Greg Popovich
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- Apr 5, 2007
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Dear Suns fans,
I regret that the best playoff series in many years has been spoiled by the aftermath of Robert Horry's foul.
I wanted to express myself as well as some Spurs fans who simply cannot voice our feelings here in San Antonio without fear of reprisal.
The fact that my comments has now resulted in a thread on a spurs website, I feel it is only proper that I no longer express myself here.
Parting words:
I honestly feel that the suspensions could have been avoided very simply without having to amend the rule.
From my vantage point, it could very easily have been said that the two players stepped onto the court before the fight between Horry and Bell. At the very least, the evidence to the contrary is very slim to non-existent. No camera angle was ever produced that could show without any doubt that the two men came onto the floor after the fight occurred.
The problem is the league put the burden of proof onto the Suns to prove a negative, i.e., that the men did NOT step onto the floor when the fight occurred. In this country, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
I know that is the rule in a court of law.
But this same semblance of fairplay and justice should have been followed in a matter as important as this case. The league was going to strip a team of two important players. It would have been fair to make the league prove the men guilty by substantial evidence instead of requiring the men to prove their innocence. Again--no video ever revealed the fact the men stepped onto the court AFTER the fight. If anyone can produce a link to the contrary, then I will stand corrected. I have viewed the video many times. The videos usually are not able to depict the men in conjunction of the Horry/Bell fight. They have separate videos that show only:
1. The men stepping briefly on the court
2. The Bell/Horry fight.
There is no video that showed which came first. This was the very essence of the debate and went to the heart of the rule.
Nevertheless, due to this unworkable rule, i.e., that it is a zero tolerance rule without exceptions, the league seriously needs to amend the rule to accommodate grades of guilt and to allow discretion to determine whether a specific act is egregious enough for a "death penalty" suspension from a game.
A suspension should be the most definitive and harshest remedy and should be reserved for players that actually step onto the court and who participate in a fight.
Players who simply step onto the floor but who do not enter into the fray should be subject to other penalties, such as fines.
Society depends on rules. This is elementary. This is the essence of a civilized society.
Nevertheless, rules should also be shaped to accommodate fairness and common sense. When rules fail to accommodate such fundamental notions of fair play and substantial justice, they run afoul of some of the most basic notions of a democracy.
Either interpret the rules in a fair, common sense fashion.
Or change the rule.
Since the league is incapable of the former, the latter is required.
That is all that I shall say. I know some of this may be repetitive, but I felt the need to reiterate a few points to make my entire argument cogent.
Thank you.
God bless you.
And God bless America.
Greg Popovich
PS-- Please do not judge Spurs fans as a monolith. There are fair Spurs fans. There are unfair Spurs fans. This is true for all teams and for all sports. Life is best when we realize this.
Martin Luther King's most famous speech beckoned this country to judge a person by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
This famous equation for equality and justice can be adopted and followed in the sports arena.
To paraphrase King--judge a person by the content of their character and not by the team they love.
I love the Spurs.
I am disappointed in a few members of the organization.
The vast majority of the organization is first class without question.
PPSS--"Greg Popovich" is not my true name (obviously) but was adopted in honor of the finest man to ever coach the team that I love--the San Antonio Spurs.
I regret that the best playoff series in many years has been spoiled by the aftermath of Robert Horry's foul.
I wanted to express myself as well as some Spurs fans who simply cannot voice our feelings here in San Antonio without fear of reprisal.
The fact that my comments has now resulted in a thread on a spurs website, I feel it is only proper that I no longer express myself here.
Parting words:
I honestly feel that the suspensions could have been avoided very simply without having to amend the rule.
From my vantage point, it could very easily have been said that the two players stepped onto the court before the fight between Horry and Bell. At the very least, the evidence to the contrary is very slim to non-existent. No camera angle was ever produced that could show without any doubt that the two men came onto the floor after the fight occurred.
The problem is the league put the burden of proof onto the Suns to prove a negative, i.e., that the men did NOT step onto the floor when the fight occurred. In this country, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
I know that is the rule in a court of law.
But this same semblance of fairplay and justice should have been followed in a matter as important as this case. The league was going to strip a team of two important players. It would have been fair to make the league prove the men guilty by substantial evidence instead of requiring the men to prove their innocence. Again--no video ever revealed the fact the men stepped onto the court AFTER the fight. If anyone can produce a link to the contrary, then I will stand corrected. I have viewed the video many times. The videos usually are not able to depict the men in conjunction of the Horry/Bell fight. They have separate videos that show only:
1. The men stepping briefly on the court
2. The Bell/Horry fight.
There is no video that showed which came first. This was the very essence of the debate and went to the heart of the rule.
Nevertheless, due to this unworkable rule, i.e., that it is a zero tolerance rule without exceptions, the league seriously needs to amend the rule to accommodate grades of guilt and to allow discretion to determine whether a specific act is egregious enough for a "death penalty" suspension from a game.
A suspension should be the most definitive and harshest remedy and should be reserved for players that actually step onto the court and who participate in a fight.
Players who simply step onto the floor but who do not enter into the fray should be subject to other penalties, such as fines.
Society depends on rules. This is elementary. This is the essence of a civilized society.
Nevertheless, rules should also be shaped to accommodate fairness and common sense. When rules fail to accommodate such fundamental notions of fair play and substantial justice, they run afoul of some of the most basic notions of a democracy.
Either interpret the rules in a fair, common sense fashion.
Or change the rule.
Since the league is incapable of the former, the latter is required.
That is all that I shall say. I know some of this may be repetitive, but I felt the need to reiterate a few points to make my entire argument cogent.
Thank you.
God bless you.
And God bless America.
Greg Popovich
PS-- Please do not judge Spurs fans as a monolith. There are fair Spurs fans. There are unfair Spurs fans. This is true for all teams and for all sports. Life is best when we realize this.
Martin Luther King's most famous speech beckoned this country to judge a person by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin.
This famous equation for equality and justice can be adopted and followed in the sports arena.
To paraphrase King--judge a person by the content of their character and not by the team they love.
I love the Spurs.
I am disappointed in a few members of the organization.
The vast majority of the organization is first class without question.
PPSS--"Greg Popovich" is not my true name (obviously) but was adopted in honor of the finest man to ever coach the team that I love--the San Antonio Spurs.
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