For the Love of Humanity, Enough with the NBA Between-Quarter Coach Interviews

During last night's Spurs-Heat game, I couldn't help but laugh at Gregg Popovich's answer to one of TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager's in-game interview questions. Sager attempted to ask how San Antonio was succeeding at keeping LeBron James out of the paint. Coach Popovich's dead-pan answer: "I have no clue."

That fart was uncomfortably wet.

Some people find Popovich's demeanor during these moments unnecessary, boorish, and even unprofessional. I find it hilariously funny. Full disclosure: I can't stand Craig Sager. I think he's a clown...a buffoon...a joke. His outfits look like they were taken from the giveaway pile outside a "That 70's Show" taping. His interview style is obnoxious and overbearing. His questions make you wonder if he thinks he's much smarter and more clever than he really is. I guess in a game that's generally dominated by women whose basic skill is being easy on the eyes, he's got to stand apart somehow...but he basically comes across as a self-aggrandizing, moppish, wannabe.

So yes, it's fair to say that nothing would make me happier than if a player or coach who he was interviewing gave him an unsuspecting whip cream pie to the face mid-sentence. But Popovich is notoriously, umm, short during these sideline interviews, and Sager isn't the only reporter who gets this on the receiving end from him. While I can't stand Sager, I hate (HATE) the mid-game interviews that are part of the NBA in general.

Popovich sure doesn't make the interviewer's job easy, but his 1 and 2 word answers are actually the only interviews of this kind worth watching. I guess NBA coaches are contractually obligated to participate in these interviews, but I don't know who's bright idea it was to mandate this. Aside from Popovich's comedic terseness, give me 1 example of a coach sideline interview between quarters where something of interest was said. The coaches aren't going to reveal anything of real interest like strategies, substitution patters, or plays being drawn up. You know somehow they are going to work the words effort, defense, and aggressiveness into their answers in some order. The clips of the coach-speak that goes on in timeout huddles are just as worthless. If you can't show us anything of real value, get rid of it all!

When players get interviewed in similar situations, it's almost always much of the same. If a game gets chippy, you will get the occasional funny answer to a question...like once when asked what was working in a game against Miami, Rajon Rondo responded something to the effect of, "They're complaining to the refs, and then we're beating them down court in transition." But these gems are few are far between.

Bazinga!

So, while some could argue that these reporters are just doing their job and deserve more than what Popovich offers, I would argue that it's an idiotic portion of their job, and I actually find Popovich's answers refreshing. To me, his answers reflect what every other coach during a between-quarters interview wants to say. This is stupid. You're wasting my time while I could be making adjustments with my team. Go f*** yourself. In that way, Popovich's 2 word answers of awkwardness are the most honest words you will ever hear during such interviews.