Many people were left shaking their heads in disgust with Texas Governor Greg Abbott when he announced yesterday that he was opening the state back up 100% and lifting all mask mandates. Among those criticizing the decision was San Antonio Spurs' head coach, Gregg Popovich.

Source: USA Today

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich continuously shook his head in disbelief.

He has often called spoken out on social issues. So it was not surprising Popovich had a strong opinion on Texas Governor Greg Abbott announcing he would lift mask mandates. Popovich called the decision “pretty mystifying” considering the coronavirus pandemic remains a problem both with infections, deaths and vaccine distribution.

“It puts a lot of businesses in a tough spot,” Popovich said Tuesday before the Spurs played the New York Knicks. “They’re trying to do a good job of keeping everybody safe. Of course they want to open up. But getting rid of masks just seems ignorant to me. We have to have instant gratification and act like the pandemic is over? We already went through this once, and now we’re going to do it again?”
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“When you go into those restaurants, you take those masks off anyway when you’re eating. So how hard can it be?," Popovich said. "Now they’re going to have to talk to people that come in. And the people that didn’t want to wear masks in the first place, how do the businesses get them to wear masks? Well, now they don’t have to, so now there will be infections, one would think. But when all of a sudden we act like it’s over with and all of the science tells us the opposite, you’re basically saying, ‘You get infected and you die? That’s the way it goes. We have to open up!’ That’s not the way to do it. This is really ridiculous.”

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says @GovAbbott decision to lift Texas mask mandate is "mystifying" and "ignorant."

More Pop: "Basically you're saying, 'if you get infected, you die, that's the way it goes. We got to open up,' This is really ridiculous.' #KSATsports #KSATnews pic.twitter.com/sWX0y1t1rO

— RJ Marquez (@KSATRJ) March 3, 2021

Another take on Abbott's decision.

Governor Abbott receives his Covid shot before telling Texans to eat shit and die. pic.twitter.com/hzAX7KbD3x

— 𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕣𝕝 (@Sundae_Gurl) March 3, 2021