Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Wednesday 27 February 2019
U.S. is Popovich's team now, but he won't lobby players for it

By BRIAN MAHONEY ity that night and I think it summer. Popovich, the
AP Basketball Writer would be inappropriate for San Antonio Spurs coach
NEW YORK (AP) — Now the me try to do that." who was hired in 2015 to
U.S. really is Gregg Popov- Jeff Van Gundy guided succeed Mike Krzyzewski
ich's team. the U.S. through qualifying, following the Rio Olym-
He's been the Americans' earning a spot in China pics, said he doesn't be-
national team coach for with teams comprised of lieve anybody has, thus far,
a few years but there was mostly NBA G League play- committed to playing.
never a guarantee he'd ers. He finished 10-2 when The Americans compiled
actually get to lead them the Americans beat Argen- a national team pool of
in competition. The U.S. first tina 84-83 on Monday night more than 30 players they
had to qualify for the Bas- in Greensboro, North Caro- can choose from, know-
ketball World Cup, where lina . ing top stars such as LeBron
the Americans can then "He was remarkable. Spec- James are unlikely to want
play their way into the 2020 tacular. Off the charts what to play consecutive sum-
Olympics. he did to qualify the USA for mers. They will trim that to a
With that done, Popovich the world championships," smaller number to invite to San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich give referee
can lobby players to go to Popovich said. "He put to- training camp in Las Vegas Tony Brothers (25) and earfull during the second half of an NBA
basketball game in New York, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. The Knicks
China with him. gether about five differ- this summer, with the goal defeated the Spurs 130-118.
He won't. ent teams, mostly different of getting the final roster of Associated Press
"I just think that would be in- players each time in a short 12 players there.
appropriate for me before amount of time they had Unlike Krzyzewski, who USA Basketball leaders Jerry Colangelo and direc-
games to go up to one or to get them ready. If they rarely saw his prospective haven't begun reaching tor Sean Ford can begin
two guys on each team didn't do well, U.S. doesn't players while coaching at out to World Cup pros- assembling the next team
and say, 'Hey, are you go- go and he deserves a lot of Duke, Popovich is around pects yet, needing to de- — without Popovich's help.
ing to play for us this sum- credit for doing that on his them all the time during the vote their time first to the "Jerry Colangelo has been
mer? I'd really like to have own and really grateful to NBA season. revolving-door rosters of the wizard of that, he's been
you,'" Popovich said. "He's him." "And hate half of them," he the qualifying games. With the guy who's put those
there to try to whip (us). The minor leaguers will now joked. "It's going to be re- that behind them, national teams together along with
He's got a different prior- give way to NBA stars this ally tough to coach them." team managing director Sean Ford," Popovich said.

MARLINS ency with which teams are bills and manage your
Continued from Page 18 adopting this," Mifsud says. money."
"We want to invest in the "The Marlins' industry lead- At the start of spring train-
players outside of their ership on this is extremely ing, the Marlins held a
athletic abilities — invest helpful. We'd like all 30 cooking competition for a
in them as human beings," teams doing their best to group of top minor leagu-
Jeter says. "Communica- get players the level of ers. The winning team of
tion is first and foremost education they want on outfielder Connor Scott,
when you talk about build- these issues, and I think shortstop Osiris Johnson
ing a championship-cal- we're heading that direc- and pitcher Jorge Guzman
iber organization, which tion." celebrated with whoops
means making sure our Alfaro's T-shirt was worn in and high-fives — exactly
Spanish-speaking players jest — he's bilingual, ex- the kind of scene Marlins
are speaking English, but cited about his move to officials hope to see more
also our English-speaking Miami and already a club- of. Miami Marlins pitchers Trevor Richards, right, and Hector Noesi
players speaking Spanish." house leader. But poten- The trio were white, black speak to each other during spring training baseball practice
The Jeter regime's edu- tial cultural divides exist on and Latin, and their chick- Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, in Jupiter, Fla.
cation program for minor any team, and the Marlins' en and broccoli stir fry re- Associated Press
league players extends education program offers portedly was delicious.
beyond language. They're a bridge. "You've got three guys from the outfield?" plus part-time instructors.
taught life skills and cultur- "We're learning about totally different worlds," Scott says he took no Every minor league affili-
al awareness — an asset each other," says Gary Denbo says. "And when Spanish in high school, but ate will have a teacher this
for youngsters hoping to Denbo, vice president of they were announced as thanks to the Marlins he season, and when a team
break into the big leagues scouting and player de- the winners, it was like they can now converse in the is at home, every player
in one of the nation's most velopment. "We address had won the World Series." language. Catcher Will will receive Spanish, English
diverse cities. cultural awareness: Why Scott, the Marlins' first- Banfield, a second-round or life skills lessons, accord-
The Marlins are not alone. do Latin players listen to round draft pick last year, draft pick last year, says he ing to Denbo.
About half of the 30 teams their music so loud? Why says he appreciates the has made progress speak- Marlins veterans applaud
in the big leagues have do American players take chance to learn about ing Spanish when meet- the program. Infielder
begun offering Spanish les- it so hard when they go 0 and communicate with ing with Latin pitchers, al- Miguel Rojas, who's bilin-
sons to English-speaking for 4 with the expectations another culture. though it's not always as gual, says improved lan-
players in the past few placed on them by their "The better you know your difficult as it might seem. guage skills can ease the
years, says Major League families? Why do some teammates, the more you "'Curveball' is 'curveball,'" transition to the majors, es-
Baseball vice president guys talk so loud on the trust them," Scott says. "I he says. "'Slider' is 'slider.'" pecially in South Florida.
Paul Mifsud, who works bus? think that's the biggest Still, as he anticipates an "You're going to jump in an
with player programs. "The work our education they're preaching here — eventual promotion to Mi- Uber, and that guy is going
"The public focus on what department is doing af- trust. If you don't trust the ami, Banfield says learning to speak Spanish," Rojas
the Marlins are doing has fects everything in our guy next to you, how will Spanish will help him, off says. "So these American
helped to improve both players' lives. We cover you trust him to get the run- the field as well as on the guys will be prepared with
the quality of these kinds of cooking, shopping, nutri- ner over, or trust that he's mound. The Marlins have what they're going to face
initiatives, and the expedi- tion and how to pay your not going to run into you in hired six full-time teachers, in Miami."q