Suns Owner Apologizes to Fans For Spurs

((ht: cbssports.com))

Wonder how well this will go over in sports motivation land?

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver apparently felt the San Antonio Spurs short changed his fans Thursday night during an exhibition game by not bringing or playing most of their starters. Coach Greg Popovich stayed home sick and Tim Duncan along with a couple other starters didn't make the trip.

So he took to the P.A system late in the 4th quarter to apologize to them for having to pay for a "Lopsided" game.

Hmmm...

While we sort of understand the sentiment, it WAS an exhibition game. And much like in football and other sports it isn't always about letting your starters play like it's the regular season.

For that very reason, we don't watch NFL preseason football and if the Hawks had their preseason games televised here at the OSG Global HQ (Atlanta), we wouldn't watch that either.

Here's video of Sarver talking to the huddled masses:

Do Not Joust With Gregg Popovich

((HT: SI.com/cjzerovids))

This happened after the Spurs-Thunder game last night when asked to explain the blowouts in the five games so far in the series...


DO NOT MESS WITH THIS MAN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE UNLESS YOU WANT THE HORNS, JUNIOR...!!!

Gregg Popovich's Message to Craig Sager: True Class

For all the grief San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich gets about his gruff and often short answers when being interviewed during games, nobody can give him grief anymore.

Pop did what can only be called one of the classiest things a coach could ever do as a sign of respect.

During Sunday's Spurs game vs. Dallas on TNT, Popovich came over to do an interview between the 3rd and 4th quarter.

((NOTE--San Antonio won the game--90-85))

Only this time, instead of the sartorial (look it up) unique stylings of TNT's regular sideline reporter Craig Sager, Pop was talking to Sager's son.

The reason.

The widely respect Sager announced this week that he had Leukemia and would not be able to take his customary role during the NBA Postseason while he battles the disease.

So, Sager's son, Craig Jr. took over the role, which was supposed to be a taped piece to send to his father. Only Popovich's response changed that.

Arrived this morning to do a taped interview with Pop. He goes no, we're doing this live 3rd qtr just like your Dad. pic.twitter.com/RPAwIt7tvR
— Craig Sager II (@CraigSagerJr) April 20, 2014

The reason: Popovich had a message for Junior's ill father:



How often does this happen?

Not very.

To top it off....Popovich and the Spurs had a personal message to deliver to Sager.

Popovich gave me a hand written letter to give my Dad tomorrow. The whole Spurs organization is filled with class and great people. Thanks
— Craig Sager II (@CraigSagerJr) April 20, 2014

And if you ever wonder why the entire basketball world respects the Spurs, Popovich and everyone surrounding them. Your question is now answered.

ICYMI: Spurs Sit Big 3, Win Anyway...

((HT: NBA on TNT))

The last time this happened, the Spurs sat practically everyone at Miami, sent Duncan, Ginobili, Parker, and Green and only lost by five. That didn't sit well with the Commish who fined the team a quarter of a million bucks...

It was a marquee match-up and he wanted the stars on the floor, gosh darned it...

It kinda happened again last night when the Spurs took on Golden State...

Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili sat and it took a Tiago Splitter bucket with less than three seconds left for the Spurs to win 104-102


Apparently, it was the first time that three Australians started in an NBA game with Andrew Bogut, Aron Baynes, and Patty Mills... but the Warriors are more concerned about letting one slip away that they should have won in the first place...

But it will be interesting to see if the Commish's office will do anything this time...

Knicks-Spurs: Stephen Jackson Injured By A Waitress, JR Smith Gets Nasty...

((HT: NBA/MSG/Youtube))

The HQ, admittedly, isn't that much of an NBA fan...

But when these things happen on the parkay floor, we'll bite...

First, JR Smith just gets abusive...


Pablo Prignioni has good eyesight...

Then, there's the whole notion that when Gregg Popovich rested his guys and sent them home early and he caught hell for it. THIS IS WHY HE DID IT!!!!

An unfortunate waitress was taking a courtside order when Stephen Jackson didn't have any room after getting hip-checked on the end line...
((HT: FoxSportsSpurs))


Now, do you understand...???
We're still with Coach Pop on this one. It was the fourth game in a five-night stretch this time around, and he had to put up with that...

Not cool at all... but the HQ does hope the waitress is okay...

Popovich Looking Out For His Team, NBA Mad... (UPDATE: Spurs Fined $250k)

((HT: WOAI-TV))

Everyone, including the Commissioner of the NBA David Stern, seems to be getting bent out of shape about the idea of San Antonio Spurs head coach looking out for his team come June...

Except here at the HQ...

We were listening to the very sly, sports talk radio network late last night when their overnight host was throwing "bricks" at the Spurs for not being there for the fans...

Which we thought was absolutely ludicrous...

And if the late night host actually believed that, then he's there for entertainment purposes only and has no journalistic integrity whatsoever...

This host was throwing his bricks at the Spurs telling them that if any of their fans thought that holding out four starters and sending them home early- for a game that was far more important this weekend- actually approved of the move, then they're not "real fans."

Which is a laughable argument...

As coach and GM, Popovich was looking out for his veteran squad come the playoffs against Western Conference opponents- which Miami is not...

The league is promising hell to pay... which we'd like to see, personally... since it's the league's fault for scheduling this mess in the first place...

Here's Barkley's interview with Coach Pop about his decision...
((HT: NBA on TNT))


Let's see...

Which would you choose...??? Getting ready for Memphis in a game that matters in a seven game-10 day stretch, or sitting stars for a TV game against Miami...???

Thought so...

The league should fine the schedule maker and not the Spurs...

SATURDAY UPDATE: But, they didn't...

The league fined the Spurs $250,000...

NBA Commissioner David Stern came out with a statement: "The result here is dictated by the totality of the facts in this case. The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami. The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way. Under these circumstances, I have concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."

San Antonio folks and fans are understandably disagreeing...
((HT: WOAI-TV))