Full Interview here
http://www.hoopshype.com/interviews/parker_barrigon.htm

HoopsHype.com Interviews
Tony Parker: "Miami may have too many stars"
by Raul Barrigon / September 7, 2005

How do you feel about the moves the Spurs have made this summer?

TP: I think that the most important move made by our team was re-signing Robert Horry. It was also important to sign Oberto… Anyway, we have a very strong frontcourt right now. In the backcourt, there is Manu and me... Nick and Michael Finley will be very helpful. And Beno Udrih had a good year as a rookie although he didn't play very well in the Finals.

We saw how angry Gregg Popovich got with him...

TP: Well... You know, Popovich is a tough coach – especially with the rookies. Gregg is a great one and I know Beno is going to improve this year. Brent Barry had to handle a lot of pressure last year and now will do better too.

What do you think about the moves of the other contenders?

TP: I think Phoenix has improved, but only in a way... Now they are stronger, but I am not sure if they are better. They are better on the defensive end, but I feel that they are a worse team on the offensive end. In Miami, they have signed a lot of stars. Maybe too many. Shaq, Wade, plus Antoine Walker and Jason Williams… Damon Jones was a good fit because he only shot threes. Now with Williams on board, the thing can go out of control. But who knows? Maybe I'm wrong. By the way, Detroit is still a very good team. I think the contenders are still the same.

Did you find any problem with the Spurs because of your intention to play in the Eurobasket?

TP: The fact is I did. Gregg didn't like it. Obviously he's looking for the best for the franchise. But we spoke and I told him how important for me was to lead the National Team to the World Championship. In my career, I want to play the World Championship and the Olympic Games at least once each. As for the medals, I think the favorites in this tournament are Serbia and Lithuania.

__________________
To all of my friends, comrades and companions at PF.com

Thank you for another great season!

The Express News had an article on it that I cant find now, but Pop didn't want Tony to go. Pop was worried he would get injured or the injury he had wouldnt heal. In that same article, Pop said he hired a special coach (don't remember name ) to work with Tony on his game shortcomings and the whole team on free throws. Sorry, my info is so sketchy. I'm new to sports, but learning a lot from you guys.

Buck Harvey: Time to heal? Parker's shot
Web Posted: 08/25/2005 12:00 AM CDT

San Antonio Express-News
Tony Parker's knee has healed. His jumper has not. The Spurs are working on that. Just as they are in Chicago today trying to convince Michael Finley to shoot for them, they are also in Paris trying to convince Parker to make a few for them.

The Spurs are optimistic, mostly because they hired a shooting coach who has helped others. But even this coach will be pressed to change Parker this offseason, and this goes back to the sore knee, and this fits into Gregg Popovich not wanting Parker to play for the French national team this summer.

During the European championships — with pride and country on the line — will Parker want to risk a new shooting stroke?

Chip Engelland will make do. He was a Duke captain in the early '80s before bouncing around the minor leagues. But it's as a shooting guru where he has made his name.

Parker won't be Engelland's only project. The way the Spurs shoot free throws, Engelland should stay busy.

Earlier this month, for example, Engelland worked with Ian Mahinmi, the Spurs' 2005 draft pick. Everyone understands he will need a few years, but Mahinmi showed off one number when he was in San Antonio that means more than any shooting percentage.

The teen measured at a full 6-foot-11, an inch more than before.
Still, if there's one player who the Spurs had in mind when they hired Engelland, it's Parker. Not even Finley would improve the Spurs next season as much as an accurate Parker would.

So it's no coincidence that Engelland is in Paris now, and Parker has reason to listen. Engelland worked for the Nuggets last season, and Phil Jackson wanted him this season.

But Parker should be most impressed with Engelland's credentials because of one player he helped. Steve Kerr. About a dozen years ago the two went to dinner — they attended the same Los Angeles-area high school — when Kerr was in a shooting slump with the Bulls.

Engelland told Kerr to open his legs wider for better balance. Kerr listened, found success and later hired Engelland as his personal coach.
Grant Hill later did the same, and Engelland took Hill back to the basics. Hill stood 5 feet from the basket, his legs balanced, shooting with the ball in one hand, over and over again. Hill had to earn the right to shoot from farther out.

"It was a little humbling for him, I'm sure," Engelland said then. "You have to start out like a 10-year-old. In some ways, it's easier to teach a 10-year-old this stuff because they have not developed any habits yet. Someone who's older has a lot more to erase."

For Parker, the erasing will be an emotional chore. The Spurs questioned Parker's form from the day they drafted him, and he's tried to change. But when the tension grew — when he needed to score — he would go back to what he knew.

Sometimes, on the way to two championships, the old form came through. In overtime against Denver, in the close-out game against the Suns. Weren't those moments enough?

Parker knows the answer, and he's mentioned Tiger Woods as his model. Parker isn't a golfer, but he understands what it meant for Tiger to twice rebuild his swing.

But Parker never had Tiger's basics, nor has his stroke ever been compared to Kerr's or Hill's. Parker, instead, has a contorted shot that doesn't begin to fit into Engelland's equation.
When Parker cocks his head and spins the ball, is there anything balanced about it?

Engelland will proceed slowly, with bites of advice that Parker can swallow, and he will begin by finding a better ball position. Given time — and some trust — the combination could mesh.

But Engelland works with a distinct disadvantage now. Instead of being
able to practice what he's learning, Parker will have to play with it.
Popovich knows all about this. He tried to talk Parker out of the European championships because of tendonitis in one of Parker's knees, but Parker was obstinate.

Was Parker being insensitive to the Spurs? Both Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili played for their respective countries in Athens last summer.
Popovich and Parker compromised. Parker agreed to skip practices this month to rest the leg, and the plan worked. Parker has no pain today.
Still, that doesn't mean the European championships won't hurt him. Parker should be in a gym, going over Engelland's tutorial, using this time to rebuild his stroke. He will instead be on the floor.

So what happens then? Won't Parker naturally go back to what he knows, just as he has done as a Spur, because there simply hasn't been enough time?
The Spurs will see soon enough.

__________________
"I don't believe there's any problem in this country, no matter how tough it is, that Americans, when they roll up their sleeves, can't completely ignore. - George Carlin

Are the cities of San Antonio, and Detroit the only ones that know that the Pistons, and Spurs are the best teams. I mean look Detroit didn't make any big moves, yet when they asked Tony Parker about what he thought about the moves of the other contenders he talked about Miami, Phoenix, and Indy he talked about what he thought and then he said Detroit is still a very great team though... Is it only me or does it sound like Parker thinks that the Pistons will make another "upset" over Miami, and Indy to make their 3rd NBA Finals appearance in a row.

I knew I had seen it someplace And HiMat, Spurs know Pistons are the team to beat. Spurs and spur fans were really sweating game 7 and all knew Spurs "squeaked by". From reading this forum, it looks like the Pistons have really got a team. It's funny, the few fan posters on Express News seem to think Miami is the team Spurs will have to beat. They are wrong, it WILL be the Pistons. Going to be interesting the Miami Spurs game on Oct 10.

for some reason that game leaves a bad taste in my mouth. NBA sets up a matchup for Katrina relief with the Spurs and Heat. Hello! Why weren't the Pistons invited? Can you say championship rematch? Two straight finals appearances? Looks like the NBA Hype machine is already posed to try to position Miami as the flagship team this season. Too bad it willl all be for not.

I couldnt figure out why it was spurs/miami and not spurs/piston as it should have been. But yesterday I read that Miami was host team, apparently they set up the Katrina relief deal, and they invited Spurs. Maybe it was a Gulf states thing, but a spurs/pistons match would have been great.

Works for me. Katrina relief gets the money and no Piston takes a chance on suffering some freak injury.

Hopefully, WE are the team that visits San Antonio when it REALLY counts!

I've finally learned not to care what the national media thinks of us all i care about is what i think, and not only do i think the pistons are the best TEAM i know.

for the last what 4 years the pistons have been contenders and have been pushed aside for other teams. it plays into the us against the world role they love so much. I gave up on hype a long time ago when the nba started the next mj watch guys like harold miner (won a dunk contest remember him) felipe lopez yea he was suppose to be great 2but he washed up after like 2 or 3 years. even espn and tnt guys hated on us up untill we hit the finals again then said oh the pistons are great they will win but a few still doubted us. underdog or not the pistons are going to the playoffs again, the fact that parker has enough respect for us is cool but i just want to see toine with a towel over his big fat head again as we pound the heat into playoff dust