Gregg Popovich almost made Doris Burke cry last year

Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA. There are other guys you can throw in the argument, but I’m pretty confident that Popovich is the best among them. And from all accounts, he’s also a great guy–except when he’s dealing with the media.

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We’ve seen his strange, almost condescending sideline interviews across the years and how gruff he can come off. It’s strange to see him do this and then contrast it to the nearly unanimous stories of how great of a person he is.

Now we have another first hand story of how his gruff nature can affect the people he works with. It comes from ESPN sideline reporter Doris Burke.

From Pro Basketball Talk via The Lowe Post Podcast

"I adore Pop, and I think anyone who knows me knows I’ve said this over and over again: He is my absolute favorite coach in the league … I don’t know if you remember the moment – but I had asked him something about the offensive end, and he said “turnovers,” one word. Then I asked him about, “OK, on the defensive end, you held them to whatever percentage. What did you see that you liked on that end?” And he said “turnovers” again.Two words. I was devastated. It was brutal. It was absolutely brutal. I was almost in tears. I go back to where I sit, and I’m trying to compose myself, because I thought I asked two pretty good questions. And those were those were the responses I got."

"Almost in tears. Literally blinking back tears."

I realize Popovich is probably doing this all in fun, but it clearly doesn’t always come across that way. And that’s the thing. It’s not always fun for the people who have to deal with it. I’m also sure that when he hears about this, he’ll feel terrible, which is why I don’t get the whole schtick.

If everyone who knows him raves about how good of a guy he is, why does he act like he does to media people. Wouldn’t you want to make people outside of your inner circle dislike you? I don’t know, it just doesn’t make too much sense to me.

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