Gregg Popovich is a Grouch
At least we put it nicely. We’d like to give Pop the benefit of the doubt given that his team is in a 2-0 hole and about to step on the floor for their first must-win game of the season. But as Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News writes, Brent Barry says it’s a year-round thing.
“He’s an ass year-round,” Barry said, dishing out the kind of admiring, heartfelt compliment only his coach could appreciate. “You don’t get much change out of coach Pop.”
“He’s got this bully pulpit up there, and he tells you what he likes and dislikes,” Barry said. “And he asks you, ‘OK, what do you think?’ And before you have time to answer, he’s like, ‘OK, let’s get started.’”
If the Spurs chief is to cheer up at all, he’ll have to get some serious production from this vocal critic. At least that’s what Manu Ginobili thinks.
“Well, so far, [Barry] is the only one making shots,” Ginobili said. “So for sure that is an option Pop is considering. I think we are all good and proven shooters. We are just not making them. If we keep finding the right guy in good position — we’ve been doing it in the first halves — we will be in better shape. We’ve been winning first halves, then we just stop.”
May 8th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
andre says:
i’m not surprised at this. pop looks like the grouchy old grampa who sits on his front porch all day complaining about “life in the good ol days” and how “kids these days, they got it so easy.” like how charles barkley’s gonna be when he gets older
May 8th, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Jim says:
Obviously he’s not too bad, considering one of his players says “he’s an ass” to the media without any fear.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
rangerjohn says:
pop is actually a pretty funny guy if you listen to some of the things he says.
barry is also one of the most sarcastic guys in the league and yet funy as hell
manu is exactly right though, they have done very well with open shots i nthe 1st half and hten cant hit them in the 2nd half.
i have been saying for 3 days now they need manu to start and let barry take up more of finleys minutes. he is shooting like 70+% against the hornets and like 80% in the playoffs.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
fallinup says:
Pop is a cool dude. He’s a joker…but if you mess up, he’ll rip you a new one…You gotta hand it to a guy that doesn’t hold back at ripping the franchise player on national TV….not too many coaches have enough spine to do that…which is a shame.
May 8th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
GEE...Met Clint Eastwood and slapped his momma! says:
Pop seems straight. At the same time he looks like he will get up in somebody’s if they aren’t according to what he desires.
Can’t even trip because between the Spurs GM and his coaching, they got a nice program.
Can you imagine having to fill his shoes when he is gone?
LOL would it be better to take the Knicks where not much is expected with the players you have or go behind Pop where they will be so familiar to winning?
Give me Pops job! Knicks suck so bad right now.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Logan Light says:
He works with Tim Duncan… I would be grouchy too.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
rangerjohn says:
logan is nuts!
working with tim duncan is a dream come true for any coach/player! he should have smile ear to ear day in and day out and thanking the BB gods for letting them get the #1 pick to take him
May 8th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
nbarountable says:
Brent Barry has to get more playing time for San Antonio to have a hope in this series.
The way the Hornets are doubling Duncan it’s forcing San An to beat them from the outside. The Spurs perimeter shooting fell off this season, they’re languishing in midtable slightly above average.
You can’t leave your best shooter on the bench when New Orleans are doing this to you. Barry can open up the floor for everyone else.
Huge blunder by Popovich that cost his team dearly in the first two games.
May 8th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Whats not to be grouchy about with that soft comlplextion?
May 8th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Ding Dong the Knicks are dead says:
Rangerjohn-Don’t thank the BB Gods for letting the Spurs pick Duncan #1
Thank the Spurs tanking the previous season
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv24frDECA4
Go Chuck!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
rangerjohn says:
come on ding dong, 1st chuck is an idiot, and there is not a single person who can argue that, 2nd robinson was injured all season (he played 6 games that year due to his injury) and if chuck wants to talk about cheating, he needs to sit and re think things, just because they had the worst record (which they didnt) doesnt mean they would have won the lotory. getting the #1 pick in the draft is no sure thing by tanking games. i wonder what he thinks baout the heat sitting his BOY dwade so they can get more ping pong balls.
the basketball gods gave the spurs the #1 pick that year, and the year the spurs got david. bottom line.
barkley is an idiot!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
tealish says:
Idiots. Just pretend you’re the GM of a losing team with no shot for the playoffs.
OPTION A: Play your injured superstar, risking more serious ingury, so you can win 30% of your remainining (meaningless) games as opposed to a paltry 20%.
OPTION B: Rest your superstar, have him ready for next year. Let your young players accumulate some gametime experience they normally wouldn’t have the chance to.
Go ahead, defiantly choose option A. Hope you break your neck when you fall down from your high horse!
May 8th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
tealish says:
And the fact that my previous post was riddled with typos doesn’t make it any less true. Grammar nazis.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:49 am
doc says:
As long as Duncan is great hes the 2nd best coach behind Phil Jack.