Trump Effect hits Spurs coach

Gregg Popovich coaches the San Antonio Spurs. Over the years, he's led his team to five NBA championships, and he has won the NBA coach of the year three times.

Not content with a Hall of Fame career, Popovich began popping off about politics. Maybe he always has. And he has his right to free speech -- as do I and President Trump among 8 billion other people on this planet.

But Popovich decided he is smarter than the people of 30 states (and Maine's second congressional district) who elected Trump president. Those states include Texas, where he coaches.

Popovich has been popping off.

"This man in the Oval Office is a soulless coward who thinks that he can only become large by belittling others. This has of course been a common practice of his, but to do it in this manner — and to lie about how previous Presidents responded to the deaths of soldiers — is as low as it gets.  We have a pathological liar in the White House: unfit intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically to hold this office and the whole world knows it, especially those around him every day. The people who work with this President should be ashamed because they know it better than anyone just how unfit he is, and yet they choose to do nothing about it. This is their shame most of all," Popovich said last October.

The occasion was a widow who took her grief out on the president. I can understand blaming the messenger.

Popovich entered the realm of Donald Trump, without realizing the futility of feuding with him. He never loses a feud, and often the challenger winds up worse for the wear, often because his opponent takes his eye off the ball..

And so it goes with Popovich. His team has seen a perceptible slide since Popovich began this feud.

The team barely made the playoffs after making the finals last year.

And they were one and done, losing in the first round (with three rounds to go).

Now to be fair, he missed two games due to the death of his wife. I feel great sympathy for him, and my heart and prayers go out to him.

Nothing personal; this is just business.

Before he enters the NBA Hall of Fame, Popping Off Popovich enters the Trump Effect Hall of Shame, bringing the total to 54.

1. Casey Affleck.

February 2017: "Casey Affleck Slams Trump Administration’s ‘Abhorrent’ Policies in Spirit Awards Speech."

November 2017: "Thousands Sign Petition To Keep Casey Affleck From Presenting At Oscars."

2. H. Brandt Ayers

2017: "Trump breaches moral line."

2018: "Anniston Star's ex-publisher spanked female employees in the 1970s, reports say."

3. Alec Baldwin.

2016: "Alec Baldwin totally nailed Trump on the 'SNL' premiere."

2017: "Alec Baldwin Admits He's 'Bullied Women,' Calls for a Change in Hollywood."

4. LaVar Ball.

November 2017: "LaVar Ball Is Feuding with Donald Trump Over His Son's Release From China."

December 2017: "LaVar Ball sends his sons to play in LITHUANIA after pulling them both out of school in the United States after UCLA-Trump row."

5. Michael Bennett.

2017: "Michael Bennett: Trump stooped so low with his NFL attacks."

2018: "Michael Bennett indicted for allegedly injuring elderly paraplegic at Super Bowl LI."

6. Maddie Bowman.

2017: "Olympic gold medal skier Maddie Bowman would turn down visit to the White House."

2018: "Team USA's Maddie Bowman Finishes 11th in Crushing Blow for Former Gold Medal Skier."

7. Hillary Clinton.

2016: "Clinton has 90 percent chance of winning."

2017: "Hillary, I love you. But please go away."

8. George Clooney.

2016: "Clooney's Vow: Trump Will Not Be President; See Trump's Response."

2017: "Clooney's 'Suburbicon' tanks, 'Saw' sequel No. 1 with $16.3M."

9. John Conyers.

2016: "Rep. John Conyers: Donald Trump Is the Next Richard Nixon."

2017: "Rep. John Conyers Jr. resigns over sexual harassment allegations."

10. David Corn.

2016: "MSNBC’s David Corn destroys Ann Coulter for defending Trump’s decision not to release tax returns."

2017: "David Corn investigated for inappropriate workplace behavior."

11. Bill Cosby.

2011: "Bill Cosby Rips Donald Trump On Today Show."

2018: "Bill Cosby convicted of drugging and molesting a woman."

12. Lena Dunham.

2016: "Lena Dunham: I'll move to Canada if Trump is president."

2017: "Lena Dunham Apologizes for Defending Girls Writer Accused of Rape."

13. Eminem.

October 2017: "Eminem unleashes on Trump: The 11 fiercest lines."

November 2017: "Eminem is SKEWERED on social media after his bizarre performance on SNL."

Bonus: "Rapper Eminem ‘extremely angry’ that Trump didn’t respond to castigating freestyle rap."

14. Al Franken.

2016: "Al Franken Hilariously Mocks Donald Trump."

2017: "Al Franken to Resign From Senate Amid Harassment Allegations."

15. GQ.

2016: "If You Vote For Trump, Then Screw You."

2017: "Layoffs Hit GQ as Condé Nast Cuts Continue."

16. Kathy Griffin.

2016: "Kathy Griffin Thinks Comedy Should Go All Out on ‘President Piece of Shit’ Donald Trump."

2017: "CNN fires Kathy Griffin."

17. Alcee Hastings.

2016: "Democratic congressman calls Donald Trump 'pile of excrement.'"

2017: "Taxpayers paid $220K to settle sexual harassment case involving Hastings."

18. Stephen Henderson.

2016: "Henderson: Vote for Trump was a consent, purposeful or not, to bigotry."

2017: "Free Press’ Stephen Henderson terminated for misconduct."

19. David Hogg.

March 4: "Florida shooting survivor David Hogg says he hung up on the White House during a call inviting him to Trump's listening session."

March 27: "PARKLAND LEADER DAVID HOGG" I'm Changing the World BUT UC SCHOOLS STILL REJECTED ME."

20. Megyn Kelly.

2016: "GOP Debate: Donald Trump's 'Spat' With Megyn Kelly Is Sexism."

2017: "Megyn Kelly drags down 'Today' ratings."

21. Garrison Keillor.

2016: “So, he won. The nation takes a deep breath. Raw ego and proud illiteracy have won out and a severely learning-disabled man with a real character problem will be president. We are so exhausted from thinking about this election, millions of people will take up leaf-raking and garage cleaning with intense pleasure. We liberal elitists are wrecks. The Trumpers had a whale of a good time, waving their signs, jeering at the media, beating up protesters, chanting ‘Lock her up’ — we elitists just stood and clapped. Nobody chanted ‘Stronger Together.’ It just doesn't chant.”

2017: "Minnesota Public Radio Fires Garrison Keillor Over Allegations of Improper Conduct."

22. Shia LaBeouf.

January 2017: "Shia LaBeouf arrested at his anti-Trump art installation."

April 2017: "Shia LaBeouf Thriller ‘Man Down’ Sells Just One Ticket at U.K. Box Office."

23. Lady Gamecocks.

2017: "South Carolina women's basketball team declines Trump's invite to White House."

2018: "UConn routs South Carolina 94-65, heads back to Final Four."

24. Jennifer Lawrence.

2017: "Jennifer Lawrence Would Like to Throw a Martini at President Donald Trump's Face."

2018: "Box Office Poison: Jennifer Lawrence’s ‘Red Sparrow’ Bottoms Out at $17 Million."

25. Ryan Lizza.

2016: "Trump Gets Ready to Be a Bad Loser."

2017: "New Yorker Fires Star Reporter Ryan Lizza Over 'Improper Sexual Conduct'."

26. Louis C.K.

2016: "Louis C.K. Compares Donald Trump to Hitler: ‘He’s an Insane Bigot’."

2017: "FX fires Louis C.K. after comic confirms sexual misconduct claims."

27. Macy's.

2015: "Macy's Drops Donald Trump's Fashion Line Over Immigrant Remarks."

2017: "Macy's Announces Store Closings for 2017."

28. Rose McGowan.

2016: "Rose McGowan Blasts Donald Trump, Murdochs, Networks in Open Letter: 'You Are Causing a Worldwide Sickness.'"

2017: "Rose McGowan arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance."

29. Alyssa Milano.

March 2017: "Alyssa Milano on Trump: 'Removing him will be up to' women."

June 2017: "Anti-Trumper Alyssa Milano is broke as a joke, didn’t pay taxes and stiffed her employees."

30. Evan McMullin.

2016: "Why Evan McMullin Says Donald Trump Is More Dangerous Than ISIS."

2018: "Evan McMullin Potentially In Violation Of Campaign Finance Laws, Records Show."

31. Mayor Ed Murray.

2016: Democratic "Seattle mayor decries Trump, says immigrants welcome."

2017: "Seattle Mayor Resigns After Multiple Sexual Abuse Allegations."

32. Rupert Myers.

January 2017: "British GQ writer: Could Obama ‘murder Trump and Pence’ then pardon himself?"

October 2017: "Male feminist writer fired by GQ Magazine after woman accuses him of sexual assault."

33. NFL.

September 2017: "After Trump Blasts N.F.L., Players Kneel and Lock Arms in Solidarity."

November 2017: "NFL TV Partners Set To Lose Up To $500 Million On Ratings Decline."

34. Barack Obama.

During the campaign, Trump tweeted, "President Obama will go down as perhaps the worst president in the history of the United States!"

Obama went on Jimmy Kimmel's show, read the tweet, and replied, "At least I'll go down as a president."

Fifteen days later, we elected Trump as Obama's successor.

35. Rosie O'Donnell.

1996: "Queen of Nice Can Rosie O'Donnell Clean Up Trash TV?"

2017: "Rosie O’Donnell Admits: ‘I Spend 90% Of My Hours Tweeting Hatred’ At Trump."

36. Playboy.

2016: "Hugh Hefner's son feels 'personal embarrassment' that Trump was on Playboy's cover."

2017: "Playboy considers closing down magazine to concentrate on nightclubs and casinos just months after death of founder Hugh Hefner."

37. Tony Podesta.

2010: "Tony Podesta, Superlobbyist."

2017: "Tony Podesta stepping down from lobbying giant amid Mueller probe."

38. Gregg Popovich.

2017: "Gregg Popovich Issues Blistering Takedown of ‘Soulless Coward’ Donald Trump."

2018: "Spurs season ends with hard-fought, last minute loss to Warriors in Game 5."

39. Jorge Ramos.

2015: "In taking on Jorge Ramos, Donald Trump may have tussled with the wrong media star."

2018: "Jorge Ramos Eyeing Return to Mexico."

40. Brett Ratner.

June 2017: "Brett Ratner Regrets Not Naming 'Tower Heist' After Trump."

November 2017: "Six women accuse filmmaker Brett Ratner of sexual harassment or misconduct."

41. Eric Schmidt.

January 2017: "Google's Eric Schmidt: Trump Administration Will Do Evil Things."

December 2017: "Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is stepping down as Alphabet’s executive chairman."

42. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

2016: "Arnold Schwarzenegger: ‘I Will Not Vote for the Republican Candidate for President.’"

2017: "He won't be back: Schwarzenegger's Terminator franchise terminated."

2017: "Arnold Schwarzenegger's Legend of Conan Isn't Happening."

2017: "Donald Trump Says Arnold Schwarzenegger Fired From ‘Celebrity Apprentice.’"

43. Andy Signore.

June 2017: "I am so damn sick of bully @realDonaldTrump taking words out of context to act out his agenda of fear, corruption & bigotry. #NotMyPresident."

October 2017: "‘Honest Trailers’ Creator Andy Signore Fired for ‘Egregious and Intolerable’ Sexual Behavior."

44. John Skipper.

October 2017: "Report: ESPN’s John Skipper Attacks President Trump, Fox News, and Clay Travis, in Private Employee Meeting."

December 2017: "John Skipper's resignation caps a tumultuous year at ESPN."

45. Tavis Smiley.

2016: "Tavis Smiley: BFOTs (Black Friends of Trump) Are Normalizing Racism."

2017: "PBS Suspends Tavis Smiley For Allegedly Forcing Women and Men to Have Sex With Him to Keep Their Jobs."

46. Kevin Spacey.

2016: "Kevin Spacey mocks Donald Trump and calls him a 'disease' at Cannes."

2017: "Actor Anthony Rapp: Kevin Spacey Made A Sexual Advance Toward Me When I Was 14."

47. Starbucks.

2017: "Starbucks' Howard Schultz told workers Trump created 'chaos' that is hurting economy."

2018: "Calls grow to boycott Starbucks after two black men arrested for not making order."

48. Alwaleed Bin Talal.

2016: "Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Trolls Trump: ‘I Bailed You Out Twice’."

2017: "Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal arrested in corruption crackdown."

49. George Takei.

2016: "George Takei: Trump's Muslim registry is 'prelude to internment'."

2017: "George Takei’s Facebook empire strains under sexual harassment allegations."

50. Teen Vogue.

2016: "Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America."

2017: "Teen Vogue is going to cease printing."

51. Lindsey Vonn.

2017: "Lindsey Vonn says she doesn't want to represent Donald Trump at Olympics."

2018: "Lindsey Vonn Loses Super-G Medal in Last-Second Mistake."

52. Harvey Weinstein.

2016: "Harvey Weinstein says Trump 'appeals to the worst in us'."

2017: "Harvey Weinstein Is Fired After Sexual Harassment Reports."

53. Brian Williams.

2012: "Donald Trump has driven well past the last exit to relevance and veered into something closer to irresponsible."

2015: "Brian Williams Demoted to MSNBC Breaking News Anchor."

54. Kevin D. Williamson.

2015: "Witless Ape Rides Escalator."

2018: "Atlantic Fires Kevin Williamson After Suddenly Realizing He Believes The Things He Says."