Why Spurs' Popovich says Mavs are not world champions

[underdawg]

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/01/why-spurs-popovich-says-mavs-are-not-wor.html

[Fabbs]

shut your piehole :pop:

[pawe]

Marion is the world champion of douchebagery.

[DAF86]

So there's going to be one of these "why Pop says 'X team' aren't World champions" article everytime a different team wins a championship?

[underdawg]

just cia pop sucking up to foreign teams for future considerations

[timvp]

The story is a bit more complicated than that. The Spurs originally had "World Champions" on their banner. When Manu came to town, he told Pop that the Spurs were NBA Champions and not World Champions. Pop then had the banners changed.

[stephen jackson]

damn u manu

[DAF86]

Oh Manu, so much wisdom. I miss him.

[Plumblbw]

RE: Timvp's comment. Manu has a point. How can it can it be "World Champions" when only teams from the USA and Canada compete? Granted, they have international players, but the NBA isn't an international league (unless your neighbours count as being international). Isn't it the same for baseball? I believe that is called "The World Series" when similarly it's just the states and Canada involved?

LOL... You guys. I still love America though :o)

[underdawg]

RE: Timvp's comment. Manu has a point. How can it can it be "World Champions" when only teams from the USA and Canada compete? Granted, they have international players, but the NBA isn't an international league (unless your neighbours count as being international). Isn't it the same for baseball? I believe that is called "The World Series" when similarly it's just the states and Canada involved?

LOL... You guys. I still love America though :o)

the other side of that argument could be that the best players in the world compete in the nba and that's not true in the olympics or other championships. The same could be said of major league baseball.

[Spur_Fanatic]

The best international players play the Olympics and the Worlds. But baseball is well named as a "World Series"... since it's a boring game only we americans and some other countries play. So, technically, the winner of that truly is the best. Even more true is to football. Only americans play it. So if you win those sports in the US, it's true you are the best in the world.

I'm the World Champion of the Ghjrtyioup game.
It's a very complex game, only played by one person (me), and I'm the best.

[Plumblbw]

the other side of that argument could be that the best players in the world compete in the nba and that's not true in the olympics or other championships. The same could be said of major league baseball.

Yeah, that's a fair point mate. Although, I've always wondered why the USA don't always win in the olympics at basketball? Do they not always put out a strong squad, or is it a case of having all these superstars that aren't used to playing together, whereas the European and South-American teams have more continuity?

The olympics was supposed to be for amateurs, but somewhere along the way it lost it's way and professional athletes started to compete.

Still, I'm looking forward to London 2012 all the same, but it's going to be an absolute b*stard getting to work each day! I feel like a sardine on the train on a normal working day and I can only imagine what it's going to be like when people start flooding in for the games.

[underdawg]

Yeah, that's a fair point mate. Although, I've always wondered why the USA don't always win in the olympics at basketball? Do they not always put out a strong squad, or is it a case of having all these superstars that aren't used to playing together, whereas the European and South-American teams have more continuity?

The olympics was supposed to be for amateurs, but somewhere along the way it lost it's way and professional athletes started to compete.

Still, I'm looking forward to London 2012 all the same, but it's going to be an absolute b*stard getting to work each day! I feel like a sardine on the train on a normal working day and I can only imagine what it's going to be like when people start flooding in for the games.

not always the case, but there have been olympics where team usa doesn't necessarily have all of their best players. That's mostly due to players not wanting to risk their careers (or play for free :lol) and I don't believe that happens as frequently with other countries - I could be wrong.

London 2012 should be awesome - good luck with your commute

[Chief]

Usa invented basketball, they can call it whatever they want. If usa teams started claiming themselves as world rugy champs, then I understand !

[underdawg]

The best international players play the Olympics and the Worlds. But baseball is well named as a "World Series"... since it's a boring game only we americans and some other countries play. So, technically, the winner of that truly is the best. Even more true is to football. Only americans play it. So if you win those sports in the US, it's true you are the best in the world.

I'm the World Champion of the Ghjrtyioup game.
It's a very complex game, only played by one person (me), and I'm the best.

maybe the best players from their respective countries, but not necessarily the best players in the world - see the difference? A majority of the best basketball players in the world come from the usa and not all of them can play in the olympics or the worlds.

[tlongII]

The NBA champs would slaughter any other club team in the world so they truly are World Champions. I don't care what that dumbass Popovich has to say.

[pawe]

Usa invented basketball, they can call it whatever they want. If usa teams started claiming themselves as world rugy champs, then I understand !

Naismith was born in Canada so technically, Canada invented basketball.

[DMC]

Someone better call Bud Selig about the World Series.

[DMC]

Naismith was born in Canada so technically, Canada invented basketball.
Horseshit.

Nah, if it was Canadian, there would be no dunks.

[pawe]

America butchers everything anyway.

[Spur|n|Austin]

Usa invented basketball, they can call it whatever they want. If usa teams started claiming themselves as world rugy champs, then I understand !


:lol Touche!

[Spur_Fanatic]

maybe the best players from their respective countries, but not necessarily the best players in the world - see the difference? A majority of the best basketball players in the world come from the usa and not all of them can play in the olympics or the worlds.

Not all of them want to play. Not "can". They can, they just don't want to.
Lately they do it because they got a lot of heat when the world catched up.
If you believe is a patriotism thing, ha!

So, even if they are the best (agreed, they are). If they can't prove it in the world's stage, what right they have to claim themselves the best in the world? Because *they* say they are? Because *we* say they are?ç

Besides, any team wth Shawn Marion is World nothing... :rolleyes

[Spur_Fanatic]

And canadians invented basketball.
We invented the dunks and lobs.

[easy7]

Don't take the world serious...baseball fan.

[lefty]

Usa invented basketball, they can call it whatever they want. If usa teams started claiming themselves as world rugy champs, then I understand !

:downspin:

[ploto]

Not really an issue. Isn't this their banner:

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1225/dal_u_mavs_banner_cr_300.jpg

[timvp]

Not really an issue. Isn't this their banner:

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1225/dal_u_mavs_banner_cr_300.jpg

Tell that to Shawn Marion.

BTW, I'm jealous of that banner with the names around the edges. Spurs should have thought of that...

[Spur_Fanatic]

Yep, tht was nice.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Only a worldwide competition can produce a "world champion".

The NBA champion could probably rightly call themselves the best basketball team in the world, but that does not make them "world champion".

[DAF86]

If you win the NBA championship you're the NBA champion, if you win the World championship you're the World champion. It isn't that hard to get.

[DrSteffo]

Only a worldwide competition can produce a "world champion".

The NBA champion could probably rightly call themselves the best basketball team in the world, but that does not make them "world champion".

This. (Of course).

[ChumpDumper]

NBA > Euroleague

USA > Greece

[jimo2305]

sooo.... why not just say NBA World Champions?

make everybody happy..

[Josepatches_]

If you win the NBA championship you're the NBA champion, if you win the World championship you're the World champion. It isn't that hard to get.

[underdawg]

If you win the NBA championship you're the NBA champion, if you win the World championship you're the World champion. It isn't that hard to get.

I understand now - it's about the wording/title of the competition not so much a true competition of the world's best basketball players. Makes sense I guess.

[timvp]

Actually, the NBA champion is closer to a World Champion than anything in national team tournament play. In national team tournaments such as the Olympics and World Championships, if you're a great player but everyone in else in your country sucks, you're out of luck. You can't even play in those national team tournaments if you wanted to, even if you're the best player on earth.

In the NBA, every great player is able to participate. There's no type of bias that will keep you out if you are qualified. So if World Champions is defined as the champions of the best players in the world, the champions as determined by the NBA playoffs fit that definition better than any other tournament in existence.

Pop and Manu are wrong.

[temujin]

They simply stopped with this World champions stuff after several US teams filled with All Stars millionaires were ridiculized on several World competitions by several teams from other countries, some with the population of Maine, featuring a bunch of unknown players.

The Mavs were a pretty good exmple of a world team.
Nowitski
Stojakovic
Barea
Marion
Beubois
Mahinmi
They have an American owner, though called Cuban.

[romain.star]

Actually, the NBA champion is closer to a World Champion than anything in national team tournament play. In national team tournaments such as the Olympics and World Championships, if you're a great player but everyone in else in your country sucks, you're out of luck. You can't even play in those national team tournaments if you wanted to, even if you're the best player on earth.

In the NBA, every great player is able to participate. There's no type of bias that will keep you out if you are qualified. So if World Champions is defined as the champions of the best players in the world, the champions as determined by the NBA playoffs fit that definition better than any other tournament in existence.

Pop and Manu are wrong.

Pop n Manu are right.

I get your point but you're wrong Timvp (it's a rare thing on this board but you are)

''World champions'' means being the champion of the Worlds.

''Olympic champions'' means being the champion of the Olympic tournament.

''NBA champions'' means being the champion of the NBA. Now, we all know that this league is by far the best competition in the world but it's not worldwide.

We have in Europe the exact same situation with soccer. The famous Champions League is by far the biggest and most competitive competition in the world (just like the NBA in BB). However, the winners never claim itself as world champions. They are only European champions

[ploto]

BTW, I'm jealous of that banner with the names around the edges. Spurs should have thought of that...


Like the Mahinmi?

[timvp]

''NBA champions'' means being the champion of the NBA. Now, we all know that this league is by far the best competition in the world but it's not worldwide.

I see what you're saying but, personally, "World Champions" should mean the champions decided when the best players in the world compete. That's the NBA. And I disagree that the NBA isn't worldwide because every qualified player on earth can play in the league ... and that's not something you can say about the World Championships or the Olympics.

It's not an argument I can win but a tournament in which players are often omitted based on man made geographical boundaries shouldn't determine the champions of the world. The best players in the world should determine the world champions.

[DMC]

I see what you're saying but, personally, "World Champions" should mean the champions decided when the best players in the world compete. That's the NBA. And I disagree that the NBA isn't worldwide because every qualified player on earth can play in the league ... and that's not something you can say about the World Championships or the Olympics.

It's not an argument I can win but a tournament in which players are often omitted based on man made geographical boundaries shouldn't determine the champions of the world. The best players in the world should determine the world champions.

Which automatically rules out the Mavs.

[DAF86]

To proclaim yourself "World champion" in a non-Worldwide competition is just douchey, even if you're the best team/player in the World. Like romain.star said, Barcelona is without a question the best team in the World in soccer but they don't go out saying they're the World champions when the win the Champions League (which undoubtedly is the best soccer competition in the World).

Besides, the NBA champion beign better than the USA NT is at the least arguable, so no, Manu and Pop aren't wrong at all.

[GSH]

When FIBA held its first "World Championship", there were a grand total of 10 teams competing - 6 of them from Latin America. Most of the teams absolutely sucked, and Team USA was comprised of crappy college players. The idea of calling that abortion a "world championship" was far more presumptuous than the NBA's claim. And yet, FIBA still considered the winner of that pissant little tourney the "official" world champs. Why? Because they said so. It was unparalleled arrogance.

That being said, kudos to Pop for recognizing that there is good basketball being played around the world now. But when the Celtics (for instance) raised their first banner, basketball elsewhere was in comparative infancy. Times change, and people change with it. Some people are stuck in the past, trying to change history. (And a few other people are just blinded by the nationalistic rhetoric they chant like a mantra. You know who you are.)

[Brutalis]

Might as well be world champion thought. Ain't like any team could beat the NBA champions in a series anyhow, much less it be close.

[Nathan Explosion]

Might as well be world champion thought. Ain't like any team could beat the NBA champions in a series anyhow, much less it be close.

It's semantics, but if you could get the NBA champs, put them in the World Championships, clone the foreign players video game style and go at it, the NBA would win every time.

Not to mention the NBA champ has taken on the best Euro teams before, and crushed them. I seem to remember the Spurs doing this when they trained in France.