SAN ANTONIO – After each Spurs practice, the media assembles in a corner of the facility and prepares for an encounter with famously gruff San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich. Other teams call it an interview session. With Pop, it’s more like a duel at 10 paces.
Pop is the only one armed. Verbally.
Within the word “intimidate” is the word “timid,” and that combination exists at each get-together. Pop has a naturally irritated look that has been refined by years of repetition. And San Antonio reporters, blistered consistently when questions don’t seem to measure up to Pop standards, approach each session like they have to walk barefoot across a bed of hot coals.
Pop opened the session Saturday by announcing that Tim Duncan had to leave practice because of a stomach bug. Someone asked if that concerned him.
“Oh, who cares if Timmy plays at all or not,” Popovich said, rolling his eyes.
He then, kindly, was serious for a moment and said: “He’ll be fine.”
When asked about Golden State, San Antonio’s opponent in the Western Conference semifinals that begin Monday, Pop complimented the Warriors’ offense and said: “Mark Jackson has done a great job with them. They have a lot of confidence and they also play D. Nobody gives them credit for that, but it’s a heck of a good defensive team. It’s why they’re in the second round.”
His relative wordiness must have been distracting because the next questioner asked him for an assessment of Warriors coach Mark Jackson. Popovich looked at the offender for several seconds then said: “Did you just come in? OK, I’ll just repeat what I just said.” And he did.
The next question was whether or not he might be able to enjoy the matchup between Tony Parker and Stephen Curry. Popovich listened, acted like he was groping for words, then sputtered, “Do I appreciate it? (Snorts here.) Yes, I’ll appreciate it. (Shakes his head.) You guys stay up all night thinking of these questions?”
The session lasted 175 seconds and was vintage Popovich, who has been entertaining and unsettling the media as a coach for 16 years and has perfected his act. Popovich does not tolerate fools – even the ones he likes – and refuses to compromise his own considerable intellect by giving in to the inanity of sports clichés. Those were certainly not a part of his foundation as an Air Force Academy graduate.
The thing about Pop’s act, however, is that much of it is tongue-in-cheek. Often, his biting one-liners are delivered with a sly smile, and he’s been known to walk away from media sessions giggling.
He sends the same message, however, to players as he does to media: Think about what you are doing, or what you are asking. Succeeding – whether it’s winning a game or getting a good quote – is a result of good decisions.
長い says
だらしないエロい身体や(;´Д`)ハァハァ おかしくなる黒コンする意味あるか勝手な思い込みです
板野と同じ6頭身くらいだったけど、顔だけ浮き出てくるような不気味さ。 昔、鰻谷におっぱいケーキ作ってくれる店あったな 視力補正用コンタクトレンズと同じように高度管理医療機器として
韓国のメーカーので日本で承認とれてないのはほんとにひどいの多いけどね
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