Tim Shea's International Basketball BO-log
Submitted by Tim_Shea on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 3:41pm.
Kobe's on vacation:
While The Dude suffers through Olympic withdrawal it helps to have U.S. Open Tennis but after Usain Bolt... everything seems slower. There was some serious greatness (Phelps) from Beijing and the Olympic media coverage in Spain was complete. It's missed.
Back on the home fronts, the Yankees are in deep trouble and Fredric Weis equals Patrick Jr. back in the MSG. If Fredric could not replace Patrick Sr. at least he helps bring back memories to a franchise that needs some historic vibes. I remember, like it was yesterday, Fred Weis, being dissed and cussed out during his first Summer practice by Knick Head Coach Jeff Van Gundy. Afterwards Fred wanted nothing more to do with the Knicks. It was obvious. Anyway, Kobe's on vacation.
Getting political:
Why is climate change not more a part of the U.S. Presidential election? I mean a lot more! If Al Gore is not put in a high government position (with power)to move the USA past the rethoric and on to action in regard to climate pollution, then I don't know what's going on. Maybe never did. Maybe never will.
Recently:
During the Beijing Olympics LA LAKER and Spanish National Team icon Pau Gasol appeared in a TV commercial.
He was sitting down, no hoopla, no frills, just a quiet, serious, recital... low key, calm and collected that, translated, went something like this... "It's good that the world looks up to you, admires you, but is it not better, not more important, that the world admires your country?" It was this admirable image the USA/NBA Basketball Gold team gave us during the Australian - USA quarter Final game, as late in that game, when the Down-Under mates realized they were losers, got a little "underhanded". The USA guys handled themselves well, turned the other cheek, did not react to provocations and unlike some recent USA National Teams, handled themselves with pride, like the champions they are.
Dude says Bravo!
Gasol video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w12_cA_SZoQ
Staying with Spain... re: the Olympic Final Basketball game... hey hombre!!! It makes no sense that the Spanish complained about the game referees(traveling violations) when during the entire tournament, the USA team was "doing the do" and was not penalized... So... What do you possibly expect to happen or to change in the last game of the tournament? Common sense dictates, instead of protesting and getting technical fouls, Spain could have used the "new" interpretation to its advantage. They did not and it negatively affected them.
Begging the question section:
The Olympic silver medal winning Head Coach Aito has left the National Team (a very short reign indeed) and goes to ACB league team Unicaja, Malaga. Says he wants to coach all year and not just the two months involved with the Federation. Federation rules don't allow their NT Head Coach to hold a full time "Regular Season" coaching job. That leaves the question... Why?
Why shouldn't the National Team have the best coach available... period? Begging the question is the excellent play and effectiveness of the USA and Spanish Olympic teams with "Part-Time" Head Coaches.
What? Like Coach Mike K didn't coach Duke last season? Like he won't go back there now?
Like Coach Aito didn't get hired for the NT job, did not even begin to think about the job, until two weeks before training began!
It may be the right time to rethink rules.
PS. Rumor has Coach S. Scariolo filling the National Team position.
Everything is changing section:
Somebody can tell us how many International players were in the NBA say... ten seasons ago? How many are there now? Big change.
The NBA is going strong into Asia; Change in Europe as Euro-league has effectively been closed (amid lots of "ruckus in the ranks" of the "non-permanents"), Iran is now represented in the NBA. This is a good change.
American NBA players are leaving the home turf to play overseas. That's a change! The Pick and Roll has now become 70% of many teams (modern) basketball offensive strategy. Boring!!! Everything is changing and I don't feel the same.
Then there's the other BIG Change: this worldwide economic crisis hitting many European teams-leagues. At the same time private sponsorships are drying up, local government financial support is weakening equals club budgets shrinking.
Word on the street is that a number of European club teams will have some serious economic hurdles (as soon as November) and have at present, no idea how they will pay the hot water bill, never mind salaries etc. Who knows where this is headed?
Only last month in Spain the ACB financial directors denied approval of entrance to one (now former) ACB team and another, Estudiantes of Madrid, was barely allowed in. The league is now odd number (17) for the first time in its history... tough times ahead.
A simple question...
Re: Professional Scouting - Player Evaluation... If all the professional teams of the world have the same player statistical information provided by the same third party, then which team has the better statistical information? Which team has a player statistics evaluation advantage in that regard? Anybody? I'm just asking.
Dude says: Later.
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