Renowned oenophile Gregg Popovich recently paid a visit to Portland for a charity wine auction event.
Pop, who inked a multi-year contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs this summer, is said to have revealed to the audience that he underwent hip replacement surgery during the offseason.
Per the Oregonian (via PBT):
Last Sunday evening, for a $750 charity donation, you could have joined a private gathering at Rex Hill that featured Popovich and Rex Hill winemaker Sam Tannahill. It was a reception and Italian dinner, and probably well worth every penny given that Popovich stood, acknowledging his discomfort from his postseason hip replacement surgery, and said a few words to the crowd about wines. Also, Popovich pledged that he’d match everyone’s donations from the evening.
Which brings us back to that Sunday dinner as part of the Classic Wines Auction event. Because not only did Popovich talk about the vintages from 2004 to 2012, and not only was he “gracious, smart and funny,” according to a donor who was present, but he did the most remarkable thing at the end of the evening. The Spurs coach brought out his personal cases of Rock & Hammer.
“He gave everyone there a bottle,” Deb (Hatcher) said. “It’s the only time I know that any of them had gone out in all the years we’ve made them. But you know, it was typical of Pop.”
