Found this Article! MUST read!!

I found this article in a local paper! What do you think?<br>
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"The Popovich crapshoot ain't gonna get it!"<br>
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One good definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing while expecting different results.<br>
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This, I believe, describes the San Antonio Spurs to a "T".<br>
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So maybe it's time for team majority owner Peter Holt to wake up & smell the stink--his fourth-quarter fold-up act which needs some serious adjustments.<br>
I know, I know. I've been saying it now for several years, & the same message remains the same: San Antonio will never have a world-class team untill ownership dumps coach Popovich.<br>
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Before last month, the message was dump Popovich & David Robinson, but now mercifully announced that he is retiring after next season. Robinson is all of the wonderful things that is being said of him as a person. He's a clean-living, God-fairing, generous & spiritual man, a wonder in this world of terror at home & abroad. But it's time for Robinson to hang up his basketball sneakers, and he knows it more than anyone.<br>
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As the L.A Lakers continue to dominate & humiliate the Spurs, Popovich proves time & again that he is unable to instill the winning fire into the players.<br>
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Tim Duncan has it. But he had it before ever laying eyes on old scab head Pop. And although Big Tim is almost capable to beating the Lakers by himself, he still needs some small measure of shooting help from the perimeter.<br>
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Popovich never played in the NBA. Maybe that's a factor. <br>
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Lakers coach Phil Jackson, an NBA star from another era, tells his players they can beat the Spurs--over & over again.The L.A. players believe him, & they prove it by beating the Spurs over & over again.<br>
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Popovich tells his players they can beat the Lakers. He tells them this over & over again. They never believe him, and the California nightmare is replayed for San Antonio basketball fans like a broken video--over & over again. <br>
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Tim Duncan is the real deal. He deserves his MVP honors. He has talent to match his insatiable will to win, and Tim will go down in sports history as a giant of the game.<br>
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Popovich will never make anyone's history book. He wins many regular season games with such superstars as Duncan, but his crazy rotations & other stupid coaching errors seriously limit the team come play-off time.<br>
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The constantly-rotated supporting cast which Duncan must rely on any little help he gets is a confused, herky-jerky, out-of-rhythm bunch with what amounts to zero confidence when crunch time with the Lakers arrives.<br>
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Nobody ever knows when he will play or for how long as Popovich continues his player personnel crapshoot.<br>
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David Robinson is tired of the sport he never really liked anyway. While I know this sounds like blasphemy, from a business standpoint, team owner Peter Holt should have dumped Robinson three years ago when people like Kobe Bryant first started blowing by the human tree stump. Tree stumps don't move can be 10-feet tall & still be worthless on a ball court. Robinson was quick & fairly agile during his younger years, but he had seemingly started to take root over the past few seasons.<br>
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Tony Parker is a little diamond in the rough, & he could become a fitting compliment to Duncan if Popovich doesn't ruin him first. After Parker had scored 20 points in one first half against the Lakers, Popovich pulled the kid and inserted old over-the-hill guard Terry Porter who promply fell down as time ran out on the Spurs again. <br>
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Popovich keeps inserting first one then another player into the playoff games, never settling on a lineup which can get some sembalance so rhythm going. <br>
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Pop sits in one hand and wishes in another. And guess which one fills up first? <br>
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Shaq & Kobe know. So does Phil Jackson. And Peter Holt may be the last to find out.<br>
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And by that time, Tim Duncan may be wearing an Orlando uniform. <br>
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Article By: Jacques E. Strap<br>
June 2002<br>
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<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937.showLocalUserPublicProfile?login=speedy>Speedy</A> at: 6/17/02 11:56:34 pm<br></i>

I totally agree with this article 99%, (except for the part of dumping David, thats the 1%. <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :lol --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/laugh.gif ALT=":lol"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> ). Many of the regulars here know how I feel about Pop. I have never liked him from the begining. Even the year we won the Championship. I think he is an great G.M. But as for coaching, NO. All thoughout his coaching career here in S.A, he has made some of the stupidest calls & rotations I have ever seen in the NBA. Hell you might as well bring back Jerry Tarkanian. ( I think that's the way you spell it.) Okay so maybe I wouldn't go that far, but I still & will continue to have no respect for Popovich as long as he is a coach for this organization. I love this team so much that it sucks to see them go through this year after year. Many of you know how much I am into this team, and how I go crazy when we lose. I will continue to support the Spurs except for the coach. All this talent we have here and he does not know what to do with it. He is NOT a coach. That has to be one of the few articles I have seen here that I truely agreed with. I know I probably have stepped on a few people's toes here because they like Pop, but hey, that's how I feel on the mattter! <p></p><i></i>

Damn, did I write that article???<br>
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Agreed!! <p></p><i></i>

Jockey Strap?? Who write an article and signs it - By: Jockey Strap? Someone with an axe to grind. Where is Bob Hill these days? <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :lol --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/laugh.gif ALT=":lol"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <br>
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Unfortunately I agree with a lot of it, too. Of course the stuff about David was garbage.<br>
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Pop got an extension on his contract last summer, so Peter Holt would have to eat something like $15 mil to get rid of him. Pop ain't goin' nowhere.<br>
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Pop was a very good GM, but only an average coach. So which job does he give up? Riiiight! My big hope is that he will have enough intelligence to see his own shortcomings and hire a replacement for Hank Egan who knows how to draw up offensive Xs and Os. <br>
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Pop demands, and gets, good defense from his team. But his offensive play calling is pathetic! The Spurs desperately need a new assistant coach with some previous NBA coaching and playing experience. A guy who pushes offense to dovetail with Pop's defense would be a blessing.<br>
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Where's the link for teh artcile Speedy, or are you Jaques? <p><center><a href=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937><img src=http://www.boomspeed.com/spurscentral/SCsig3.jpg></a></center> </p><i></i>

:::::::yawn:::::::::<br>
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It never ends. Sometimes a change is all a team needs. If Pop is let go any time soon, it won't necessarily be because he is inadequate, but because bonehead players need a change every now and then. <br>
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Fire Pop and then what... <br>
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I suppose he could be replaced by JVG (who failed to survive the whole season this year, let alone bring a "rebuilding team" into the second round). JVG would bring the same hard nosed defense and the same stagnant offense that made the Knicks so boring for all those years. <br>
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Maybe Riley, another "great" coach, whose teams annually underachieve in the playoffs and bow out early. Riley coached the Showtime Lakers, one of the smoothest executing offenses the league has ever seen. Where was that offensive vision when he was coaching in NY and Mia? <br>
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What other "great" coaches are out there? Are any of these "great" coaches capable of doing more with this team than Pop has? Lenny Wilkins is the winningest coach in NBA history but hasn't done jack in 5 years. Is he still great? What about Don Nelson (who has 1000 wins along with Riley and Wilkins), who can't teach team D any better than I can? Are Nelson's defensive struggles any less debilitating than Pop's lack of offensive vision? Rick Patino was a "great" coach. What about "Bobby Knight"? Do any of these "great" coaches have anything on Pop? I don't think so. When Pop is back on top, many fans that were calling for his head will be talking about how "great" he is. It is all subjective, and all about timing. <br>
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Pop has done great things while he has been here. I have come to accept that not every team can have an Auerbach, Jackson, or Wooden. Until someone comes up with a better plan, I'll continue to be one of the few Pop supporters, even when he is down. <p><center><a href=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937><img src=http://www.sahoops.net/SCsig1.jpg></a></center></p><i></i>

Yeah what Drew said. Pop turned this team into winnners. That's W I N N E R S! Nobody else before him could coach this team past the second round. It is a matter of talent,timing and a season of no injuries to win the NBA title. It will happen again in San Antonio. I believe that and with Pop as the coach. We had a sharp dressing camera friendly coach and the players quit on him and wanted him fired. Takanian that was another disaster, John Lucas, etc,etc.! <p>SPURSMANIA -
AAaaaahhhuuua! Go Spurs Go!</p><i></i>

Right on time with the "fire Pop" stuff guys.<br>
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Where did that article come from? A "local paper"? The Current?<br>
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I found it in the Action newspaper. It's one of those free papers like the Current. The article just came out in the June issue. I read it every once in a while and this one really caught my eye because of this article. They are usually located where ever you see a Current paper or at Barnes & Noble which is where I got this one. <p></p><i></i>

It is time for a change man.<br>
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What was Pop better than Bob Hill, Larry Brown, John Lucas???<br>
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I don't think so...<br>
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He had the talent to win in 99.<br>
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Did he call the Memorial Day Miracle??? No, Sean took it upon himself.<br>
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Change is inevitable..... <p></p><i></i>

do you Smoke Crack? Bob Hill sucked as a Coach and the players had him Fired. He cant even buy a Job in the NBA which should give you a clue.<br>
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John Lucus a better coach? damn you really must hate Pop if you believe that<br>
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I agree with BiggDrew 100% Pop is a good coach. He helped Bring this team a Title...those that say he had nothing to do with that are totally clueless. Pop is well respected by his players and around the League from what I have read<br>
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Its not time for Change - tim Duncan likes Pop as a coach and Pop isnt going anywhere so its pointless to talk about him leaving <p></p><i></i>

Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich is leaving the Spurs.<br>
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Those of you that like Popovich are probably rolling your eyes, thinking that this is another Popovich bashing column. Those that hate him are probably jumping for joy.<br>
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But there is something missing from my opening sentence. Know what it is?<br>
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Missing from that statement is that I did not say when he was leaving. I figure it won't be for a few years, so all you Pop haters should just get used to the fact that Popovich is here to stay. <br>
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I am sure those wanting Popovich ousted have objections to him staying. After all he has made some coaching mistakes. He has even made a mistake or two as General Manager, but is the only remedy to fire him as coach?<br>
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Before you answer that, think about this. Who does Peter Holt get to replace Popovich as coach?<br>
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Oh, I am sure you all have your favorite choice for a possible replacement. The trouble is that there is no guarantee that whoever replaces Popovich will be better than he is as coach. Chances are the new coach could well be much worse.<br>
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Can you imagine bring a new coach in only to have him butt heads with new General Manager, R.C. Buford? I can just see it now, the new coach complaining because he doesn't have the right players for his style of play. And it will not be long after that before the new coach goes to Peter Holt asking Holt to also make him General Manager. Power struggles are never good for sports franchises.<br>
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This is what really scares me about bringing in a new head coach right now. What if Tim Duncan ends up disliking the new coach? I can see the headlines a year from now, "Tim Duncan wants out, cites new coach as reason." <br>
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I am not saying that the two above scenarios will certainly happen. They are only possibilities. <br>
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Can a new coach come in, work with the Spurs current front office, go far in the playoffs and keep Tim Duncan happy? Yes, it is possible.<br>
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Think about it though. Why risk it? <br>
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Gregg Popovich was able to get this team to win 58 games, win the Mid-west Division, go into the 2nd round of the playoffs, play the defending champs tough and accomplish all that with a nineteen year old rookie point guard and eight other new faces on the team.<br>
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Granted, Popovich has the luxury of having MVP Tim Duncan on the team. But just think how far the team can go if they can add a second scoring option, replace older veterans with younger players and continue to keep Duncan happy.<br>
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Do you want to risk that bright looking future for one that holds uncertainty and possible disaster?<br>
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I'm sure Peter Holt doesn't.<br>
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Neither do I.<br>
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Great take as usual Mr Carmen E<!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :) --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)"><!--EZCODE EMOTICON END--> <p><center><a href=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937><img src=http://www.boomspeed.com/spurscentral/SCsig3.jpg></a></center> </p><i></i>

very nice. <p><center><a href=http://pub61.ezboard.com/bsanantoniospurs62937><img src=http://www.sahoops.net/SCsig1.jpg></a></center></p><i></i>

I'm with the Pop is a marginal coach crowd. It was deja-vu for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th games in the LA series. The Lakers did the same thing every 4th Quarter -- Kobe driving on offense and Shaq guarding TD on defense (plus they had an extra level to kick it up to).<br>
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Pop should have been worked up some plays on offense for the 4th and did some full court double with Parker and Bruce or something on D. He should have instilled in Spurs that the 4th Q is the game....<br>
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I think Phil would have won the series if the Rosters were switched.<br>
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