Michael Cooper: “F*** UCLA”
Photo. USC
As an eight-time NBA All-Defensive pick and Defensive P.O.Y. (’87) who won five ‘chips in an era where he guarded the likes of Jordan, Dumars, Iceman and Drexler on a regular basis, Michael Cooper had to be intense.
In his post-playing career, most notable for his title-winning stint coaching the WNBA’s L.A. Sparks, Coop hasn’t changed. In his first season as head coach of the USC women’s team, he made headlines for his intensity following a recent win over crosstown rival UCLA.
“My opening statement is, f*** UCLA,” Cooper said to kick off his post-game press conference on Sunday.
And remember, Coop’s squad won the game.
He has since sent a letter of apology to UCLA coach Nikki Caldwell, saying there is “no excuse” for what he said, which was “outside the bounds of good sportsmanship.”
The USC women are 10-6 this season (4-1 Pac-10). The rematch with UCLA is Feb. 13 on the Bruins’ home court.
Cooper has proven himself on the women’s level, but so far hasn’t been able to get a full-time head coaching job in the NBA. He held the interim job with Denver for a few weeks before George Karl took over, and won a championship in the D-League coaching Albuquerque in 2006.
Do you think Coop could succeed as an NBA head coach?
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January 20th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Hoveys Home says:
I dont know, but UCLA’s coach Nikki Caldwell, was lookin’ RIGHT during the game!
January 20th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Factman says:
Hi, I’m Factman:
Fact: Nobody cares about womens basketball.
You’re Welcome.
January 20th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
LakeShow84 says:
CCCCOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPP!!!!!
Man was a beast.. played both ends of the court SOLID..
January 20th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Mr. Wang says:
@ #2 Factman, i concur
January 20th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
TIP says:
Even I could have won those LA Sparks 2 championships if i was the coach. All he had to do was ride Lisa Leslie to the end. No one could stop her.
January 20th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
CCB says:
Tip… unintentionally funny man.
January 20th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
CasualFan says:
This is probably the funniest thing I have read all day! LOL! Michael Cooper is a trip.
January 21st, 2010 at 12:15 am
calvin brodus says:
that is fucking HILARIOUS.
January 21st, 2010 at 12:47 am
GoEasy says:
Can I just say the golden state announcers are HUGE homers. Im dying listening to these guys right now
January 21st, 2010 at 1:27 am
GoEasy says:
But this game is sickkk.
January 21st, 2010 at 2:33 am
@home says:
I don’t really know where to post this; for the first time I did not even read the article. I was going to wait till tomorrows Smack but’…
I am pretty fucking pissed…
Can someone start a petition.
Fuck it, I am starting a petition….Dang, facebook is too temperamental… I will do it tomorrow… Rob S (Montreal)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/whites-only-basketball-le_n_429281.html
WTF? In the interim can someone, pls beat this asswhole , I would do it personally but I live in Canada…
It’snt that unconstitutional…?
Rarely at a loss for words…..
January 21st, 2010 at 8:58 am
bliz289 says:
@ @home
yeah, crazy…Dime has a post on it…but good for them not even mentioning the douche’s name:
http://dimemag.com/2010/01/the-dumbest-thing-ive-seen-all-day/
January 21st, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Ekstor says:
How can you mention Coop without mentioning Larry Bird? That’s who Coop was probably best known for.
Coop said that he would spend his off-season practicing defense and imagining Larry Bird as the man he was guarding. Bird said at the end of his career that no one made him work harder than Coop.
January 21st, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Ekstor says:
Dr J is another name I’d throw out there… Coop was actually past his prime by the time Jordan came onto the scene.
Coop was notorious for his on-court trash-talking. Magic said that he’d start his yapping during the warm-ups when the opposition was going through their layup drills. Coop would walk over and yell, “Buck, look at at them! What are they practicing that for? They ain’t going to get to do that in the game!!”
February 17th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
HugeLakerFan says:
Coop, when did you become such a pussy that you gotta trash talk a bunch of girls? Why don’t you pick a fight with the cheerleaders next time? That’d be real manly, too.
I LOVED you as a player back in the Showtime days. But I’m officially done with you. LA hoops = Lakers and BRUINS, smart guy. Crack open a history book. Why don’t you go join the Celts, Benedict Arnold? You and Paul Pierce can have sleepovers and make fun of LA while you take turns doing each other’s nails.
Hope that beatdown the Bruins gave you last game will teach you some effing manners, traitor. If not, no matter. The Bruins will, no doubt, have another bitchslapping ready for you.