> _Sometimes sunny but more often splenetic, Popovich ruled his fiefdom like a latter-day Red Auerbach, making virtually all of the franchise decisions that mattered. The Spurs named a general manager in 2002, and R.C. Buford, another Larry Brown limb who is now the franchise’s CEO, was a good one. But even Buford deferred to the only man who mattered. “We all know the buck stops with Pop,” Buford said more than once._
As an outsider, there’s only so much we know about a public figure like Popovich. But by all accounts through various different people embedded in the NBA, it’s validating to know that while many things may change around him in the league or even in life, who Popovich is at his core never changed. Hall of Fame basketball writer Jack McCallum took a peak behind the orange, pink, and teal curtain and reflected on Popovich’s early GM years and his NBA coaching career with the Spurs. The captivating article can be found [here](https://www.si.com/nba/the-tao-of-gregg-popovich).
Gregg Popovich defined his legacy with the San Antonio Spurs on five basic tenets: (1) discipline, (2) draft Tim Duncan, (3) zag when others zigged, (4) establish/foster a winning culture, and (5) humbly give others credit. The fifth tenet sticks out in a way that Popovich does not when it comes to seeking the limelight. In tough losses, he would be at the forefront taking on the tough questions and taking all the blame. In wins (big and small), you would see him at the back of the room or behind all of his players and assistant coaches while celebrating the team’s accomplishments.
Conversely, when the Dallas Cowboys won their third Super Bowl in four years against the Pittsburgh Steelers, 13-year-old me distinctly remembered Jerry Jones and Barry Switzer grabbing the Lombardi trophy from each other, metaphorically and literally seizing credit for winning. Sure, Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys, fired legendary head coach Tom Landry, hired his college friend Jimmy Johnson, who then traded Herschel Walker for draft picks that would turn into Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Darren Woodson, and Kevin Smith (Kevin Smith the All-Pro cornerback, not Kevin Smith the creator of _Mallrats_). Sure, Barry Switzer coached the team (that Jimmy Johnson built) to its third title in four years largely due to a roster full of talented players and basically not messing up a good thing by proverbially swerving the bus off the road. Nevertheless, watching two grown men fight over a trophy on national TV left an indelible mark on my early sports fandom.
Imagine Peter Holt and Gregg Popovich fighting over the O’Brien Trophy while Troy Aikman and Joe Buck telestrate the scuffle. It’s easier to imagine Popovich embracing the three-point shot and sideline interviews. Make no mistake though, for all of Popovich’s no-nonsense humility, give-credit-where-credit-is-due mentality, and mantra of “players get credit for wins while coaches get blamed for losses,” he seized an opportunity when it presented itself.
Gregg Popovich the general manager memorably fired popular (and successful) head coach Bob Hill in 1996. Only a person confident in their own ability would be brash enough to fire an established NBA head coach to hire himself. The thing with Popovich, though, is that he might have been bold, but he was still no-nonsense. Everything is straightforward and done without flash or excessive drama.
While Popovich often said he owes all of his success to Tim Duncan (being lucky enough to draft him, just getting out of the way and letting him play, etc.), make no mistake that Popovich is the architect of the Spurs Dynasty—the same way Jimmy Johnson was the architect of the Cowboys Dynasty, just with waaay less drama.
McCallum duly noted:
> _Year after year, the Spurs were the Spurs, and the Spurs were, more than anything, Pop._
Casual fans observing the Spurs Dynasty will see Tim Duncan’s consistent excellence, Manu Ginóbili’s chaotic brilliance, and Tony Parker’s high-speed fearlessness. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that the foundation begins with Gregg Popovich. We as fans can only hope that what he tirelessly built does not end with his retirement from coaching.