Reply With Quote
Who gives a crap about what Popovich thinks.
'World' championship bugs Popovich
By Mike Monroe
The subject was defense, Gregg Popovich's favorite topic when it comes to basketball.
Or is it?
On a night when nationalism took center stage in America, Popovich segued from the importance of defense to NBA championship teams to the arrogance of calling the NBA le the world championship.
“The Celtics,” Popovich said, “were a great defensive team last year; Detroit was a great defender when they won it. When we've won, we've been first or second or third in all those defensive categories, and Miami was the same when they won it.
“If you're going to get an NBA championship, that's where you've got to go.”
Then, Popovich got on a rant about the importance of international compe ion.
“Notice,” he said, “I didn't say world championship. There's no such thing for these teams, although many haven't figured that out yet.
“Did any of us who won a championship play anybody in Spain or Russia or Italy, or any other country, other than the United States?
“I don't know why it's called the (baseball) World Series, and I don't know why they call (the NBA le) the World Championship. I never have gotten it. I still don't get it, but people continue to do it. One would think either stubbornness, or hubris, or something like that had something to do with it. But in these days, when things are so obvious, it's remarkable to me that people still can't figure that out.”
Stacked up: Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged he is having a problem finding playing time for veteran Jerry Stackhouse, now in his 14th season.
Stackhouse didn't play at all in the Mavericks' loss to the Cavaliers on Monday night.
“He's a pro, and he's still a darn good player,” Carlisle said before Tuesday's game. “In an effort to sort things out, he gets a DNP last night. It's tough, and it's tough for me, too. But he and I talked about this a couple days ago. He's going to do the right thing for the team. He could very well be back in there tonight. He knows he's going to have to be ready, and he will be.”
Indeed, Stackhouse played 18 minutes but only scored three points in Dallas' 98-81 victory.
“I know he's got a lot of basketball left,” Carlisle said, “and I'm going to do all I can to get him going offensively when he's out there, and we'll just go from here.”
Tolliver returns: Rookie forward Anthony Tolliver was back with the Spurs for the game after his excused absence following the death of his mother. On the inactive list, he sat behind the bench with injured teammates Manu Ginobili and Ian Mahinmi.
Who gives a crap about what Popovich thinks.
fire Pop and let the Nuggets hire him. Im sick of hearing this crap about 'world championship', 'world series' etc.......... Great to hear Pop speak out against it
I agree. However, "world" championship applies more now in this past decade than it did before since "most" of the best international players play in the NBA now. Admittedly, not all the best international players, but a lot of not most of them do. It now is an international game. Back in the 80s or 90s, the "world" championship label was more illegitimate. Now, it still is but makes more sense.
Same thing with baseball. The best baseball players play in the MLB.
The Spurs Banners all say 'NBA Champions', not 'World'.
Good to have Tolliver back with the team.
Spurs' Popovich sees world of difference between le banners
Eddie Sefco
SAN ANTONIO – Gregg Popovich looked like a Survivor contestant in the preseason. The Spurs' coach had a scraggly beard puffing out sideways on his cheeks. It was not a good look.
But it's better than another look he's seen around the NBA during the first week of the season.
What disturbs Popovich more than his own appearance is Boston's look – specifically, the Celtics' championship banner. Popovich calls the Celtics NBA champions, because that's what they are. What they are not, is world champions.
"There's no such thing," he said. "Why can't we just be happy with 'the NBA champions.' That's pretty cool. In the middle of the Celtics' [banner], it says: World Champions in giant letters and Boston Celtics up [on top]. In the middle, in little teeny letters, NBA. In brackets. What is that? Ashamed to be in the NBA. Or, I know it's really the NBA championship, but I'm going to go ahead and say world championship anyway. I don't understand it."
Obviously, it's an issue close to Popovich's heart. And he took a pretty good jab at the Celtics for their brashness. After all, Spain won the last world championship.
For the record, the Spurs have "NBA CHAMPIONS" on all of their banners hanging in the rafters at AT&T Center. Also for the record, the Mavericks would just like to have the problem someday.
touche!Also for the record, the Mavericks would just like to have the problem someday.
"One would think either stubbornness, or hubris, or something like that had something to do with it. But in these days, when things are so obvious, it's remarkable to me that people still can't figure that out.”
There's probably a Michael Finley playing time joke somewhere in there.
Pops needs to think less about the World/NBA champion stuff and more about the rotation.
Pop needs to stop talking about trivial stuff like this and start winning some basketball games.
"One would think either stubbornness, or hubris, or something like that had something to do with it. But in these days, when things are so obvious, it's remarkable to me that people still can't figure that out.”
All I got to say about that quote is - Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn, Michael Finley. Unbelievable Pop, unbelievable. Read your own stuff as it applies to the Spurs as well.
Who cares about the rest of the world? I pay good money to go see the Spurs play. If Tau Ceramica played in my back yard, I wouldn't look out the window.
The NBA is the best league in the world. Donald Stern notwithstanding.
They were 'World' but they changed that.The Spurs Banners all say 'NBA Champions', not 'World'.
As popovich I also for many years was not happy with the "fake" name.
btw. Pop may get critics for his Boston comments
+1 He should listen to what he's ing saying, becuase it's true. I don't give a if there are internatonal players in th NBA or MLB, world champions means the world was involved, not American cities and a city in Canada. It's ing bull . Americans can be assholes sometimes... like Pop when he takes out Bowen who is 2-3, and keeps putting in someone who is 0-4 like Bonner. But Farmer isn't helping his case by not being aggressive.
i see your point, but the more important issue is that there already is a compe ion with the name, and they have a reigning champ, and that champ isn't the US.
and that is true of basketball and baseball.
Just how old are ya? hahaha
Nocioni on an interview once said exactly the same things... it was like " i don't understand why they call themselves world champions since there is a once every 4 years tournament that is about that and all the best nations in the world play" the NBA is not the entire world and less the center of the universe...
Pop speaks the truth
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
