Is Pop personally doing this to get himself a bigger contract?  

Thank god I missed the game last night, or I would have had to watch Butler play!  

If only he could be made to understand that without two great shotblockers behind him, Bowen's completely useless.  

I think I found a perfect solution to all of our problems: We just gotta play musical chairs with some jobs so that nobody loses face.

Release Bowen and give him Sean Elliott's analyst job, where he'd be sensational.  

Fire Elliott and re-hire him as an assistant coach where he can constantly chirp in Pop's ear to give the ball to Tim or Manu.  

Give James White Bowen's spot in the rotation.

And have Chip Engalland and his sweet shooting stroke join our D-League team and be their "Microwave" off the bench.  

About Butler I'm sorry but he is lazy and fat. For someone to be playing basketball Since October  I guess that is when training camp started and still be this out of shape is pathetic. If he wanted to he could have gotten himself a nutritionist or ride a bicycle longer. There is no excuse for that

I am speaking from experience. I lost 40 pounds a couple of years ago, because I didn't like who I was becoming. Now I wasn't getting paid 2 million per year and having the best doctors around. His job is just to play basketball, and he isn't even in shape for that.
Until I can see that he is motivated he is a huge bust! And when he is out on the floor he doesn't seem to be able to do a damn thing correctly.

About  Butler: What the hell are you talking about getting used to his new body? You act  like this guy just had liposuction and poof he magically lost 40 pounds.  When you lose weight you become lighter and quicker not slower; and how long  will it take good old Jackie to get used to his body? He looks definitely more than 250 pounds. So unless you have a team doctor weigh him, don't make assumptions about his weight!
*    Here are players that weight around 250 Brad Miller 261, Okur 263, Sean Marks, 250, Pat Burke, 250, Duncan, 260, Gasol, 260, Jamaal Maglorie, 259. Now there are a ton of other players but I didn't want to go through the whole NBA. All these players about the same height 6-10 to 7 feet tall. They all weigh about the same, and they are all ten times skinner looking that Butler. So don't make comments about him looking around 250, when he really looks like around 270 or even more!                      

The reason we want to see White play is because he is young and athletic, and he was averaging 17 points per game in the NBDL, and I know he can give the same production Bruce has been giving us. And no one here is saying that Bruce isn't a great defender, but with his age he needs play about 5-8 minutes less so he can be fresh for the playoffs. What White can't play defense, that is the reason the Spurs signed him, not because of his dunking ability.  And to expect him not to give us anything is stupid. Look at the NBA looking at how many young players are contributing to their teams, If he doesn't play you don't know if he can contribute or not. Now if he gets out there and sucks  like some Spurs we know then bench his ass. But not giving him an opportunity is stupid!

You also keep criticizing  anyone on here  who says something bad against the Spurs. I remember about a month ago Aaron wrote that Tony should pass more, and you went on a tangent about that, but then Pop then realized that Tony wasn't getting his teammates involved. Pop has also admitted that Butler has been a huge disappointment this year.  

James White is also listed at 200 pounds, that is a huge difference. What has Finley or Horry brought to the team to deserve that tons of minutes. Yes they have had a couple of good games this year but they are far and few. Now giving him 5 minutes a game isn't going ruin this team, maybe he can actually doing something while he is out on the floor?  

But to dress Butler is unacceptable over White when we all know Butler is out of shape. Another thing Butler does not look like he has lost that much weight to me at all. But I am for him going down to the NBDL so he can get some playing time because he isn't going to get any this year. I wrote about that a while back.

I will have to look for the what Pop said about Butler I don't' have time right now, since I'm at work.

I don't really have a problem with Bowen playing as long as Duncan and another big are out there behind him, as the defense is designed.  

I only get my panties in a bunch when he's out there in a tinyball alignment.  By definition when we go to tinyball it's because we want offense and if we want offense then Bowen can't play.  And without that second big, his defense gets significantly worse.  

The ONLY tinyball line-up this team should ever resort to is Duncan-Finley-Barry-Ginobili-Parker.  If you don't put those five out there together, then don't play tinyball period.  That's all I ask.  

If he called Butler lazy and disappointing it's because he hasn't showed enough in practice to get his butt on the court.  You can compare his situation to Stephen Jackson's all you want, but I think it's disingenuous to think that if the coaches loved Butler's effort to this point that he wouldn't be getting more run.  

Just because he's lost some weight, it doesn't mean he's fulfilling all expectations of him.  Maybe he's not spending as much energy in practice or watching film as the coaches want.  Maybe he still doesn't have the offense and defense down pat.  Maybe he thinks he is being paid just to lose weight and nothing else.  I don't think the coaches are totally happy with his attitude since he had to be told repeatedly by Tim just to help Bonner off the floor when he got hurt in the Wizards game.  

For crying out loud, Oberto's been terrible, Bonner is hurt and Horry is a walking corpse, you really think Pop's happy that he doesn't feel Butler is good enough to play right now?  I suppose the Ely trade is completely unrelated then.

As for White, nobody is labeling him as a savior or the next Scottie Pippen or anything like that.  All anyone is saying is that he possesses two traits - youth and athleticism - that are sorely lacking with the club.  

Hey, compared to Matthew I have major doubts about White.  After all he went to Cincinnati and that university has been known to pump out a steady assembline of knuckleheads.  But I'm willing to give him a chance to see what he can do and like Adam said, throwing him out there for a few minutes with the other starters with the understanding that he'll only touch the ball in transition and off his own efforts on the glass won't hurt anyone.  The coaches I'm sure will remind him the second they see him playing d like his pants aren't on fire, he'll be on the bench.

No personal insults have been thrown Bruce's way.  Nobody's said anything bad about his personality.  Everyone acknowledges he's a good guy and a great teammate.  All anybody said is he's not the player he used to be.  Hardly a crime.

Yes... occasionally some mean things have been said about Tony.  But A) He's said repeatedly, throughout his career he'd rather shoot than pass B) The coach did have to remind him to pass more last month and C) Until he steps his game up in the playoffs there will be only two sacred cows on this team, like it or not.  

I think the reality of the situation is that while Manu and Tony like each other fine off the floor, they don't seem to have great chemistry together on it most of the time.  We're hardly the first people to notice this.  It is a very good thing that they're on good terms away from the floor or it could get ugly out there.  

Either way, I would appreciate it if you kept your discussion with other people here civil.  Whatever negative comments other posters make, they make them about NBA players/coachers, not other posters.  It's just a game and we're just having fun with it.  

You  also keep trying to start something with anyone that questions anything about this team. We all have opinions and whatever we think is whatever we think. And don't write that it's idiotic or stupid, I didn't join this blog to start shit with anyone especially you!

And no sorry I wasn't watching Jackie Butler last year, He was on the Knicks, not on the Spurs I usually don't give a shit about players on other teams!!!!!!!

And the only player I have ever given shit to was Tony because "sometimes" he wants to shoot every time down the floor. Now you can say that is bull but when the Head coach tells he wants to pass more, what can you say about that.

Another thing, I made that part up about what Pop said about Jackie Butler because I'm 27 years old and jealous of him because he is in the NBA and I'm not, you got me there. I admit it, I hate Butler because he took my spot on the Spurs, so I root against him because of it.(Hey Genius I would love for Butler to succeed because Duncan only has a couple of good years left, so if Butler becomes a great  low post player and can help the Spurs contend year in and year out I'm all for it)

I want everyone on the Spurs  to succeed, the only player I ever rooted against earlier this year was Parker when he was just in his scoring mode mentality and never passing to Manu. That being said if players aren't playing well, or not trying out there, I can criticize if I like. If you don't like what I write don't read it. This blog is suppose be for fun. You come on here most of time and are affable but then other times you try to rationalize everything that Pop does, and try to belittle anyone who disagrees with him

It's funny when you tell me to watch White play; sorry I don't get NBDL league games. You tell me not criticize Butler because he has played 35 minutes this year, but you can criticize James White even though he hasn't been given an opportunity to play yet. Like we have all said on here before if White sucks pull him. But when I see Butler play he looks awkward and has no sense on the floor. (I remember you also criticized me earlier this year  when I wanted Tony to pass the ball to Manu even though he wasn't playing well and only getting only 9 shots per game)

One last thing: You are really more annoying than Mark Cuban!

I have a lot of problems with how the Spurs have chosen to develop young players in the last 5 or so years, but I don't think you can say one young player is being benched because of performance while the other is being benched because of shortsightedness without coming off as a bit of a hypocrit.

The fact remains that Stephen Jackson saw 23 games of action despite being on a team whose best swingmen were Danny Ferry and the exhumed corpse of Steve Smith. Like White and Butler, he didn't get a chance to play despite mediocre competition in that spot. I'm not saying that one prospect is better than the other. I am saying that neither of these guys are probably ready, and we should wait till summer league before choosing to spread what are essentially rumors that we have no way to confirm.

I don't think trading for a guy in the last year of his contract (who happens to make LESS than the contract we traded) is indicative of this team's plans. Ely has the advantage over Butler because he's ready to contribute now (or, at the very least, really soon). I think getting him is an indictment on Butler's inexperience, not on his work ethic.

Adam - it doesn't really matter if you don't like Bowen or Butler or anyone else on this team. What matters is that 1) you made up shit to "prove" that they have flaws in their game 2) you choose to criticize without bothering to do any advanced research and 3) when faced with evidence, rather than reexamining your viewpoint, you chose to make up further shit. My problem with you is not anything to do with how you feel about a player, I could really care less. My problem is when people choose to be lazy and pass around the same word-of-mouth rumors rather than doing their own research. That's the problem I had with your post.

Compound that with the fact that you readily admit you've never seen either of these players (Butler or White) play significant amount of minutes. DOesn't that at least suggest to you that perhaps your opinion was a bit hastily formed? It'd be fine if you were a Cinncinnati Fan that'd watched White all his career (and according to some Cinnci fans, he wasn't that great), but to say that you can make an informed opinion on a player by their 35 minutes of play, their body type (which you have no point of reference to, since you've never seen him with another team), and NBDL stats epitomizes what I refered to as laziness. But, whatever, you already have preconcieved opinions on players. Butler is lazy and White is deserving of playing time because he is athletic. Anymore deep insights that you wish to provide?

I don't want to further this shitfest, so I'll just end it with these 2 things. First, I have to say I've also criticized this team a fair amount this year, and it's rather disingenous (and lazy) to say that I'm a blind homer that defends the team. My defense of Tony Parker isn't because I think he's a flawless point guard, but rather, that I think he simply doesn't have the natural playmaker talent or awareness that you need to be a pass-first point guard. A good example is the fast break he had with Elson vs. Detroit. He had a decent-sized hole to get the ball through, and he did, but the problem is, he hit Elson when Elson was already under the basket. We've seen guys like Baron Davis or Steve Nash turn that fastbreak into a dunk. The fact that Tony missed Elson in front of the basket and only hit him when he was under the basket shows the difference between those three players (Parker, Nash and Davis). Tony just doesn't have the awareness that those guys do. ANd it's not just one play, it's been happening all season. I can't count how many times TOny's missed Manu cutting down the lane or an open guy on the opposite side of the court. Tony can make passes when he's got a clear line of vision and/or a good idea of where a guy is suppose to be. He can't see the floor nearly as well as Nash or Chris Paul or even a guy like Brevin Knight. In that way, I think the criticism of Parker is misguided in that you're asking him to be something he clearly cannot be - a pass first point guard. He just doesn't have the vision, so why bother talking about it at all. Forgive me, but I don't see the point of repeatedly ragging a player who is producing despite his flaws. I also don't see the point of being angry at Tony every year for something he hasn't improved since his first 2-3 years in the league, especially since this team has so many other problems that are the cause of their mediocre (though similar to 2003) record.

I'd also like to make it clear that when I refer to something as absurd and ridiculous, I'm saying your claims, not your persons are ridiculous. I'm sorry if that's not clear enough. I'll try to make the distinction in the future. And yes, I do think you take stuff too far. Let's not forget that you've wished injury on our own players (Finley, off the top of my head) before. Let's not play the good fan/bad fan card, shall we?

The reason they called White  up is because during the rodeo trip they have had ample time to practice. So don't compare his to Jackson who was with the whole team from Summer league and preseason these are two different scenarios. Pop even said he called White up because they have some time days off during the Rodeo trip and he wants to see what White can do.

And don't say I make shit up, sorry I don't have time to search the internet to look for an article that was printed probably over a month ago just to appease you, because you believe Butler has work ethic and isn't fat!

About Tony: No he doesn't need to have a fantastic vision to come down the floor and pass to an open teammate instead of taking shot after shot. So it's alright for Tony to come down and have one of the big's set a screen for him so then he can dribble around and around and then shot it? Then why not move Tony to shooting Guard if that is what he is good for? So Pop must be an idiot for specifically telling Tony to start looking for his teammates more and start shooting less. I wish Pop would have told me sooner that Tony wasn't a pass-first point guard, because that is news to me?

Also, Tony does have court vision, you can't say why didn't he throw an alley-up to Elson because Nash would have, Elson and Amare are two different players. If we had Amare or Marion, Parker would be throwing lobs up left and right!

And no I haven't been on Tony's case for a while because he has actually been distributing to his teammates, since Pop talked to him. The only reason I brought him is because you say I like to attack players.

The Michael Finley comment was a joke, I also said if Manu killed Tony I would be his defense Lawyer.   And since this site is supposed to be fun I can say whatever I want. I will call Butler fat because he is; I will call Tony selfish, when he states he wants to shoot the ball all the time instead of distributing, which is what his job is.  I will call Tim a cry baby when he whines to the refs if they call a foul on him; I will scream at Finley when he misses every shot but keeps chucking it up every time he touches it.  I will yell when Manu becomes turnover prone or just starts chucking up 3's every time he touches the ball. I will call Bowen worthless when he gets lit up and gives us nothing on the offensive end!  

Sorry I don't feel sorry for players that are getting paid millions of dollars and not getting the job done!

I don't even want talk about James White, because you can't guarantee  he is ready to contribute or not. The Pacers were stacked at that position, period. That is why the cut him. Pop was fortunate to get him, after he was cut, so he wasn't even supposed to be on this team. So you can't say he is ready to contribute or not, because he was cut by the Pacers. And why did Pop call him back up if he isn't ready or showing some progress. That's my two cents on that.

But don't tell me that Tony doesn't see the court at all because that is ridiculous.  Tony isn't 5 feet 2 inches out there he is 6 feet 2. His teammates are pretty tall also. Over the past couple of years Tony has wanted to become more of a scorer, plain and simple. Tony can see the court just fine, I always see Tony make great passes to his teammates when he takes it in the middle and is about to get blocked? So he can see teammates sometimes and not others, sorry I don't buy that at all.  Like Aaron said when Tony wants to get assists he easily can.  Detroit was a perfect example of it. In the first half he had 5 assists second 3rd quarter he kept shooting the ball.

Tony Has been playing professional Basketball since he was 17 years old. Do you actually believe the he would have lasted this long he didn't have court vision. Why would the Spurs have signed him, he if couldn't and still can't find his teammates because he didn't become a scorer since only a couple of years ago. Everyone knows Tony likes to shoot the ball, he admits that he wants to shoot the ball; he would rather shoot than pass, period.  Tony begins games getting his teammates involved in the second half he likes go into scoring mode.  Everyone in the league considers Tony a shooting point guard now, and that has nothing to do with his inability to see the court. This is the NBA the best basketball players in the world play here. I'm sorry Tony would never had made it to the NBA if he doesn't have court vision. IF you can't find open teammates you won't even make the NBA let alone last this long.