I've got to say: for a 72-year-old man, Gregg Popovich seems to be in pretty good shape. Aside from the fact that he's obviously still as sharp as a tack in terms of his mental strength and headiness for the game of basketball — and the game of toying with the media — a video that surfaced on Thursday night shows that the veteran has still got some wheels.
Team USA forward Kevin Love posted a video on his Instagram story of Popovich and the rest of the Team USA coaching staff running suicides, with the caption, "You mess up. You run." followed by three laughter emojis. Running alongside him was 59-year-old Villanova head coach Jay Wright, who beat out Pop by a hair (and may have slowed down intentionally to keep the chemistry tight).
How's that for a little bit of role reversal? I'll tell you one thing: I was fortunate enough to spend time with the Franklin & Marshall Men's Basketball Team under legendary head coach Glenn Robinson — one of only four coaches in NCAA history with 900 career wins under his belt, along with Coach K, Herb Magee and Bobby Knight — and I really can't see a situation where the players could have convinced him to run suicides. But hey, I could be wrong.
It's cool to see the players and coaches having a little bit of fun, especially given the fact that the situation surrounding the Olympics is anything but fun right now, with COVID-19 consistently looming over the games. It's also nice to see that Love was the one filming the moment and sharing it on social media, as the veteran has seen some harsh criticism toward the decision to include him on the roster. Of that response from fans, Love said this (via NBC Sports):
"In a way, I understand it, because I came off a season where I didn’t play that many games and wasn’t at the top of my game. I’m very vocal about that in the public, saying that I wasn’t where I wanted to be, mostly for my team, for my coaching staff and for the Cavs in general. So, for me to come here, I just feel like I have a lot to prove. But I feel that way coming into every season.
"I thought it was a great opportunity for me to play high-level basketball and have that transition into this next season. But just competing for a gold medal, playing for USA, getting to wear this – there’s just nothing like it. So, being in this system has been incredible for me. And every time that I’ve come off a plane with this program and what it means to me and my career, it’s always been great for me. So, I thought this would be instrumental in getting me right and feeling healthy and going out and playing great basketball.
"I can still be the player that I was before I had a couple tough injuries. This is the best I’ve felt in a long time."
Perhaps he'll feel even better after seeing everyone — both players and coaches alike — having fun in moments like the suicide run that make the Team USA experience unlike any other.
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