SAN ANTONIO – Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who hasn't hesitated to step into the political arena with his public comments in the past couple of years, had a strong endorsement for U.S. Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke and a scathing rebuke of his opponent, Sen. Ted Cruz, in his session with reporters before the Spurs’ game against New Orleans on Saturday night.
“Tuesday’s a little more important than our game tonight, that’s for sure,” Popovich said. “I hope everybody understands that. It’s been a special time. A lot of people have voted early. It used to be Election Day, Election Day, Election Day, but it seems that everybody’s gone out, millions, (and voted)."
Popovich then talked about O'Rourke.
“He’s a special guy, especially when you think of the times we’re in now,” Popovich said. “You get so tired of all the lies, the divisiveness, fear-mongering, the race-baiting. It just diminishes all of us. It makes all of us feel strange.
“When I think of Beto or listen to what he says, I feel like what I thought an American is supposed to be. He’s classy. He’s thoughtful. He’s intelligent. He’s civil. I mean, what do we have in Texas, 250 counties (there are 254), I think. He’s been to every one. He’s been everywhere because he cares about all the people.
“He doesn’t deal with PACs and corporations, and all that kind of thing. He just does the work. When all of us say, ‘How are we going to change this? What’s going to happen? They don’t get anything done. Congress doesn’t . . . nobody gets along.’ We all say, ‘We need leaders. We’re all looking for leaders.’ Leaders are courageous. Leaders conduct themselves based on their standards, their principles. They have the courage of their convictions. They don’t genuflect. They don’t kiss up for their own personal gain.
“He’s (O’Rourke) out for the people. He wants everything to be fair. He wants justice. He wants our democratic institutions to be respected, so that we’re proud of being Americans. You can’t be proud of the culture wars that have been begun. The whole world looks to us for leadership, and it’s not there. That’s why people like Beto are so important because he embodies that. He’s there for us. He’s not there for his own personal gain and position.
“When people are so desperate as is his opponent, that scares me. To do what Mr. Cruz has done to try to get elected, is very scary. That’s about self. That’s not about the rest of us. Beto is the exact opposite of that. That’s why I think he’s great."
He then said to the assembled reporters: “May I be excused?”
Popovich had drawn attention Friday at Spurs practice by wearing a black "Beto" camp as he talked with players. He did not address reporters Friday.
That followed LeBron James wearing a less conspicuous cap while walking into the AT&T Center last week when the Los Angeles Lakers came to town. That cap clearly read “Beto for Senate.”