France 82 Belgium 63

[Bruno]

At his level (no way I want to compare those 2) I would say Nando is a french "Manu" in what he brings to the team and makes things happen. He sees the game very well too.

I know it's just one game but I think France has its backcourt for the next 4 years in those 2.

Let's hope so.
If De Colo continues to play well, France will be one low post scorer away to be a very dangerous team. The best case for us (Spurs' fans) will be that Mahinmi is that guy.

Julian said at half time that Tony and Boris talked to him to try to convince him to come back to the NT because they need a veteran big like him. So it's possible he'll play again in the future.

I read it in today's newspaper and it sucks.
First, Julian is a quite limited player. He hasn't the level to contribute at the top international level.
Second, he is too old. he will be 38 years old for the 2012 Olympics. If the goal is to build a team like 2012, you can't take players that old.

I think that Florent Pietrus could have the role of this vet big. He has now a lot of FIBA BB experience under his wings. When you have Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf, Noah, Petro, Mahinmi... , I just don't see the point to bring back Julian.

[JPB]

Let's hope so.
If De Colo continues to play well, France will be one low post scorer away to be a very dangerous team. The best case for us (Spurs' fans) will be that Mahinmi is that guy.

--------------

I read it in today's newspaper and it sucks.
First, Julian is a quite limited player. He hasn't the level to contribute at the top international level.
Second, he is too old. he will be 38 years old for the 2012 Olympics. If the goal is to build a team like 2012, you can't take players that old.

I think that Florent Pietrus could have the role of this vet big. He has now a lot of FIBA BB experience under his wings. When you have Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf, Noah, Petro, Mahinmi... , I just don't see the point to bring back Julian.

I agree that now France need a reliable post scorer. Maybe TP and Boris wanted julian to help this summer and for the next euro in 2009 (he'll be 35 then, which would be ok).

On all the players you named (Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf, Noah, Petro, Mahinmi)
unfortunately, only Diaw has a decent offensive game today and he's not a real inside guy. (I'd add Badiane also).

Turiaf is an enforcer and a strong player but isn't really skilled either.

I hope Ian will developp his game but right now, the skillest (not sure of the word) guy I see is Ajinca but he's only 19.

[JPB]

Let's hope so.

I read it in today's newspaper and it sucks.
First, Julian is a quite limited player. He hasn't the level to contribute at the top international level.

I have to disagree here.
He was really valuable for the french NT during several campains and has decent offensive moves.

You always need an experienced big like him, who knows how to grab an important rebound here or there, who knows all the tricks and is respected by the refs in Europe. Every other team has that kind of player in Europe.


you can't only rely on the other guys who are really young and still raw when things start to get close and tense. You can always use proven big to calm things down, a guy who has been here before and doesn't panick.

[Alain]

I'm sure Jim Bilba is still in great shape!

[romain.star]

I have to disagree here.
He was really valuable for the french NT during several campains and has decent offensive moves.

You always need an experienced big like him, who knows how to grab an important rebound here or there, who knows all the tricks and is respected by the refs in Europe. Every other team has that kind of player in Europe.


you can't only rely on the other guys who are really young and still raw when things start to get close and tense. You can always use proven big to calm things down, a guy who has been here before and doesn't panick.

As far as I remember, Julian was quite valuable during the 2000 Olympics ride wasn't he?

[JPB]

French players voting to choose 3 of the 5 starters and the coach deciding for the other 2, for today's game vs Ukraine.

They chose TP, Turiaf and De Colo.

French NT's organisation is more outlandish every day.

[mathbzh]

The sad thing is that Julian is still one of the best French center... and he is not that good anymore.

[mathbzh]

French players voting to choose 3 of the 5 starters and the coach deciding for the other 2, for today's game vs Ukraine.

They chose TP, Turiaf and De Colo.

French NT's organisation is more outlandish every day.

[mathbzh]

On all the players you named (Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf, Noah, Petro, Mahinmi)
unfortunately, only Diaw has a decent offensive game today and he's not a real inside guy. (I'd add Badiane also).

Traore has some decent offensive moves and could have help IMO (at least for the qualifications with all these players not playing).

[Bruno]

French players voting to choose 3 of the 5 starters and the coach deciding for the other 2, for today's game vs Ukraine.

They chose TP, Turiaf and De Colo.

French NT's organisation is more outlandish every day.

I put the blame on Parker. He whined like a little girl after the game against Belgium while he should have STFU.

Against a weak opponent like Belgium, it wasn't a that bad idea to give the starting spots to players that deserved it the most by being there since the start of the training camp. They sucked more they should and the coach reacted by starting other players (including TP) in the second half.

If Parker had half a brain on this one, he would have understood that without saying something, he would have started for next games. He has decided to whine in the media about that and put the coach in a bad situation.

It's a big for Parker on this one. True lack of respect for the coach and for his teammates.

[Bruno]

On all the players you named (Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf, Noah, Petro, Mahinmi)
unfortunately, only Diaw has a decent offensive game today and he's not a real inside guy. (I'd add Badiane also).

Mahinmi has developed a very good inside game this year in D League. We will see what he will do in NBA but he has for sure some nice offensive moves.
He is the closest thing to the low post scorer needed by the NT.

[Magic_Johnson]

I put the blame on Parker. He whined like a little girl after the game against Belgium while he should have STFU.

Against a weak opponent like Belgium, it wasn't a that bad idea to give the starting spots to players that deserved it the most by being there since the start of the training camp. They sucked more they should and the coach reacted by starting other players (including TP) in the second half.

If Parker had half a brain on this one, he would have understood that without saying something, he would have started for next games. He has decided to whine in the media about that and put the coach in a bad situation.

It's a big for Parker on this one. True lack of respect for the coach and for his teammates.

+1
TP was close to claude bergeaud and i think he is ot very happy with the new coach.

[duncan228]

Parker 'annoyed' by France omission

Tony Parker has admitted he was "annoyed" to be left out of France's starting line-up for their opening EuroBasket 2009 qualifier against Belgium.

The San Antonio Spurs guard is easily Les Bleus' most celebrated player but he started on the bench in their 82-63 victory on Wednesday.

With Parker only recently returning to the international fold after a self-imposed exile, coach Michel Gomez placed his trust in the players he has had at his disposal throughout France's warm-up games prior to EuroBasket qualification.

Although he came off the bench to great effect in the comfortable win in Nancy, Parker was left slightly puzzled.

"You can be sure that I didn't understand," said the three-time NBA le-winner. "But I don't want to cause a fuss. We won and that is the most important thing.

"We will see what happens next. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't annoyed by it."

[Brutalis]

When is this crap going to be over??

[E20]

I could make a 'ducks' like comment about TP, but I'll refrain.