Gregg Popovich, legendary San Antonio Spurs coach, admits learning from
Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens
聖城老帥 Pop 承認偷學波士頓少帥 Brad Stevens 的招術
SAN ANTONIO, Tex. – Gregg Popovich is universally regarded as one of the
world’s finest basketball coaches, maybe the very best. But in years prior
to this one, the San Antonio Spurs coach sometimes tuned into mid-major
college games looking to improve.
“When (the Butler Bulldogs) were on TV, I watched the game to see what I
could pick up, to see what (now-Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens) did,
because he did such a fine job,” Popovich said Wednesday before his Spurs
downed Boston, 104-93.
Pop 公認是地球上數一數二的籃球教練，搞不好說最強的也不為過，
但這位傳奇教頭卻說，這幾年他會收看大學的球賽以求進步。
「有巴特勒大學（鬥牛犬隊）轉播的時侯，我會好好看有什麼撇步可學，
我會觀察 Brad Stevens 教練（現為塞爾提克主教，年36）的球風，
因為他教練當得真的有厲害。」Pop 說。
Coaches will search just about anywhere for advice. The practice is nothing
new. Erik Spoelstra has attended Oregon football practices and Stevens
considers Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy one of his greatest influences.
Stevens has said he brings a notebook even when watching a high school game,
just in case he spots a set he wants to adopt.
But Popovich revealed a lot of respect for Stevens – and for Celtics
president of basketball operations Danny Ainge, who hired Stevens in July
after the coach spent six seasons at Butler.
“I think we don’t see it enough, where ownership and GMs will actually look
and say, ‘Who is coaching well?’ rather than ‘What name can I bring or
what would this do or that?’” Popovich said. “But actually look around the
country – it doesn’t matter what level – and say, ‘This guy is doing a
hell of a job right here.’ Or maybe from another country: ‘This guy is
doing a hell of a job.’ Whatever it might be. And Danny did that, so he
deserves a lot of credit for it.”
好的教練為了增進功力，油鍋刀山也敢去。
跑到別人的場子觀摩不是什麼鮮事了，這招 Erik Spo 就用過，
他曾遠赴奧勒岡州去鴨隊（the Ducks, 美式足球隊）取經。
而超塞少帥 Brad Stevens 心目中影響他最大的，
則是印地安拿波利斯小馬隊（the Colts, 美式足隊隊）的教練 Tony Dungy。
他甚至看高中生比賽時也會拿著筆電，以便看到妙招時可以趕緊畫起來。
Pop 則表示了對塞爾提克新主教 Brad Stevens 的萬分敬意，
他一手扶起巴特勒大學籃球隊，經營五年後連兩年打進NCAA總冠軍賽。
對其籃球事務部總裁 Danny Ainge 招攬此人也大感佩服。
「我覺得聯盟裏這種狀況其實還不夠多，
就是老闆和總管真的問對問題：『誰教練當得得好？』
而不是『我把這個誰和那個誰找來，看看效果怎樣？』」
「哪個聯盟不重要，要從全國去看、去找，
如果覺得『哇，他可以把這隊搞起來實在太厲害了』那就該用他。
或者從外國去找這種『把隊伍搞得有聲有色』的人，
國內外是其次，哪種聯盟也是其次，工作本身才是重點。
Ainge 做到了，他值得我大聲喝采。」Pop 有感而發。
When told Popovich used to watch Butler games to see if he could learn
something, Stevens quipped, “Yeah, and the answer was no.”
But Popovich noted a lot he respected about those Butler teams, which Stevens
twice brought to the national championship game.
“It’s a really kind thing for him to say,” said Stevens. “He’s at the
top of our profession. I don’t think there’s any question about it, in a
number of ways.
聽到 Pop 曾看他比賽學新把戲時，Stevens 很謙遜：
「他學不到什麼東西啊，因為沒有什麼我會的是他不會的。
不過真是很感謝他的金口，他已經是教練這行的極致了，
很多層面來說他都是極致，這點我深信不疑。」
The Popovich stamp of approval is like a young rapper getting a co-sign from
Jay-Z. But still, Stevens’ NBA coaching record sits at 4-9 after falling to
the Spurs.
No worries, according to Popovich, who said Stevens needs no advice because he
’s “already a good coach in his own stead.”
“In this league, with the number of games and as talented as teams are …
patience is probably a big commodity, especially in someone’s situation who
’s used to winning night after night after night,” Popovich said. “It’s a
little bit different when you’re rebuilding a program, and so patience on
everybody’s part is really important. Danny (Ainge) has it and he
understands the situation. All it will do is improve as time goes on,
guaranteed.”
有了 Pop 的認可，就像年輕的饒舌樂手獲得 Jay-Z 的肯定一樣。
不過 Brad Stevens 的戰績目前是普普的五勝五敗。
但別擔心，根據 Pop 的說法，
Stevens 不需要別人亂出主意，
因為他已經証明過自己的本事。
「在 NBA，儘管比賽那麼多，球隊那麼優，耐心還是很重要，
尤其是像 Stevens 這樣以前日復一日在贏球的人。
「如果你的球隊在重建期又不同了，這時侯球隊裏的每一方，
老闆、總管、教練、球員的耐心就變得非常重要。
ainge 很有耐心，他了狀況。塞爾提克絕對會進步。」Pop 表示。