On Wednesday night, the entirety of the NBA family was rocked by the tragic news about the passing of the wife of one of its most celebrated coaches in history. Erin Popovich, the better half of many-time champion and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, died for undisclosed reasons.
Not much is known about Erin. Pop chooses to keep his private life close to his chest, not wanting the media to get in the way of personal matters. It’s why no one outside of the Spurs organization knew that she was battling an illness until the announcement of her untimely death.
“We mourn the loss of Erin,” Spurs General Manager RC Buford said in the official announcement. “She was a strong, wonderful, kind, intelligent woman who provided love, support and humor to all of us.”
Erin is the daughter of the late Jim Conboy, an Air Force Academy athletic trainer. Pop married her more than four decades ago and they have two children.
Here are three things you need to know about Gregg and Erin Popovich:
3. Erin and the kids couldn’t celebrate the Spurs’ 1999 NBA championship on the floor so Pop had to argue with security guards to allow them in
In 1999, the Spurs celebrated their first NBA title after David Robinson and Tim Duncan presided over their 4-1 series win over the New York Knicks. As the team enjoyed its moment, it wasn’t going to be as special if Pop was not with his family.
A July 2012 ESPN magazine feature by Ric Bucher narrates the curious story of how Popovich was thinking of his family first during that surreal moment.
“[As] the Spurs players danced around the Madison Square Garden floor celebrating their title in '99, Pop was busy arguing with security guards to get Erin and his two kids, Micky and Jill, onto the court. Then he pulled his family into a tight circle and thanked them for allowing him to do his part.”
Being the coach of a world champion basketball club definitely takes a huge toll on precious family time but Pop always knew that they were the most important of all. The family definitely missed his presence during dinners and other special occasions but they had Gregg’s back the whole time, especially Erin who had to keep the family together all those years.
2. Their daughter encouraged Pop after the 2013 NBA Finals loss to the Miami Heat
The loss in Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat was devastating for the entire team including Pop even though he rarely showed it. What many may not have realized is who knocked him back to his senses.
The multi-titled head coach was as sad as he could possibly be after the setback at the grandest stage of them all and he needed some pep talk from someone in order to get back on his feet. Little did he know that it was going to be his charming daughter who would give him his “Dr. Phil” kick-in-the-butt moment.
Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News explains how the entertaining moment happened:
“‘OK, Dad, let me get this straight: You won four championships, and you go to a fifth Finals. Other coaches lose all the time. But poor Greggy can't lose because he's special. Can you please get over yourself? End of story.’
He stared at her — then started laughing. Hadn't his daughter told him the same get-over-yourself line he's told so many others?
‘That started me on the path to recovery,’ he said.”
1. Erin wanted Gregg to be kinder during interviews and to be less argumentative on the sidelines with referees
Pop is one of the fieriest coaches in the NBA. As curt and insensitive as he may seem, though, he’s also the most entertaining interview in the league. But Erin would have none of it.
In one of the few times that he talked about his wife, Pop spoke about Erin’s criticism of his interview answers. Many have loved him for it, but the same can't be said for Erin. USA TODAY transcribed Popovich’s interview with 790 The Ticket in Miami.
“I know. I'm a jerk. I'm going to go ahead and admit it publicly to the whole world. Tell me what to do. What should I do? The quarter ends, you just got outscored by 12 points, they had eight offensive rebounds so the question will be ‘you just got out-rebounded by X amount so what are you going to do about it?' I don't know. Am I going to make a trade during the timeout? I don't know. I'm going to do drills here for a while by the time the game starts, I don't know. I'm not going to do anything. I'm just going to go back to the bench and hope we play better. It entertains everybody but my wife. When I get home and she says ‘geez why are you so mean? You're a jerk, people hate you.' I go I'm sorry honey, I have to do better next time.”
“And there's no exaggeration. Did you see that guy honey? Did you see him? All you have to do is see him and you know why I answered the way I did. (She says) ‘That's no excuse, you're a grown man. Show some maturity.' I said ‘I can't, I can't do it.”
According to the aforementioned ESPN piece by Bucher, Erin wanted her husband to improve his “courtside” manners as well when calls don’t go his team’s way.
“She'd point out other coaches who screamed and yelled and say, ‘Do you want to look like that?' Pop says. An added dividend: His team now argues with officials less often too. And he knows when he comes home from a game that she'll give him her succinct take-‘You lost your momentum in the third quarter’-offer him a turkey sandwich and chips, then turn his attention to family matters.”
Needless to say, Pop will miss his wife dearly. Who else can talk to Pop like that?
They were married for 42 years, a reminder that “’til death do us part” means something. As committed as Pop is to the Spurs, he's shown an even greater commitment to Erin until her final days.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Popovich family in particular and the Spurs organization in general.
Thanks to Heavy.com for the inspiration for this piece.
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