Pop's opens up about in game interviews

[Nolan]

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/02/nba-gregg-popovich-marshawn-lynch-interviews-no-comment-sarcasm

Q: So people were asking me all week why your style was considered any different than Marshawn’s. I’ve got my own opinion, but how do you see it?

A: The only time I’m uncooperative is the end of the first or third quarter. Other than that, I do interviews and laugh it up with everybody all the time. I just have a philosophical difference with the NBA, and I let them know it every time. But that’s like 1% of the interviews that I do.

Q: Have you argued to have those after-quarter interviews eliminated?

A: Oh, Sure. Hell, I bring it up every year at the head coaches meeting in Chicago, when all the head coaches are there and TNT and ESPN and all the representatives. I raise my hand every year, and I say, “Well guys, you know what I’m going to say. I don’t understand why we have to do this, to subject the coaches and the questioners to this little period of idiocy. They (the TV people) are in our timeouts the entire game. They have cameras in our timeouts. They hear everything we say. They have microphones and they can use anything they want — you know, we trust them. So if they have total access like that, this end of first and third quarter actually takes us away from our job.” And that’s my philosophical difference with them.

I said, “I’m supposed to be setting the defense and offense to start the next quarter, and I can’t do my job because I’m doing this inane deal with whoever is asking me a question.” The questions are unanswerable. It’s like, “That quarter, you got killed on the boards. What are you going to do about it?.” “Well, I’m going to conduct a trade during timeouts.” Or, “I’m going to ask them nicely to do a better job on the boards.” The questions just demand a trite quip, or something, so I just say, “You know, it just puts everybody in a stupid position.” And (NBA officials) listen to it, and then they go, “Yeah, well (blabbering).” And then they don’t do anything about it. So I just do what I do.

Q: Have you given up yet as far as trying to get those interviews eliminated or do you just keep fighting?

A: Oh yeah. I’m going to say it every year. I do it, and then … two, three four times it’ll come up, and I’ll say I don’t agree with the NBA. They don’t need it. It’s superfluous. It’s awkward for the questioner. It puts the coach in a position where he looks ignorant or trite, or that “Well, one game at a time stuff,” or “Well, we’ll try to do better this quarter. Maybe we’ll shoot better.” It’s just — it makes no sense. You can’t answer a question in 10 seconds. You can’t do it. I’ve gotten to the point where I have fun with them now. It’s part humor, part sarcasm. If I have a questioner who’s really kind of fun, then we really have a good time. Like (TNT’s Craig) Sager or

[imagump1313]

He articulates his point perfectly. There is no reason whatsoever for those interviews. Its just the continuing struggle between keeping basketball an actual competitive game or turning it into WWE entertainment basketball.

[Phreak50]

I agree but at the same time, him and his players wouldn't be paid all their millions if there was no TV coverage, so suck it up and play along.

[co_laper]

Well I agree that these interviews in the 1st and 3rd isn't something I look forward to. If the idea is to find out what the coaches say to the players after the quarter, then instead of interviewing the coach, the media do have them mic'd up and cameras so just give us a small footage of what the coaches say during that period to the players. That'd be more fun to see.

Like Pop said for an example he's asked that because the team got killed on the boards, what are you gonna do about it?

Would you rather have Pop answer that he's gonna tell the players to focus on rebounding, or do you prefer seeing and listening how Pop relays that message to his players on the bench in TV?