Oh no - Niednagel again (Globe)

[Eggcentric@xxxxxxx]

< Is this kid (Parker) a precocious 21 or what? We might digress just a 
little here to note that one trained observer looking on from the outside 
doesn't think it's good for Parker to be dressed down in such a fashion. 
The individual? None other than Danny Ainge's buddy, Jonathan 
Niednagel, a.k.a. the brain doc.

In the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine, Niednagel commented on a 
Popovich-Parker confrontation during the Spurs-Lakers series, telling 
writer Ric Bucher, ''Pop is melting down. That's not good for a 
[player] like Tony.''

Well, it seems to be working just fine for both parties. The Spurs are 
two wins away from their second NBA title in five years. Popovich, who, 
according to Niednagel's system as explained in the ESPN article has 
trouble adjusting in the heat of battle, is the Coach of the Year.> - May

Here we go again, Kestas.  You will just have to decide for yourself 
whether certain Boston Sports writers are pro-Niednagel or laughing all 
the way to the copy desk over his very existence.

Egg

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This combo is music to Spurs ears
By Peter May, Globe Staff, 6/10/2003

They are father and son in the basketball sense. One is the outwardly 
ornery, occasionally bellowing, 54-year-old coach of the San Antonio 
Spurs. The other is the slick, dynamic point guard from France in whom 
the gruff old coach placed his trust, not to mention the future of the 
team.

We know them now, of course, all too well. We also know that as 
father-son relationships go, what on the surface may look like 
something out of the Menendez brothers instead is probably closer to 
Fred MacMurray and (pick a son). We also know that the relationship has 
led the Spurs to the NBA Finals and has also led to near-stardom for 
Tony Parker. As for Gregg Popovich?

''It's fun for them, but it's a little life-shortening for me,'' he 
said of having so many young players, of whom Parker is the most 
competent and valuable. ''I'm being honest. I think I have a week 
left.''

Asked yesterday about Popovich's criticism, Parker shrugged and 
repeated what has been an ongoing theme: He doesn't mind it. Honest.

''He's the one who gave me the chance to be in the starting five,'' 
Parker said. ''We got a relationship, a little bit like father and son. 
He's very hard on me. He's screaming at me. Sometimes he's kind of 
crazy. He hurts my ear, he screams so hard.

''But it's good for me, because when you're young, you've got a 
tendency to be lazy in practice, so he's always behind me, to push me, 
to get the best out of me. It's just great, even if sometimes it's 
hard. He just keeps screaming and screaming. You do something good, 
and he's still screaming. I think it's good for me.''

Is this kid a precocious 21 or what? We might digress just a little 
here to note that one trained observer looking on from the outside 
doesn't think it's good for Parker to be dressed down in such a 
fashion. The individual? None other than Danny Ainge's buddy, Jonathan 
Niednagel, a.k.a. the brain doc.

In the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine, Niednagel commented on a 
Popovich-Parker confrontation during the Spurs-Lakers series, telling 
writer Ric Bucher, ''Pop is melting down. That's not good for a 
[player] like Tony.''

Well, it seems to be working just fine for both parties. The Spurs are 
two wins away from their second NBA title in five years. Popovich, who, 
according to Niednagel's system as explained in the ESPN article has 
trouble adjusting in the heat of battle, is the Coach of the Year. 
(Other coaches in that same category: Don Nelson and Phil Jackson.)

Parker has already hit the jackpot this season: People magazine named 
him one of the 50 Most Beautiful People. As for his play, well, Celtics 
fans should be reaching for the hemlock, because he could easily have 
been a Celtic in 2001 had anyone bothered to tell Red Auerbach, ''No, 
Red. We don't need Joseph Forte.''

Parker yesterday again recounted his version of the 2001 draft. He said 
the Celtics told him they'd take him at No. 21. (The Celtics say that's 
not the case.) He said the Celtics and others were wary of French point 
guards. (The Celtics say that is not the case.) He said he's glad San 
Antonio picked him and that Popovich has trusted him to run the show. 
(That is undeniably the case.)

Spurs assistant coach P.J. Carlesimo worked some San Antonio games 
for television last year and wondered to himself what Popovich was 
doing when he entrusted the team to Parker, then only 19.

''I thought he was nuts last year to put Tony in,'' said Carlesimo. 
''You don't start a 19-year-old point guard from France in this league 
and get away with it. And he won 58 games. This year, he won 60. Tony 
Parker would not have done anything approaching what he's done with 
any other team. Pop just put him out there and believes in him and instills 
confidence in him.''

Parker had 26 points in Sunday's 84-79 win, which gave the Spurs a 2-1 
lead in the series. (Game 4 is tomorrow night.) There were times when 
he took some bad shots, made some questionable decisions, got some 
choice bonbons from his coach.

Popovich was irked by a wild shot Parker took at the end of the first 
half, when he penetrated and tossed up a no-chancer. A teammate was 
wide open in the corner.

''He's always going to be on me,'' Parker said. ''He's always going to 
scream at me. I can never please the guy. That's why he's a good 
coach.''

It's a fine line that Popovich continues to walk with the development 
of Parker. The coach didn't expect the Spurs to still be playing in 
June, not with so many unknowns. Next year, after a big free agency 
hit, was going to be this year. Instead, next year is this year.

Sure, Popovich has the ultimate weapon in Tim Duncan. But he had Duncan 
the last three years and the Spurs came up short.

Last year, Parker was a rookie and it showed. This year, he has already 
outplayed the incomparable Jason Kidd in two games and has shown 
himself to be fearless and fallible.

Those are traits to be admired and expected in a guy who is still 
learning the league, his teammates, his own offense.

''He's a tough young man,'' Popovich said.

Coming from an ex-Air Force man, Parker couldn't ask for a higher 
compliment. Before his NBA days, Popovich did some hush-hush stuff 
for the government. When queried once as to what it entailed, he told 
his questioner, ''I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.''

Basketball isn't quite so life-and-death. But it's Popovich's job and 
Parker's calling. So far, while it may look problematic and at times 
even antagonistic, the relationship has grown and so has the team.

Maybe even Parker could help deliver another Larry O'Brien Trophy to 
his coach this Sunday -- Father's Day.

This story ran on page E1 of the Boston Globe on 6/10/2003.
) Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.