Pop stubbornly denies need to get younger: to talk with Finley, Horry, and Thomas

by VWolf on Jul 1, 2008 4:12 PM CDT

The Spurs are expected to talk with Michael Finley, Kurt Thomas and Robert Horry about returning to the team next season, according to The San Antonio Express-News.

They are all unrestricted free agents this summer.

"The question is, can we find something both sides can live with?" said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. "In the end, it comes down to years and money."

However, there are rumors that the team is looking to get younger through free agency.

"The ‘getting younger’ thing is overblown," Popovich added. "If we knew Manu would stay healthy, Timmy (Duncan) would stay healthy and Tony (Parker) would stay healthy, we’d bring back the same doggone team. And if any of those guys are not healthy, we’re not going to win a championship anyway."

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/53322/20080701/spurs_to_talk_with_finley_thomas_and_horry/

It appears that our worst fears are being realized. It looks like Pop thinks that the same team plus another year of mileage and George Hill will be enough.

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I F'ING CALLED IT!

I told y’all not to be surprised. We ALL know how Pop is. It’s his deadly flaw, his Larry Brown-esque insistence on using old experience over youthful legs.

One of my favorite sports sayings is that “an old head will beat new legs any day.” Unfortunately however, we’re at the point of diminishing returns, and I fear this insistence will be our eventual downfall.

I am angered by Popovich’s assertions that age is overblown. While I can see where he’s coming from, he has to realize the drop off we had whenever we went to our bench last season. You’d have to be blind and deaf not to realize it. While it’s important to have a core group of experienced guys, you also need to have guys that you can send out to blitzkrieg the opponent when needed. Why in the hell do you think the Dallas Cowboys worked so hard to retain Marion Barber. The guy is young, and can flat out wear the other team down. Having one or two of those guys on a team that can wear out the other teams’ D will only serve to make the big three more effective.

Popovich, for all his wisdom, is a fool if he won’t address this.

I hate to say it guys, but unless the team gets a MUCH NEEDED injection of youth, they’re toast….

by Justin Biehle on Jul 1, 2008 6:11 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

I call BS

He’s bullshittin’. He’s stubborn, but he’s not that goddamned delusional. This team was a Manu injury from getting back to the Finals, but this team had players running on fumes during their entire playoff run. This isn’t the same team or league it was 2-3 years ago. Yes experience matters, but if you look at teams like the Lakers, Jazz, Hornets and the Blazers; you’ll see that youth is being served right now. We’re gonna be looking at a repeat of the 2001-2002 season or worse if players like Michael Finley or Robert Horry are re-signed.

It's never just a game when you're winning. - George Carlin

by DennardC on Jul 1, 2008 7:13 PM CDT reply actions

+1

I’m right with you. Something doesn’t smell right, and it’s not simply Rob’s BenGay. I go up and down with my devotion to Pop but overall, he’s a freakin’ genius. He coaches circles around literally everyone in the league and always seems to come through either with his plays, or his offseason decisions. One bad year does not a wino make. I think it’s more disinformation and more distractions- Pop’s not delusional and not stupid, he knows where we are. And he also knows that a volcano is brewing within his adopted son Timmy. He knows that Timmy left kagillions on the table to keep us viable, and he knows that it’s time to maximize the Big Three’s remaining years. I still have much faith and much hope. I think we’re all going to be pleased soon…

by SgtinManusArmy on Jul 1, 2008 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions

we'll see...

i can hope all i want, but all we have to do is look at last year as evidence. we won the ‘ship, and pop thinks everything is ok, so he adds nobody (except 30 Y.O. Ime) new. This year, we were a healthy Manu from advancing, so he’ll keep everything in tact. He won’t see that we had to play all out to survive against N.O., and Manu had been worn out by LA. He will use that excuse to justify not doing anything of note (IMO)

by vy til i die on Jul 1, 2008 10:08 PM CDT up reply actions

manu had been playing on a bum ankle starting game 2 of the phx series. he wasn’t really himself in the NO series, and i think it just got worse and worse as he kept playing on it. i’m hoping this is misinformation, but if i see both horry and finley in spurs jerseys…....god damn son

What the Bowen giveth Horry taketh away. --LatinD (2008 Playoffs Round 2, Game 1)

the Spurs do not defeat you so much as they grind you into tiny shards of psychological wreckage.
-the Denver Post

by Hamer_SpursFan on Jul 3, 2008 12:42 AM CDT up reply actions