American fans are interested, but not rabid about it. And the American players aren't compensated, like they are for playing "real" golf. Winning or losing the Ryder Cup doesn't prove , and Tiger would rather spend an afternoon filming a commercial, and the rest of the weekend with a porn star.

For most NBA players, FIBA ball is exactly like the Ryder Cup. It's an honor to be chosen, and an interesting change of pace every couple of years. But hardly the end-all compe ion by which they define themselves or their careers.

Regardless of what Pop says, the Spaniards can't be the World Champions (in any meaningful sense, at least) until the drag themselves over here and play the NBA's best, under NBA rules and NBA refs - after playing an 82-game season. I'm not suggesting that FIBA teams don't have some very good players. Of course they do. But the depth of talent doesn't even approach the NBA. And their rules, and ridiculously short season simply do not provide the same kind of test as winning an NBA championship.

I'd like to see if Pop could look someone in the eyes and suggest that the Spanish team could actually play a bruising 82-game season, and then defeat the best that the NBA has to offer. I think he might dodge the question, or just be an ****, as he is prone to do in interviews. But I don't think he could answer "Yes" to that question and keep a straight face. And, until he can, his other comments will have to be "technically" correct. Which is to say - meaningless. It's like saying the Superbowl champions are not the World Champions of football, because "te ally" that name belongs to the winner of the World Cup. It's a different game.

[ForeignFan]

of course Pop is right - bloody arrogant americans!

PS: and I know what arrogant means, since I am French

[polandprzem]

It is "National" Basketball League, not International Basketball League. So Pop is right.

You got team from Canada and players from all over the world

[anakha]

Yeah pop you've stated before how ty our country is. Please keep reminding us.

Reactionary jingoist much?

Nice to see Tpark defending his homeland in the same way he defends the Spurs.