I have no problem with people that say Pop is great but much like things in life....nothing lasts forever. At some point....Pop will be gone and a new coach appointed. I think the time is now to make that move. Best coice overall would be Thibs...best choice available would have been Budenholzer. Texas Longhorn fans are mad as that they lost Muschamp only to hold onto Mack Brown as head coach for too long. Gators are on their way back...while Texas is on its way down. Same could happen with the Coach Bud and Coach Pop situation.
Except Pop is still an elite coach. When our best player is 37 years old and a majority of our team consists of role players or one-dimensional specialists, Pop can make it work. His "system" that is often talked about is pretty darn effective at generating good looks, and we were a top 3 defense this year. The squad was a free throw from winning the NBA championship. That tells me coaching is just fine
Valid point. I wish we could use Pop during the regular season, and then swap him out for Thibodeaux during the playoffs. We would probably win the championship.
Two sides to every coin though. Alot of variables opened the pathway to the Finals. Westbrook going down being the biggest.
How many les does Thib have as a head coach compared to Pop?
Westbrook doesn't do against the Spurs and gets destroyed by Parker regularly.
So I guess Spolestra is now better than Pop since he coached the Heat to 3 straight Finals appearances and back to back le...something Pop could never do? Ring totals are silly as validating a point. Trent Dilfer has a Super Bowl ring in the NFL...Dan Marino doesnt. Who is the better QB? Peyton Manning only has 1 ring...does he suck? Ect..............
By the same token weren't there additional variables to losing #5 than just Pop and his rotations? Namely TP getting hurt and playing poorly, Manu playing like my grandmother, etc?
Of course Pop isn't infallible and deserves a good amount of criticism for overthinking the end of Game 6. That said, I don't think there's too many coaches in the world that get last years team to the Finals.
I have to agree with you on this but it probably sounds too rational for others to agree. Like I said, even the very BEST make their share of mistakes, just not as many.
Thats why they won 60+ games and were the #1 seed in the West this year? And lets not forget the Lakers who lost their best player in Kobe before we played them in the 1st round. Variables like that were huge in us getting to the Finals.
Those are players.... Not a coach. Plus, he has never had a "superstar" come to SA. His system he made made Parksr and Ginobili and even Bowen stars.
We also won the season series against them. You know what other team swept two teams this year in the playoffs? None.
Don't mean to gang up on you but when the two examples for a viable alternative are Thibs (not available) and Bud (absolutely no way of knowing) that tells you Pop is a great coach. Nevermind that 90% of teams in the world would fire their current coach today if they could sign Pop. And that 90% number may be conservative.
Oh...so Pop wins all his les with the best Power Forward of All Time in his prime and hasnt won a le since and he's a great coach....but Spolestra wins les and its because of the talent. Give me a break. Pop wouldnt have 1 ring without Duncan. Phil wouldnt have 1 ring without Jordan or Shaq/Kobe.
I think every single team out side of the Bulls and Miami would fire their coach for Pop right now...doesnt mean its right or wrong just a fresh change. Like I was saying...Mack Brown could probably get just about any job in college football if he left Texas...but at Texas...its time for him to go.
LOL You couldn't be more wrong.
Two things:
1. this gravitation toward a Pop haters vs. Pop lovers accusation is not only stupid BS, but inanely juvenile, and
2. I seriously doubt the Pop critiques really believe their own posts because that would imply some pretty serious ignorance on their part.
Don't really see how 1999 and 2003 were all TD. Pop deserves credit for Avery Johnson, Stephen Jackson, Speedy Claxton, etc. Between his system and pushing the right buttons with those guys personally, he put them in a position to succeed. That coupled with TDs greatness allowed this franchise to win 2 rings with no legit 2nd superstar. There's a reason one incessantly gives credit to the other and vice versa.
Because they bring the goods all damn day son.
any team making a run involves a hint of luck. miami could have easily lost game 1, and the series against the pacers. you could say miami was lucky d-rose was out. you could say miami is lucky that ray allen made one of the most improbable 3's in nba finals history. miami is lucky the ginobili and kawhi missed free throws. as you said, there's a lot. pop's coaching maneuvers that he's being criticized for against miami is what worked well against the warriors in both our game 1 comeback and our game 6 seal deal
The value of a coach is when you're up 5 with 28 sec to go. Talent takes you as far as you will go. Good coaching seals the deal.
The issue I have with Pop is his embracing defense first gets him all the way to a 2-1 Finals series lead and then he abandons it. At least lose with your principles. His last minute panicking hasn't ever worked.
Actually, FTs seal the deal. Been that way forever.
How many rings would Pop have without Tim Duncan? Tim Duncan is the main reason why the FO looks better than what they really are. Tim Duncan is the reason why Pop is overrated at times. Tim Duncan's resurgence these past two years is why we have gotten back to being championship contenders. Tim Duncan's defense this year is the main reason why we were one of the top 3 defensive teams in the NBA. Tim Duncan is the main reason why we almost won Game 6 (just look at his stats for that game) but Pop and Manu had to it all up. Pop, TP, and Manu are complements to Tim Duncan's greatness.
I guess I can start including Kawhi Leonard into the conversation as well. Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard were the best performers for Games 6&7. Just remember that Tim Duncan is the heart and soul of this team.
Stop acting like Stephen A Smith... "Kobe Bryant has 5 rings." Rings are a stupid argument to define a coach or player's greatness. Championships are team accomplishments. Like Bruce Blitz says, "Ring counting is for idiots."
Stop embarrassing yourself.
Last edited by TheGreatYacht; 07-19-2013 at 10:11 PM.
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