Greg Popovich says "suck it" to the NBA.

[Hack]

Oh poor Popovich, and the old ass Spurs. Why is it so hard for Hack to figure out that those players are a bunch of wussies, no matter how talented they may be. I would've never sat home on the premise that I'm resting up, just on principal alone.
You never saw John Stockton, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, David Robinson, or Patrick Ewing get sent home to "rest up".

I don't think the Spurs should be fined for this, but I don't think fans should have as much respect for them anymore. I definitely don't.

Then he needs to change his roster to players that can actually be counted on.

It isn't just about the Spurs. He has a responsibility to the league as well. Every game played matters. Even if the Spurs will still make the playoffs, some other team might have their draft position altered. Or maybe Miami finishes 1 game ahead of the Jazz (or whoever) and gets home court in the finals.

It's not all about the Spurs. The league itself cannot exist if there is no integrity in the games. This is much more important, and much bigger, than the responsibility Pop has to try to win championships. Without a league, there are no championships.

I wish I could tell my job "I'm getting old, me and the rest of the crew are taking today off. We've worked a lot this month. Please ignore the fact that I take 6 months off every year anyway, and only work for 3 hours per day when I work at all. I'm taking today off."

I dont see either one of you address the fact that they damn near beat the champs on their own home court. Maybe Pop felt he had a better chance with rested legs than tired legs. What the hell is a 12 man roster for if you never use it?

Enough with the, you wouldn't sit out a game crap. You arent even athletic enough to play one game in the NBA, let alone play the grind of an NBA schedule when you are in your 30's. And this isnt the same thing as going to your job at Mcdonalds. Do you guys have to guard Lebron at Mcdonalds? So stop with that B.S. about how you cant take the day off. Its not the same thing.

[TheSilencer1313]

This is a faulty arguement. I have not seen a single report that any of the four lobbied to be sent home in any way. They were fully prepared to play until their boss decided to send them home. If he had not they would have "toughed it out" as you put it.

I don't really think it's a faulty argument, considering they're actually supposed to like their jobs and get paid a lot of money to do it.

On the flip side, do you think that you're going to see Mike D'Antoni send Kobe, Pau, and Metta home this year because they're tired? Doubtful.
I wonder if Mark Cuban is thinking about sending Dirk and Vince Carter home because they're old?

[TheSilencer1313]

I dont see either one of you address the fact that they damn near beat the champs on their own home court. Maybe Pop felt he had a better chance with rested legs than tired legs. What the hell is a 12 man roster for if you never use it?

Enough with the, you wouldn't sit out a game crap. You arent even athletic enough to play one game in the NBA, let alone play the grind of an NBA schedule when you are in your 30's. And this isnt the same thing as going to your job at Mcdonalds. Do you guys have to guard Lebron at Mcdonalds? So stop with that B.S. about how you cant take the day off. Its not the same thing.

I disagree with everything you've said here, including the fact that working at McDonalds isn't as hard as the NBA.
Now I've never worked at McDonalds, but I've worked with the public for years.
These guys are gifted athletes, and are expected to perform unless their bodies are not able to.
Just like working anywhere, you are expected to be there unless you're completely ill. Those athletes could never work at McDonalds for the kind of wage that that industry pays. Most of them would say "f this" and go home.
Nore should they have to work in that industry, because they're gifted athletes.

This is why they're NBA players in the first place, because they're supposed to be gifted and mentally tough.
I guess I'll just go ahead and send my cashiers home at my job today. I think at least one of them is getting a little old and tired.

[HipHopAnonymous]

I don't really think it's a faulty argument, considering they're actually supposed to like their jobs and get paid a lot of money to do it.
On the flip side, do you think that you're going to see Mike D'Antoni send Kobe, Pau, and Metta home this year because they're tired? Doubtful.
I wonder if Mark Cuban is thinking about sending Dirk and Vince Carter home because they're old?

Liking the job is irrelevant. I'm sure there are plenty of players who don't love to play basketball but do it because they make great money and are good at it. No different than a lot of careers. Nowitzki sat out several games last season to "work of conditioning".

[Stoked]

I don't really think it's a faulty argument, considering they're actually supposed to like their jobs and get paid a lot of money to do it.

On the flip side, do you think that you're going to see Mike D'Antoni send Kobe, Pau, and Metta home this year because they're tired? Doubtful.
I wonder if Mark Cuban is thinking about sending Dirk and Vince Carter home because they're old?

Another faulty arguement. It has nothing to do with them liking or disliking their job. Their boss came to them and told them to go home and take the day off. That they were not needed. That is Pops call. Not Duncan's, Parker's, Ginobili's or Green's. Pops.

This has nothing to do with willingness or unwillingness to work, liking or disliking their job. Their boss made a decision and as workers they did what their boss wanted. Pure and simple.

If you want to be mad and criticise than that's cool. Aim it at the person that made the call. Popovich. Blaming the players is foolish at best.

[Chris-L]

You guys are missing the bigger picture. Tony Parker was the only player on my fantasy basketball team with a game last night, and because pop is only thinking of himself and not me I didn't get any stats yesterday. Unacceptable.

[Stoked]

You guys are missing the bigger picture. Tony Parker was the only player on my fantasy basketball team with a game last night, and because pop is only thinking of himself and not me I didn't get any stats yesterday. Unacceptable.

Now we are getting to the truth. I was wondering what Pops motivation was. Now I know that he wanted to hose my man Chris. Let's go talk to him, we, of the St George Super Power, got to stick together.

[One Brow]

Pops wanted to make a point and he did. He thinks the schedule is too crazy. If he was really interested in resting his players he would have made them stay but only played them 5-10 minutes.

There is a huge difference in them sitting on the bench and sending the home on a plane. Pops wanted this to be a big deal and he probably knew he would get in trouble. He knews exactly what he was doing.

I dont agree with it, but he was trying to make a point. It was a protest.

I just want to publically noted that, 6 pages into this thread, the most sensible, on-point, reasonable, and accurate post has been made by Beantown.

Carry on.

[Hack]

I disagree with everything you've said here, including the fact that working at McDonalds isn't as hard as the NBA.
Now I've never worked at McDonalds, but I've worked with the public for years.
These guys are gifted athletes, and are expected to perform unless their bodies are not able to.
Just like working anywhere, you are expected to be there unless you're completely ill. Those athletes could never work at McDonalds for the kind of wage that that industry pays. Most of them would say "f this" and go home.
Nore should they have to work in that industry, because they're gifted athletes.

This is why they're NBA players in the first place, because they're supposed to be gifted and mentally tough.
I guess I'll just go ahead and send my cashiers home at my job today. I think at least one of them is getting a little old and tired.

For someone who is ant-authoritarian, you sure sound like a whip crackin, slave driving, plantation owner.


Simple question. Is a coach of NBA team not the one who decides who plays, and who doesnt, for whatever reason he chooses?

[HipHopAnonymous]

So if there is no rule in place how can Stern discipline them? Under the scope of some other rule? If so what?

[Gyp Rosetti]

Then he needs to change his roster to players that can actually be counted on.

It isn't just about the Spurs. He has a responsibility to the league as well. Every game played matters. Even if the Spurs will still make the playoffs, some other team might have their draft position altered. Or maybe Miami finishes 1 game ahead of the Jazz (or whoever) and gets home court in the finals.

It's not all about the Spurs. The league itself cannot exist if there is no integrity in the games. This is much more important, and much bigger, than the responsibility Pop has to try to win championships. Without a league, there are no championships.

I wish I could tell my job "I'm getting old, me and the rest of the crew are taking today off. We've worked a lot this month. Please ignore the fact that I take 6 months off every year anyway, and only work for 3 hours per day when I work at all. I'm taking today off."

Salty is the White Rabbit. Holy Christ.

[SaltyDawg]

I dont see either one of you address the fact that they damn near beat the champs on their own home court. Maybe Pop felt he had a better chance with rested legs than tired legs. What the hell is a 12 man roster for if you never use it?

Enough with the, you wouldn't sit out a game crap. You arent even athletic enough to play one game in the NBA, let alone play the grind of an NBA schedule when you are in your 30's. And this isnt the same thing as going to your job at Mcdonalds. Do you guys have to guard Lebron at Mcdonalds? So stop with that B.S. about how you cant take the day off. Its not the same thing.

I've never worked at McDonald's. I did work at burger king when I was a teenager though.

Getting past that and addressing your point...

If San Antonio almost won the game with all of their best players out, they probably would have won the gave if their best players actually played. That means if Miami finishes tied with some other team, but wins the tie breaker, they can thank San Antonio for giving them a higher playoff seed.

If San Antonio finishes tied with some other team and wins the coin flip, that other team can look back at this game and point to it as costing them draft position.

[Stoked]

Popovich has done this several times going back half a decade. This has been done by many teams over the course of the NBA.

The only reason that Stern is angry is that it is November and on national TV. If this was early April and it was against Charlotte he wouldn't give a rats ass.

Interesting note. There is precedent for fining teams. The Lakers were fined for sitting players in 84-85 and 89-90.

[Brown Notes]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--da...194828970.html

[Hack]

I've never worked at McDonald's. I did work at burger king when I was a teenager though.

Getting past that and addressing your point...

If San Antonio almost won the game with all of their best players out, they probably would have won the gave if their best players actually played. That means if Miami finishes tied with some other team, but wins the tie breaker, they can thank San Antonio for giving them a higher playoff seed.

If San Antonio finishes tied with some other team and wins the coin flip, that other team can look back at this game and point to it as costing them draft position.

Ya and, if Pop plays his guys like you want him to, and Tim Duncan ends up with a season ending stress fracture in his foot, the seeding will be different to.

Its not Pop's job to beat the Heat or whoever so that some team has it easier or harder to make the playoffs. Its on those other teams to take care of their own business.