Should Gregg Popovich tone down the media hate?

[chambers]

Interesting article. I've always thought Greg was over the top, but he'd earned the right to be that way. I then saw the post game press conference where he basically tried to embarrass quite a few reporters . Obviously he's sour after the loss but he was pretty rude last night.

What are people's thoughts on this? Does he take it too far and does he take his position/salary/role for granted to a certain degree when behaving like this and disrespecting the media?
Or is it okay because he's just being who he is?

http://thebiglead.com/2016/05/13/gregg-popovich-is-mean/

Gregg Popovich’s actions have long proven he wants an adversarial relationship with the media. The media has an opposite desire. This causes public friction as each side strives for its goal.

The dance has been playing out for two decades in San Antonio. Popovich has led the Spurs to five NBA titles in that time. The success has not softened his steely resolve to make reporters look silly.

He was in prime form Thursday night after Oklahoma City eliminated his team.
At about 1 minute 55 seconds he gets pretty rude. He realizes he was probably over the top and starts applauding the Thunder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CexaUUKhweU


The reporter’s response should have been, “No, Gregg. I am not coaching. I am doing my job, which is to ask you questions.”

Alas, that rebuttal didn’t happen as it seemingly never does. Popovich’s bully behavior is rarely challenged — perhaps because he’s demoralized the press into a point of eternal submission.

Popovich is free to conduct himself in any way he pleases. The rest of us are also within our rights to point out that he’s a jerk. Or, at the very least, acts like a jerk.

Oddly, this opinion is not the prevailing one when it comes to the cantankerous coach. Somehow, his shtick of being intentionally difficult and embarrassing others has ingratiated him with people. They either find it refreshing or charming or view it as some sort of righteous payback to Big Bad Media.

Let’s be fair. Answering dumb questions from agenda-driven scribes in vulnerable times is not an enviable activity. And, yes, some of the questions Popovich has been asked in his 20 years as a head coach have been poor. But his struggle is not unique. It’s the same one faced by most athletes and coaches in professional sports.

Popovich is paid handsomely to coach his team. That is just one aspect of his job. Fulfilling media requirements is also required. He does not conduct himself in a professional manner in that arena.

That’s not an opinion. It’s a fact.

Last night’s question about lineup strategy is about as fair a postgame query as they come. Some may find a 67-year-old’s reluctance to field it without personally insulting the reporter amusing. I don’t.

The NBA’s popularity means he gets a bigger paycheck. Popularity means there is interest. Being polite for a few minutes every day seems like a fair trade on the back end.

A major reason why is because I believe the pro-Popovich crowd doesn’t understand the role of the media. They are there, ostensibly, to get answers for the fans at home who don’t have access. When Popovich is dismissive and unresponsive to them, it’s not just a slap in the face to those is the interview room. In extension, it’s a slap in the face to Spurs fans and others at home who want some insight.

Credentialed media is an easy punching bag. There’s a growing sentiment that they aren’t needed. The truth of the matter is: information-gathering is a skill. Websites like this one daily stand on the shoulders of their work. They are typically underpaid and overworked.

How they became the villain is confusing. The same people who think the entity has grown obsolete eat up every interesting nugget it produces and discuss it ad nauseam around water coolers.

Both Popovich and his defenders are biting the hand that feeds them.

We should take a step back and question if a basketball game is worth demeaning others over. Popovich is not conducting brain surgery or participating in some noble endeavor. He’s coaching a for-profit team in a for-profit league.

I fully understand the reasons dealing with media is an annoyance to a coach like Popovich. I simply fail to understand why he gets a free pass for his behavior. There are ways to say nothing. See Bill Belichick. Getting personal and nasty is a different story.

[jpotter33]

Yes. I've said many times on here that is whole shtick gets old really quick.

[Denis998]

I find it entertaining. His form of comedy isn't for the faint-hearted.

[alldaboston]

I find it entertaining. His form of comedy isn't for the faint-hearted.

Normally I'd agree. But last night was very bad.

[Denis998]

I find it entertaining. His form of comedy isn't for the faint-hearted.

Normally I'd agree. But last night was very bad.

I'd agree with that, its entertaining in short bursts, but yesterday was a bit much.

[Who]

The media have too much access. I think Pop handles it much better than I would if I were in his shoes. NBA should reduce media responsibility for coaches and players. I think we (the fans) would get better information if coaches & players were not harassed so bloody often. 

[rondofan1255]

The media have too much access. I think Pop handles it much better than I would if I were in his shoes. NBA should reduce media responsibility for coaches and players. I think we (the fans) would get better information if coaches & players were not harassed so bloody often.

I'm with you on this. 

[bdm860]

The media have too much access. I think Pop handles it much better than I would if I were in his shoes. NBA should reduce media responsibility for coaches and players. I think we (the fans) would get better information if coaches & players were not harassed so bloody often.

I know I was surprised back when the league first started consistently putting cameras in the huddle that more coaches didn't protest.  As in we know that's not how the coaches really talk to the players.  It's the difference between interview KG and on court KG.

Back when the NBA started broadcasting the huddles, I thought all it would take is a few coaches (and I was hoping Pop would be one) to not put on the family friendly filter for the cameras.  You want to show the huddle, we're going to show you the real thing.

"YOU'RE LETTING THOSE BLEEPING BLEEPS RUN ALL OVER OUR BLEEPING BLEEPS!  GET YOUR BLEEPING HEAD IN THE BLEEPING GAME AND PULL IT OUT OF YOUR BLEEPING BLEEP"

Problem would have solved itself 10+ years ago.

[jbp126]

Yes. I've said many times on here that is whole shtick gets old really quick.

I find it entertaining. His form of comedy isn't for the faint-hearted.

I don't tune in to postgame press conferences for comedy. I agree that it's a shtick and I find it a little embarrassing and uncomfortable to watch. I don't mind when coaches occasionally lash out at the media in response to a stupid question or after an emotional loss but the regular mean-spirited jabs are tired and unprofessional. Sometimes the simplest ("stupid") questions can lead to insightful answers and sometimes complex strategic questions are over thought and boring.

Pop gets lauded and deified by certain NBA journalists *cough* Zach Lowe *cough* who revel in his jerkitude. This praise is usually deserved but when you win 67 games and underperform in the postseason, it's time to swallow your massive pride and answer some questions sans the attitude.

[SHAQATTACK]

I find it entertaining. His form of comedy isn't for the faint-hearted.

Yeah me too.   Well said.

It can rub people wrong pretty quick.

[fairweatherfan]

I don't mind him being salty over the sideline interviews; they're interfering with him doing his job at its most important point, and the questions are generally pretty dumb just by the nature of the thing.  Pop's crankiness makes them much more entertaining then they usually are, and the pros have learned how to work with Pop; see Doris Burke last night or Sager most nights.

But the jab at the press conference was pretty crappy I thought; the reporter's obviously not trying to coach, he's trying to get a coach's opinion on whether he thought an approach that worked fairly well maybe could've been implemented sooner.  Pop just seemed to take it personally, probably because it hit closer to home than the reporter intended.  He knows the first 3 quarters were a failure from a coaching perspective and bristled at a question that he read as implying that.

[nickagneta]

Given the success of coaches like Gregg Popovich and Bill Belichick, I would have thought that more coaches would emulate their disdain for the media and concentrated more on the matters of winning.

I could care less how the media is treated as they seldom care how they treat others.

[86MaxwellSmart]

The media have too much access. I think Pop handles it much better than I would if I were in his shoes. NBA should reduce media responsibility for coaches and players. I think we (the fans) would get better information if coaches & players were not harassed so bloody often.

Agreed...I hate the In Game interviews---Ridiculous---let the teams concentrate on the game---not some idiot sideline reporter...Awful decision by Stern, when this started.

[jambr380]

There are ways to say nothing. See Bill Belichick.

This is pretty key. Both coaches have been dominant in their respective sports for a long time now, it's just that Belichick has learned to play the game. Pop's sideline interviews can be pretty funny, though.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Popovich should spend every Sunday going to the Church of the Holy Ping Pong Balls....cause they made his entire career in 1997....would be a NOBODY if not for that day.