So … the best coach in the NBA, bar none, had a few thoughts today when asked about Trump, the Warriors, and the situation egged on yesterday (and again today) by the nation’s chief tweeter:
https///www.facebook.com/Spurs/videos/10154892398926981/
A San Antonio media outlet described it as “sounding off on Trump, again” :
SAN ANTONIO - Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich spoke out once again about President Donald Trump at media day on Monday. Popovich has been very critical of Trump in the past and was asked about Trump’s recent comments about NFL players taking a knee or not standing during the national anthem.
Popovich said Spurs’ players have the right to speak out for what they believe in, and have their full support from the organization. He added the players would be respected for their individual decisions and not ostracized.
Popovich also discussed the country’s divisive political culture and current race relations.
"We all know the situation and it gets beaten up every day by talking heads," Popovich said. "It starts to get personal and I think we all know why, we know where the source is. The childishness and the gratuitous fear-mongering, race-baiting has been so consistent that it's also expected. The bar has been lowered so far that I think its more important to be thinking about what to do at a more organic roots based level."
From ESPN’s article:
I don’t think about some platform that I have. I’m an individual. I live in this country. I have the right to say and think what I want. It’s got nothing to do with my position. If it helps someone think one way or another about something, great. But the discussion has to take place.
<snip>
It’s hard to sit down and decide that, yes, it’s like you’re at the 50-meter mark in a 100-meter dash. You’ve got that kind of a lead, yes, because you were born white. You have advantage that are systemically, culturally, psychologically rare. And they’ve been built up and cemented for hundreds of years. But many people can’t look at it that way, because it’s too difficult. It can’t be something that’s on their plate on a daily basis. People want to hold their position, people want their status quo, people don’t want to give that up. Until its given up, it’s not going to be fixed.
Everything Coach Pop Said at Media Day about Racism:
www.sbnation.com/...
Gregg Popovich: 'We still have no clue of what being born white means.' pic.twitter.com/whTL7y4ktu
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 25, 2017
“Until it’s given up, it’s not gonna be fixed.” — Greg Popovich, head coach, San Antonio Spurs
You may remember that he’s spoken out on the question of our so-called president’s efforts to belittle and deny the rights of black, brown, LGBTQ and woman Americans before.
Shortly after last November’s election, Popovich said he was “sick to [his] stomach” about the results. In January, he said “you really can’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth,” and referred to Trump’s conduct as a game show in May.
Oh, and GS Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who made so strong a statement after the orange dumpster fire “disinvited” a team that didn’t want to go to his White House photo-op anyway? Yeah, he used to play for Pop, who described Trump’s tantrum withdrawing the invitation as “comical.”
Uproxx has the full statement and the whole press conference video, here:
uproxx.com/...