Marc Stein: Will 'Restgate' Affect Pop's Shot At Team USA?

[Mel_13]

Yet you really have to strain to suggest that Popovich -- who confidantes say does want the job -- isn't the ideal choice. There's no doubt Rivers has a deft touch when it comes to managing stars, like any Team USA coach must, but the sheer giddiness you see from Kobe Bryant and other Western Conference All-Stars when they get the chance to spend a weekend in February playing for Pop suggests that hiring San Antonio's hoops patriarch would hold great appeal to a certain Finals MVP down in Miami who, after three straight Olympics, isn't sure he wants to commit to a fourth.

My su ion is that LeBron James, Kevin Durant and any other Team USA mainstay that Colangelo wants to survey for input would nominate Pop as their top candidate to take over. Such is the reverence around the league for how he has always put his players first, which has never been more evident than it is now through this very public fight with Stern in the name of keeping his stars fresh. And while it's undeniably true Colangelo and Popovich clashed in 2005, when he and Krzyzewski took over the program after the failures of 2002 in Indianapolis and 2004 in Athens and Popovich took great exception to Colangelo's suggestion that he "wasn't as enthusiastic as Mike" in their respective job interviews, Colangelo has insisted for months that Popovich is a leading candidate now and that what happened seven years ago is a misunderstanding he's eager to bury.


http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/p...a-coaching-gig

[racm]

Considering they snubbed Pop for 08 and 2012, erm...

[ChuckD]

Pop had no chance even before this incident. Both the NBA and Colangelo have a hard on for him.

[Seventyniner]

Maybe Pop really doesn't want the job and would rather them not even ask.

[Mel_13]

Maybe Pop really doesn't want the job and would rather them not even ask.

Stein's sources say he does. He won't play politics or kiss ass to get it, but he's the most qualified candidate and should be offered the job.

[Big P]

I'm pretty sure Pop doesn't really care.

[Marcus Bryant]

Stern can coach the team.

[Kidd K]

If Pop wasn't already on the team by now, using this rest thing is just a convienient, lame excuse for the continuation of what they've already decided years ago. Won't effect it at all imo. If they really want him, he'll be there. if they don't, he won't. Pop obviously doesn't have any say in it since he's been wanting to coach the team.

[weebo]

I don't think Pop cares either way now.

[timvp]

Pop REALLY wants that job. Hope he gets it.