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Wishing only the best of health and happiness for you, Pop, as you transition into POBO. THANK YOU!

All that you have done on and off the court continues to resonate, and we're lucky to still have you at the helm:

Posted this quickly on the GB, and will probably blather on more here, but I had just come home to the news...

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It's hard to overstate just how big an impact Pop has made on and off the court with all the community work and programs he set up that have impacted SA for decades.

In my time in SA people would randomly offer stories about him when they'd heard I came from away to watch the Spurs. So many changes; a constant watchful resolute purposeful guide throughout. And so even now as we move into another era, Pop is still there, overlooking and steering, in a place that is more suited to his life situation.

It can't have been an easy decision for Pop. All along he said he wanted to return to coaching, was doing well in rehab, but that latest health issue was probably a turning point for pause for thought.

I'm so grateful I got to witness Pop coach his last season in SA, got to feel the impact beyond the court in SA, and wish him nothing but health and purposeful, if at a more measured pace, contribution to the Spurs and beyond.

For everything, thank you, Pop.

All the very best.

While I'm processing what will surely result in more meandering ramblings, some more thoughts and their context from the GB: (I'll update the thread with well written articles by those who do it best as they come out)

KokoKaizer wrote:I hope you're good G R E Y !

What a dinasty he made, Pop is a legend

Appreciate it, thank you. Yeah I'm shocked it's now here but not surprised, if you know what I mean. That last fainting episode at the restaurant was a harbinger; felt as if things could not go on as they had, with all the pressures and travel, etc., that a HC demands. And all the yelling and stress lol

It's too bad health got in the way of more Pop and Wemby on court moments but I'm sure the bond behind the scenes is growing ever stronger.

Sort of feel like this about it:





When Pop re-signed for five years after we'd won the Wemby draft, there was no guarantee that it would all be for coaching since he's held the HC and POBO titles. And for some years now, Pop has always had a year-to-year decision policy, seeing how he felt after each one, potentially going into the next one.

I'm super grateful I got to see Pop coach the end of last season in SA (well and before that, too).

I'm also relieved he's well enough to continue on as POBO for us and now I want #6 and more while he holds that title all the more.

I feel for Pop for not getting to return as he wanted, but you never know how life turns your path or the why of the timing of it. Pop has often said that we show ourselves in reactions to when things don't go our way. He also said he'd return to coaching only if he was fully able to do it. And so here we have it: a decisive turn.

It may take some time internally as Pop is ultra competitive, but I hope he sooner than later becomes at peace with this decision, even if he was moved to it for reasons beyond his control.

Onwards we go together, PATFO and Spurs and Spurs fans.

G R E Y wrote:

Read on Twitter

What's Wemby going to say? No?

He's not going to be a bad guy and say it. If he thinks Johnson is a good coach he just doesn't know any better.

imagump1313 wrote:

G R E Y wrote:

Read on Twitter

What's Wemby going to say? No?

He's not going to be a bad guy and say it. If he thinks Johnson is a good coach he just doesn't know any better.

I mean, he's been with the Spurs since 2016 in all levels, working his way up. Now he gets to prepare from the start, and has support broadly within the organization and with the players.

Think of it from PATFO's POV - would this decision have been made if Wemby didn't think it right? If PATFO didn't think it was right short and long term, given the new arena and roster changes surely coming up?

I really do wish that Pop could have gotten a chance to oversee the rise after guiding the team through a very trying rebuild; he deserved it. But his path is now to guide the Spurs as POBO. Who knows why of the weird timing of things.

But if Mitch has the full faith of the organization, this with several more experienced options available, and of the Spurs coaching tree, it should be pause for thought for fans.

Mitch gets to run the team in his way, less with Pop cussing phone calls lol, who was still overseeing things as coach from behind the scenes this past season. He gets tp grow with a young team, backed by Pop and Wemby and really the rest of the players. That is a powerful endorsement. And he's only 38. With good qualities and values and long tutelage in The Spurs Way. Let's see what he brings and how he develops and helps shape the team, contributing more of his learning in our culture.

He has all the right guidance along the way.

G R E Y wrote:

imagump1313 wrote:

G R E Y wrote:

Read on Twitter

What's Wemby going to say? No?

He's not going to be a bad guy and say it. If he thinks Johnson is a good coach he just doesn't know any better.

I mean, he's been with the Spurs since 2016 in all levels, working his way up. Now he gets to prepare from the start, and has support broadly within the organization and with the players.

Think of it from PATFO's POV - would this decision have been made if Wemby didn't think it right? If PATFO didn't think it was right short and long term, given the new arena and roster changes surely coming up?

I really do wish that Pop could have gotten a chance to oversee the rise after guiding the team through a very trying rebuild; he deserved it. But his path is now to guide the Spurs as POBO. Who knows why of the weird timing of things.

But if Mitch has the full faith of the organization, this with several more experienced options available, and of the Spurs coaching tree, it should be pause for thought for fans.

Mitch gets to run the team in his way, less with Pop cussing phone calls lol, who was still overseeing things as coach from behind the scenes this past season. He gets tp grow with a young team, backed by Pop and Wemby and really the rest of the players. That is a powerful endorsement. And he's only 38. With good qualities and values and long tutelage in The Spurs Way. Let's see what he brings and how he develops and helps shape the team, contributing more of his learning in our culture.

He has all the right guidance along the way.

Meh, I dont know. Johnson is not a good head coach. Looking at it from the team's prospective I guess it wouldnt look that good if they just hired a real coach over his head so we were stuck either way.

Im depressed because odds are now much better that we are going to suck for the most part for the next two years. Hopefully Wemby doesn't decide to walk before that. Maybe if the FO can make a trade for a real game changer we could overcome the poor rotations and coaching decisions so we could get better.

I dont hate Mitch as a person but honestly he is not going out-coach anyone in this league (except Jason Kidd maybe)

I dont think anyone needs a history lesson. One of the things that made us soo successful for soo long was that Pop learned to out-coach teams. That is long gone now. I would actually feel better about it if Brett Brown was given the job.