Gregg Popovich delivers insulting remark to Robert Sarver

[Covert Rain]

he's got the oldest team in the league and only cares about winning and doing what he needs to do to win a title. that should be the goal of every team, no?

Not according to some around here. Some are perfectly content with fun, run and gun teams that rack up wins and entertain. If I was Pop, my stars were on the cliff, rolling down the age hill and could be the last legit year of a run? I would sit them too.

 

[Errntknght]

This is just a test post... I turned off 'tracking' on my browser and I'm wondering how that will change things on here... I had to login, so thats one change already

 

[Mainstreet]

This is just a test post... I turned off 'tracking' on my browser and I'm wondering how that will change things on here... I had to login, so thats one change already

May I suggest always checking the "Remember Me?" box when you login.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not according to some around here. Some are perfectly content with fun, run and gun teams that rack up wins and entertain. If I was Pop, my stars were on the cliff, rolling down the age hill and could be the last legit year of a run? I would sit them too.

You have either misunderstood or you have mischaracterized those of us that aren't JUST about winning the title. I don't know anyone that is perfectly content with fun, run and gun teams that rack up wins and entertain. There might be a point in a team's progress where many of us are content with a team that is not a true contender but that's something entirely different than you've described.

As for Pop, I see no problem with the way he handled our preseason game (until his comments). The owners are in the entertainment business but the Head Coach succeeds or fails based on the success of the team. If he feels it's in the best interest of his team to rest players, that's his call.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

You have either misunderstood or you have mischaracterized those of us that aren't JUST about winning the title. I don't know anyone that is perfectly content with fun, run and gun teams that rack up wins and entertain. There might be a point in a team's progress where many of us are content with a team that is not a true contender but that's something entirely different than you've described.

As for Pop, I see no problem with the way he handled our preseason game (until his comments).

but you're acting like his comments were made in a vacuum, when they CLEARLY weren't. the guy was obviously called out by Sarver. The idea that "he didn't say Pop or the Spurs by name" is such a specious argument it's laughable to me that anyone would even make it. So, Sarver dished it out, everyone applauded him, but are now appalled when someone throws it back at him? If Sarver or our fans can't stand the heat, then they should get out of the kitchen.

 

[Cheesebeef]

To his credit, Sarver only said that the game "Was not what you paid to see." He did not call out the Spurs or accuse them of doing something wrong. It was just a substandard preseason game with overblown prices.

Pop was the one who made it personal.

sorry, but this is rationalizing to defend our own, IMO. Why do fans come to games? Usually it's to see their team and hopefully WIN. That's what they saw... the only thing they didn't see was two of the Spurs stars... in a pre-season game, that means absolutely nothing, after an overseas road trip. If you don't think he was calling out the Spurs with his little stunt, what was the "not what they paid to see?" We won, we kicked a team's ass and isn't that the point of basketball? If NOT, then he's clearly calling the Spurs out.

 

[AzStevenCal]

but you're acting like his comments were made in a vacuum, when they CLEARLY weren't. the guy was obviously called out by Sarver. The idea that "he didn't say Pop or the Spurs by name" is such a specious argument it's laughable to me that anyone would even make it. So, Sarver dished it out, everyone applauded him, but are now appalled when someone throws it back at him? If Sarver or our fans can't stand the heat, then they should get out of the kitchen.

Who is appalled? I think they were out of line but I don't think it's a big deal. As for it being a specious argument, I disagree. I think they were both doing what they felt was in their own best interests. If Sarver had called him or the Spurs out by name it would have been far different than his simple acknowledgement that the NBA failed to deliver a reasonable product that night.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

sorry, but this is rationalizing to defend our own, IMO. Why do fans come to games? Usually it's to see their team and hopefully WIN. That's what they saw... the only thing they didn't see was two of the Spurs stars... in a pre-season game, that means absolutely nothing, after an overseas road trip. If you don't think he was calling out the Spurs with his little stunt, what was the "not what they paid to see?" We won, we kicked a team's ass and isn't that the point of basketball? If NOT, then he's clearly calling the Spurs out.

I didn't watch the game but it was my understanding that Pop stayed home and kept out 5 of his rotation players. Is that not accurate? Again, I'm not saying he did anything wrong but I thought it was more than just 2 stars that were missing. Sarver might have been grandstanding a little but I don't think it was to take a shot at the Spurs.

Steve

 

[Cheesebeef]

Who is appalled? I think they were out of line but I don't think it's a big deal. As for it being a specious argument, I disagree. I think they were both doing what they felt was in their own best interests. If Sarver had called him or the Spurs out by name it would have been far different than his simple acknowledgement that the NBA failed to deliver a reasonable product that night.

Steve

sorry... but the idea that he wasn't calling the Spurs out and was simply ackonolwedging the NBA failed to deliver a reasonable product just doesn't hold water with me... especially considering this wasn't the first time Suns fans didn't get to see the full compliment of Spurs and that he hadn't done the chicken dance back in the day.

I mean, there's plenty of times over the course of the last 10 years that our fans didn't get a "reasonable product" on the court... but the ONLY reason you could say we didn't that night was because Pop rested his guys. trying to argue otherwise and that his comment wasn't about just makes zero sense to me.

 

[JCSunsfan]

In a vacuum, no one would care because it is preseason. But Pop has done this during the season, and sometimes nationally televised games. The league fined the Spurs $250,000 last year for it. The owners know its about entertainment more than winning.

Its not that big of deal. Its preseason. If Sarver wants to give something back, fine. If Pop wants to talk about a chicken suit, fine. Time to move on.

 

[Mainstreet]

Three Spurs players stayed home for reported health reasons (Leonard, Patty Mills and Tiago Splitter). I'm not sure why Popovich stayed home. I know Duncan and Ginobili played in the two preseason games in Europe. In any regard, Sarver had a right to treat fans who attended the game with a gift if he felt they did not get their money's worth. Popovich did a cheap shot at Sarver. If someone whats to explain that away by looking for a rationale, that's on them.

 

[Chaplin]

Why is this really an issue? Sarver did something for the fans. Regardless of his reasons, it was a stand-up thing to do. Popovich can do what he likes--not sure firing back is an honorable thing to do, but to each his own. I doubt seriously that Sarver is too upset about Pops' comments and vice versa, although Popovich's were certainly more personal and vindictive.

 

[Covert Rain]

You have either misunderstood or you have mischaracterized those of us that aren't JUST about winning the title. I don't know anyone that is perfectly content with fun, run and gun teams that rack up wins and entertain. There might be a point in a team's progress where many of us are content with a team that is not a true contender but that's something entirely different than you've described.

As for Pop, I see no problem with the way he handled our preseason game (until his comments). The owners are in the entertainment business but the Head Coach succeeds or fails based on the success of the team. If he feels it's in the best interest of his team to rest players, that's his call.

Steve

I disagree that it's either. I am not talking about the gradual progression of a team being young and exciting. That is a totally different scenario and one we have not had in a very long time. This team for several years has been in reload or retool mode. I have had many a debate with those on these forums asking the team to field "D'Antoni" like team. Get back to run and gun. Get back to high scoring and make the team entertaining again. That scenario is completely different from what you are describing above and not what I meant at all.

I was arguing for the longest time for this team to start over, build from the ground up and go young. Even if that meant we would suck for some time. Some people jumped on me and said they would rather have an entertaining team versus a bad team for several years waiting for us to rebuild from the ground up.

but you're acting like his comments were made in a vacuum, when they CLEARLY weren't. the guy was obviously called out by Sarver. The idea that "he didn't say Pop or the Spurs by name" is such a specious argument it's laughable to me that anyone would even make it. So, Sarver dished it out, everyone applauded him, but are now appalled when someone throws it back at him? If Sarver or our fans can't stand the heat, then they should get out of the kitchen.

This. Seriously, if you dish it out you better be able to take it. Let's not pretend like Sarver has not stuck his foot in his mouth before. It was so obvious he was calling out Pop and the Spurs. What the NBA without a little back and forth trash talking. LOL.

 

[Chaplin]

This. Seriously, if you dish it out you better be able to take it. Let's not pretend like Sarver has not stuck his foot in his mouth before. It was so obvious he was calling out Pop and the Spurs. What the NBA without a little back and forth trash talking. LOL.

What is this supposed to refer to? Is Sarver not taking it? Sarver obviously doesn't give a crap what Popovich thinks of him, as Popovich doesn't care what Sarver thinks of him--of course, if Pop really didn't care, he wouldn't have responded the way he did.

 

[Covert Rain]

What is this supposed to refer to? Is Sarver not taking it? Sarver obviously doesn't give a crap what Popovich thinks of him, as Popovich doesn't care what Sarver thinks of him--of course, if Pop really didn't care, he wouldn't have responded the way he did.

I was responding to Cheesebeef's comment regarding fans getting in an uproar when someone dishes it out to our owner yet cheers when he does it to someone else.