Popovich frustrated with Udrih

[pjjrfan]

Originally Posted by JamesR

A young talented PG? Of course they could get something decent for him.

I really, really like Beno, but obviously he's of no use if he's always injured and Pop hates him. I just wish Pop would have awoken to the "Hey, Brent Barry is a good PG! Lets play him there!" idea midway through last season.

My question exactly, Barry came up big in the 05 finals when Pop put him in to backup Parker, and the guy was clutch in the last 3 games of that series. I agree with TBNL, I can't remember Pop going off on a guy like this, and especially because of injuries, Pop has always been overly cautious about his players and bringing them back too soon. This is definitly a first for Pop.

[SpursErie]

Originally Posted by pjjrfan

My question exactly, Barry came up big in the 05 finals when Pop put him in to backup Parker, and the guy was clutch in the last 3 games of that series. I agree with TBNL, I can't remember Pop going off on a guy like this, and especially because of injuries, Pop has always been overly cautious about his players and bringing them back too soon. This is definitly a first for Pop.

I agree. Barry provides excellent depth at point guard and can cover the team's main playoff weakness which is that Parker is an excellent slashing shooting guard but a poor point guard.

[PAJOE]

Originally Posted by kmgospurs

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...h.8a9ae1d.html
Popovich frustrated with Udrih
Johnny Ludden
Express-News Staff Writer

LYON, France — The Spurs had high hopes this would be the season Beno Udrih entrenched himself as the team's backup point guard.

Four days intro training camp, they now wonder if he deserves to even be No. 3.

Udrih has spent the first six practices on the sideline nursing a sore right hamstring. It's yet another in a list of nagging injuries that have slowed him in his two-plus seasons with the Spurs — and exhausted the patience of his coach.

“He's the fourth point guard on our team now,” Gregg Popovich said after Wednesday's workout. “Give me a break.”

Popovich said he's now counting on Brent Barry and newcomer Jacque Vaughn to back up Tony Parker.

“I'm not going to sit them just to play Beno because he's healthy again,” Popovich said. “The longer he's out, the longer he's going to wait for his shot to show us something.”

Popovich doesn't have a timetable for Udrih's return, but he doesn't plan on him playing in either of the Spurs' two exhibition games in France.

The Spurs have until the end of the month to pick up Udrih's fourth-year rookie option, which normally would be an easy decision given that it will cost only $1.75 million. But Popovich said Udrih's absence in camp has given him second thoughts.

Udrih has shown he has the talent to be a productive NBA player. It's his toughness the team questions.

Parker was sidelined by a right shin injury in March, but came back earlier than expected when Udrih tweaked his left ankle.

“This is the year where we wanted to see how he's going to come through defensively, if we're going to see the potential offensively,” Popovich said of Udrih. “We think he's a hell of a passer and a hell of a shooter. But can he do it consistently or is it a night here and a night there? This is the year he needs to show that to us.

“It's very unfortunate for him and for our team, but we have to move on and look at other people because we can't count on him because he's so injury-prone.”

Dump him for a second round pick and then you can keep Lee and Metzer!!!!!!!! I think he has had enough time and he still will get some attention from other teams because he can be a solid spot backup. he is not the fulltime backup they wanted. Move on. He is not mentally tough. To get Pop to call him out in the media means he has one foot out the door and Pop is giving him one last chance.

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by To be named later

Woah......that is some pretty harsh talk, IMO.

I can't recall Pop using the media to motivate a player.
I can't recall Pop using the media to light a fire under a player.

Not TP, not Rasho, not Nazr, not Hedo, not Ron Mercer, not Jaren Jackson, not Cherokee Parks, not even Dennis Rodman.

I may be wrong but this seems like a first.

I remember Pop going to the media after Tony made some public comments about him not liking that the Spurs were chasing Jason Kidd. Considering we haven't heard a peep out of Tony criticizing the organization since then I'd say Pop got his point across.

As for Beno, Pop's trying to light a fire. That doesn't mean that the Spurs won't try and trade him down the road.

[Uwe Blab]

When your Superstar plays the majority of a season with plantar fascitis, you expect a backup PG to play with a sore hamstring after only 4 days of practice. I support Pop in this case. I like Beno, but man up.

[brickowskay]

Does anyone know how Udrih managed to strain his hamstring? Was it during the World Championships or after? Is the issue here that Udrih didn't train over the summer like Pop and staff advised?

[brickowskay]

This sounds less like CIA Pop and more like Hugo Chavez Pop.

[Menudo Terremoto Williams]

Originally Posted by brickowskay

This sounds less like CIA Pop and more like Hugo Chavez Pop.

[SupermanThree]

Originally Posted by brickowskay

This sounds less like CIA Pop and more like Hugo Chavez Pop.

Alternatively: Beno Udrith claims " Pop threatened to 'bomb me back to the stone age' if I don't co-operate better."

[alpineballer]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

I remember Pop going to the media after Tony made some public comments about him not liking that the Spurs were chasing Jason Kidd.

different to this situation, back in 2003 Tony went public first, doing some clumsy interviews in French medias first, then Pop responded in public.

in this case there would have been no necessity to talk to the media about Beno, especially since Beno isn't that interesting for them.
i also don't think that a coach like Pop would need the help of medias to light a fire under a players a**.
i think it was the last drop that made the cup run over and an angry Pop spoak out what he was thinking at this moment.
the fact that the Spurs still didn't pick up the fourth-year option also tells a lot.
i would be very very surprised if we ever see Beno back in the regular rotation with the Spurs. the question will be, if (better when) and how the Spurs get rid of him.
the situation reminds a bit to 2003, when Beno left Maccabi despite still having a contract with them.
there were different rumors about the reasons and of course Maccabi just had signed Jasikevicius, but there were a lot of questions why Maccabi wanted a very talented 21 years old player (who could very well have also played alongside Jasikevicius) out of town.

[SupermanThree]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

As for Beno, Pop's trying to light a fire. That doesn't mean that the Spurs won't try and trade him down the road.

Is this Pop or Larry Brown we're talking about here?

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by To be named later

Yeah, but that was more of a message to Tony to "keep it in the family", and to communicate with Pop instead of lash out thru the media. When Pop went to the media after Tony's public comments, it wasn't to motivate a player or light a fire under a player.

Course, one could say the whole Kidd to SA deal was a plot to motivate Tony, light a fire under Tony, but still, even though the goal may have been the same Pop didn't do it thru the media, per se.

Definitely a different situation, but I think it did show that Pop would use the media if he felt that it was the only way to reach someone. Apparently he now feels that's the case with Beno.

[rjv]

there has to be something about beno pop does not trust in order for him to have endured that awful showing by nick in the playoffs last season

[coyotes_geek]

Originally Posted by alpineballer

in this case there would have been no necessity to talk to the media about Beno, especially since Beno isn't that interesting for them.
i also don't think that a coach like Pop would need the help of medias to light a fire under a players a**.
i think it was the last drop that made the cup run over and an angry Pop spoak out what he was thinking at this moment.
the fact that the Spurs still didn't pick up the fourth-year option also tells a lot.
i would be very very surprised if we ever see Beno back in the regular rotation with the Spurs.

We've never seen Pop need to talk to the media to light a fire under someone before, but then Beno might just be the first player Pop has been unable to reach by his other methods. Pop's never been a "speak at the moment" guy so if that's the case then this is really two firsts we've seen from him.

On the one hand it's pretty clear that Pop isn't happy with Beno. But on the other this does show that Pop still cares and wants Beno to get better. Ron Mercer obviously wasn't working out when he was here and we never heard a peep about it until he got cut. I think if Pop felt that Beno was a lost cause we would not have seen him say what he did.

I can't see the Spurs not picking up Beno's option. Even if Beno's not in the long term plans it's only going to hurt his trade value to decline his option making him an unrestricted free agent after this season. With the option exercised if the Spurs do trade him the team they trade him to would have all the bird-rights and other privledges associated with getting a guy who's on a rookie contract.

Originally Posted by SupermanThree

Is this Pop or Larry Brown we're talking about here?

Other than Pop doing a much better job of keeping things out of the papers there's not much difference here. Pop is one of the stricter disciplinarians in the league and doesn't like to put up with crap from players. Pop just doesn't take it public.......or at least he didn't until now.

[SupermanThree]

Originally Posted by coyotes_geek

Other than Pop doing a much better job of keeping things out of the papers there's not much difference here. Pop is one of the stricter disciplinarians in the league and doesn't like to put up with crap from players. Pop just doesn't take it public.......or at least he didn't until now.

It was precisely 'taking it public' that concerned me.

I know there is no way that Spurs 06-07 will fail as horrifically as Knicks 05-06, but talking through the press doesn't have good recent history.

[bnwhuxley]

Hmmm maybe its Beno who doesn't want the Spurs to pick up that option.

[spurs7794]

Originally Posted by SupermanThree

It was precisely 'taking it public' that concerned me.

I know there is no way that Spurs 06-07 will fail as horrifically as Knicks 05-06, but talking through the press doesn't have good recent history.

I'll be worried when Pop calls out Tim Duncan in the media.

[SupermanThree]

Originally Posted by spurs7794

I'll be worried when Pop calls out Tim Duncan in the media.

Ok, I confess to a 'reducto ad Knicks' violation.

[Spurs Brazil]

Beno better wake up and start playing

[Toki9]

Originally Posted by SupermanThree

Ok, I confess to a 'reducto ad Knicks' violation.

Yeah, that was a little absurd... ;-)