By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer | San Antonio Express-News (SAEN), 2024-11-21 10:33:51
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
11月21日（周三）晚，马刺前锋朱利安·尚帕尼(Julian Champagnie)在弗罗斯特银行中心与圣安东尼奥食品银行的客户理查德·洛佩兹自拍。这场节日晚宴由马刺队主办，H-E-B 联合赞助。
埃里克·库珀(Eric Cooper)年轻时曾在盐湖城和达拉斯的食品银行担任管理人员，他深知职业体育明星对提高人们对饥饿问题的认识大有裨益。
“在盐湖城，卡尔·马龙(Karl Malone)送给我们一辆全新的半挂卡车来运送食物，还主动提出帮忙送货，”库珀说。“他是食品银行的拥护者，我亲眼目睹了社区如何团结在他这样一位德高望重的人周围，以及他们对他的热爱。后来我去了达拉斯，有机会与马克·库班(Mark Cuban)合作，向北德克萨斯食品银行捐款。”
受到这些积极经历的鼓舞，32岁的库珀在2001年来到圣安东尼奥，接管当时处境艰难的圣安东尼奥食品银行，成为该组织有史以来最年轻的总裁兼首席执行官。他渴望与马刺队和教练格雷格·波波维奇(Gregg Popovich)见面。
“我不记得我是怎么拿到波波维奇的电话号码的，但我跟他说，‘嘿，听着，我是食品银行的新人，正在努力帮助人们解决温饱问题，你觉得你能帮我们吗？’”库珀回忆道。“突然间，波波维奇就出现了，问道：‘你需要什么帮助？你在做什么？’”
“从那以后，他为食品银行拍摄了媒体宣传片，并将他的个人品牌与食品银行联系起来。我们还需要一个新的设施，建造费用高达数百万美元，他以其一贯的直截了当的方式说，‘好吧，我认识一些有钱人，我们去问问他们。’”
波波维奇在11月2日突发轻度中风后离开了马刺队，这位名人堂成员和食品银行顾问委员会成员无法参加周三晚上在弗罗斯特银行中心为贫困家庭举办的节日晚宴。但库珀仍然能感受到他的存在，他说波波维奇一直是该机构不知疲倦的倡导者。
“正是像这样的活动让人们更加感激他是谁以及他的声音，”库珀说。“在这个感恩节之际，我不禁深深思考我多么感激波波维奇。我怀念在球场边线和这样的活动上看到他挽起袖子、全力以赴的身影。”
库珀一直很钦佩75岁的波波维奇从不为自己对食品银行和其他慈善机构的援助邀功。
“看到他在场外做正确的事情，包括在没有人在场的情况下，这是一种激励，”库珀说。“正是在没有人注意的时候，波波维奇做了很多好事。”
虽然波波维奇没有出席这场由马刺队主办、H-E-B 联合赞助的“感恩季”活动，但马刺球员扎克·科林斯(Zach Collins)、朱利安·尚帕尼、查尔斯·巴塞(Charles Bassey)、桑德罗·马穆克拉什维利(Sandro Mamukelashvili)、西迪·西索科(Sidy Cissoko)和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔(Stephon Castle)都到场为食品银行的客户带来欢乐，并在停车场帮助分发了200份感恩节餐包给需要的家庭。
“这是波波维奇的特色，”尚帕尼说。“他喜欢这种活动，喜欢家庭氛围，喜欢回馈社会。我们是他的延伸。他不能来，但我们在这里代表他。绝对能感受到他的存在。”
库珀表达了类似的感受。在11月13日关于波波维奇健康状况的最新消息中，马刺队表示他已经开始了康复计划，预计会完全康复。俱乐部还表示，“他重返教练席的时间表”尚未确定。
“我想念他，爱他，就像我们所有人都爱他一样，只希望他早日康复，”库珀说。“我想整个城市都在为他祈祷，我知道他会回来的。”
由于不确定波波维奇“会以何种身份回归”，库珀补充道，“我们想要波波维奇想要的，我们会尽可能多地接受他愿意分享的一切。我认为感谢他的家人、他的孩子、他还在世的妻子很重要，因为他们都把他分享给了我们所有人，这是一种牺牲。所以，感谢他的所有家人，感谢你们与我们的城市和社区分享这位了不起的教练。他是最棒的。”
文班亚马和瓦塞尔继续缺席
马刺队宣布维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)和德文·瓦塞尔(Devin Vassell)将缺席周四晚上主场对阵犹他的比赛。
这是两人连续缺席的第三场比赛。
文班亚马自11月15日输给洛杉矶湖人队的比赛中右膝受伤后一直缺阵。瓦塞尔在休赛期接受足部手术后，为了控制伤情缺席了那场比赛，预计会复出，但马刺队将他列入了伤病名单，原因是左膝酸痛，这迫使他缺席了11月16日输给达拉斯的比赛和周二战胜俄克拉荷马城的比赛。
代理主教练米奇·约翰逊(Mitch Johnson)在周二的比赛前表示，两人的伤势都是轻微的，应该不会缺席太久。文班亚马和瓦塞尔下一次复出的机会将是周六马刺主场迎战金州勇士队。
周三的伤病报告中出现了两个新名字：扎克·科林斯因左膝肌腱炎被列为出战存疑，克里斯·保罗(Chris Paul)在对阵雷霆的比赛中扭伤左拇指后被列为大概率出战。
马刺队还缺少杰里米·索汉(Jeremy Sochan)，他在11月4日输给洛杉矶快船队的比赛中左拇指骨折接受手术后无限期缺阵。
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, right, shares laughs on the bench with forward Jeremy Sochan, center, during the first half of the Spurs NBA game with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in San Antonio. San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 110-104.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, who is out with a knee contusion, reacts to a play during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Dallas. Dallas won 110-93. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
点击查看原文：Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's absence felt at Food Bank holiday event
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich’s absence felt at Food Bank holiday event
Spurs forward Julian Champagnie poses for a selfie with San Antonio Food Bank client Richard Lopez at the nonprofit’s holiday dinner hosted by the Spurs and co-sponsored by H-E-B on Wednesday night, Nov. 21, 2004 at the Frost Bank Center.
As a young executive working for food banks in Salt Lake City and later in Dallas, Eric Cooper learned the benefits of having pro sports figures increase awareness about hunger.
“In Salt Lake City, Karl Malone gave us a brand-new semi-truck to haul food and offered to help make deliveries,” Cooper said. “He was a champion for the food bank and I saw how the community rallied around someone of his stature and their love for him. Then I got to Dallas and was able to work with Mark Cuban on some donations to the North Texas Food Bank.”
Motivated by those positive experiences, the 32-year-old Cooper was eager to meet with the Spurs and coach Gregg Popovich when he arrived in San Antonio in 2001 to take over the then-struggling San Antonio Food Bank as its youngest-ever president and CEO.
"I can’t remember exactly how I got Pop’s phone number, but I said, ‘Hey, look, I am new at the Food Bank and am trying to feed people, do you think you could help us out?’ " Cooper recalled. "All of a sudden Pop shows up and is like, ‘What do you need help with? What are you doing?’
"From there, he did media spots and lent his personal brand to the Food Bank. We also needed a new facility that would cost millions of dollars to build, and in his no-nonsense way, he was like, ‘Well, I know some people who have money, let’s ask them.’ "
With Popovich away from the Spurs after suffering what the club termed a mild stroke Nov. 2, the Hall of Famer and member of the Food Bank’s advisory board was unable to attend the nonprofit’s holiday dinner for needy families Wednesday night at the Frost Bank Center. But his presence was still felt by Cooper, who said Popovich has been a tireless advocate for the agency.
“It’s events like this that drive deeper appreciation for who he is and for his voice,” Cooper said. “In this time of Thanksgiving, I can’t help but to really ponder how grateful I am to Pop. I miss seeing him on the sideline and at events like this with his role up the sleeves and leave nothing undone attitude.”
Cooper has long admired the way Popovich, 75, has never sought any credit for the assistance he gives to the Food Bank and other charities.
“It’s been an inspiration to see him do the right things off the court, including when nobody is watching,” Cooper said. “And it’s when nobody is watching that Pop does a lot of his good deeds.”
While Popovich wasn’t at the event hosted by the Spurs as part of their Season of Giving campaign and co-sponsored by H-E-B, Spurs players Zach Collins, Julian Champagnie, Charles Bassey, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Sidy Cissoko and Stephon Castle were on hand to spread cheer among Food Bank clients and help with a distribution in the parking lot that provided Thanksgiving meal kits to 200 families.
“This is Pop’s niche,” Champagnie said. “He loves this kind of stuff, loves the family atmosphere, loves giving back. We are an extension of him. He can’t be here, but we are here for him. Definitely feel his presence.”
Cooper described similar feelings. In an update on Popovich’s health on Nov. 13, the Spurs said he had started a rehabilitation program and was expected to make a full recovery. The club also said a “timeline for his return to the sidelines” had not been determined.
“I miss him, love him, as we all love him, and just hope he gets well,” Cooper said. “I think the whole city is praying for him, and I know he will be back.”
Knowing it’s uncertain in what capacity Popovich “will be back,” Cooper added, “We want what Pop wants and we will take as much of Pop as he is willing to share. I think it’s important to thank his family, his kids, his wife when she was alive, because they all shared him with all of us, and that comes as a sacrifice. So, to all of his family, thank you for sharing this amazing coach with our city and our community. He is the best.”
Wembanyama, Vassell continue to sit out
The Spurs ruled out Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell for Thursday night’s home game against Utah.
It was the third consecutive game the duo has missed.
Wembanyama has been sidelined since he suffered a bruised right knee in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 15. Vassell was expected to return after sitting out that game for injury management following his offseason foot surgery, but the Spurs added him to the injury report with a sore left knee, which forced him to miss the loss at Dallas on Nov. 16 and the win over Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
Acting head coach Mitch Johnson said before Tuesday’s game the pair are day to day with minor injuries that should not keep them out long. The next chance for Wembanyama and Vassell to return will be Saturday when the Spurs host Golden State.
Two new names popped up on the injury report Wednesday: Zach Collins, who was listed as questionable with left knee tendinitis, and Chris Paul, who was probable after spraining his left thumb against the Thunder.
The Spurs are also without Jeremy Sochan, who is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured left thumb suffered in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 4.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, right, shares laughs on the bench with forward Jeremy Sochan, center, during the first half of the Spurs NBA game with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in San Antonio. San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 110-104.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, who is out with a knee contusion, reacts to a play during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Dallas. Dallas won 110-93. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
By Tom Orsborn, Staff writer, via San Antonio Express-News