Would you prefer RMJ playing the point like he did last year? If Parker needs some rest then maybe you would prefer to resign Vaughn or even Van Exel so TPs job would be safe when he returns. ...Get real.
I hate to see these players break down after pushing themselves too hard in the summer. The NBA teams who lose these players to their national teams should be compensated by those countries. Basically if Tony can't go because he's worn himself out playing in the summer then the guilty country should pickup part of the contract. 3 months commitment to the national team should equate to a 25% reimbursement to the NBA franchise of his salary.
No, it is true that its wearing them down. Players have a big schedule and of course get tired which shows on their condition in the rest of the season. But, we as international fans do not think players shouldnt be playing for their nat. teams anymore. Also we do not think that every little injury you can blame on playing for nat. team, as many NBA fans tend to do.
Its very easy to blame it so quick on the player playing for the nat. team, but it is relative. Injuries happen everywhere anytime, it doesnt mean it comes of nat team play. It also happens among players in the NBA who do not play for Team USA, maybe even more. But there is nothing to blame, and with international players there is something for fans to blame on.
Olympics > NBA Playoff > World championship > NBA regular season > other NT local tournament IMO
In Europe the main sport is the soccer and the main event is the world cup every 4 years.
And most of the fans think the soccer World cup with the NT >>>>>>>>>>>> countries and european championships with the clubs who pays the players 40 millions dollars a year for the best ones !
Though they are really huge fans of the clubs championships but the world cup with the NT is only every 4 years. It's really more important !
It's just a different way to think about it.
You can't understand because the USA in major team sport had never had to fight. It's either a easy win (basketball when they send the best player for exemple) or a zero chance (soccer for exemple)
You don't understand the extreme rivalry there is around the NT in other countries.
Just imagine the great feelings after an NBA le if the NBA playoff were only every 4 years !!! That's what we feel with the olympics in team sport
I understand people dont want players to play for their national team, because they are afraid that it will have negative effect on the NBA season. But, what I do hate is NBA fans being so fast to blame players playing on Nat. teams. That's bull .
And maybe for you, you dont care about someone elses country or pride to play for their country, but the player in question does. For a player it's a very big honour and pride to be able to play for your country, that's something they want and see as a duty they have.
Why aren't you having the same opinion on players playing for Team USA? Well, because you do care about your own country of course. But, Team USA players are less intense busy with their nat. team and also of all the hundreds of american players in the nba, only a handful play for the Nat team while almost every international player in the NBA is playing for their national teams.
I think international players are realizing playing basketball year-round is taking it's toll on their NBA careers. They're like cars, the higher the mileage the more likely they are going to break down, and we know the Spurs big three have lots of mileage.
I understand the pride in playing for your national team, I think it's a good thing, but to try to play every year, especially if you've done it before, is asking for trouble.
I actually think some international players would probably prefer not to play anymore for their NT, but they want to make it look like it's not really their decision, but pressure from their NBA coach and team.
Its different in the USA. International play isnt so important. Because usa has so many great players and such a strong league, they see their own league as the world cup. Plus, national team play in the USA is only available for a couple of elite players.
So, most of USA fans and teams arent having to do with it. But in Europe its different. Every country has a team and almost all good players are also playing for the National team. Its compe ive and we care more about it. In the USA do not so much care, because they know its only open for a couple of elite players + as I mentioned they see their own league already as the World cup and strongest compe ion in the world. Which it is.
Well,
In the United States you have to pay players by putting on regular season games. Some of the posters think you can just cut the regular season to 65 games to allow for international compe ion.
Most businesses in the U.S. (unlike in some other countries) have to turn a profit to survive (unless you are Goldman Sachs or GM). I'm sure the NBA would be glad to cut the reg season to 65 games if the players union agreed to a maximum salary of $5MM for any player with a $30MM salary cap (instead of the current $70MM cap or whatever it is currently).
I don't see that happening.
TP has had a bad year for him this year. I'm bummed about that. I hope he can recapture his game soon.
What a load of horse . It's a big joke now that the US is sending NBA players every year, and was a joke in previous years that every country was lassoing their professional athletes in order to compete. It's amazing how patriotism is only a dirty word when Americans use it, but athletes used to give up a lot to compete in the olympics.
The fact that something doesn't happen as often as something else doesn't suddenly make it more important.
BTW, Google Miracle on Ice before making idiotic statements about what Americans don't understand. There were no NHL players on that team.
I dont like it when NBA players decide to play even for the US olympic team. If it was up to me, I'd make the invites only for college level players in the US.
If you decide to play for the NBA your obligation should be solely for the NBA in regards to high level compe ion. I dont mind so much about players holding camps and such in the off season but when you are getting paid millions of AMERICAN dollars, playing for an AMERICAN leage, you have a responsibility to the AMERICAN people that make that fat check possible.
If someone is so dead set for playing for their respective national team, then by all means, go play in that national league, dont come waste our time and money.
Its the same thing in the business world, especially in my field of work (IT). Its competative differences. If I was to go work for another IT company while still employed with my current IT company, I would lose my contract and, depending on the nature of either contract, could be taken to court for damages rendered.
Players getting paid to work for the NBA, then going and getting messed up someplace else, should be under the same obligations.
Just my opinion though, and just like assholes, everyone has one and they most likely stink. So whatever.
You just asked and answered your question. The US has literally a hundred guys they can throw at the olympic team, they have so many that they can throw guys that won't make the team out there to qualify, and each guy can play limited minutes. The international players are asked to do far more than that by their teams. I've got a lot more problem with the countries that ask so much of their athletes than I do with the athletes themselves.
Because there are so many US players there's really not a parallel I can draw that would make any sense. Many Americans don't really think professional athletes should be competing in the Olympics anyway, and aren't really emotionally invested in whether or not Kobe and Carmelo get a gold medal.
There is a difference between national team and national league. National leagues have clubs, like the spurs is a club in the NBA. It isnt the same as national team.
If someone is so dead set for playing for their respective national team, then by all means, go play in that national league, dont come waste our time and money.
Just my opinion though, and just like assholes, everyone has one and they most likely stink. So whatever.
But yeah, its about opinions, everyone is en led to their own, but I am not so ignorant like you to say that everyone elses opinion stinks
This is a very bad comparing, and it isnt relevant on this subject. It shows you do not know much about national teams, do you? Again; a national team is not a club as the Spurs are a club, but its a national team where all players from other clubs join without salary to represent your country.Its the same thing in the business world, especially in my field of work (IT). Its competative differences. If I was to go work for another IT company while still employed with my current IT company, I would lose my contract and, depending on the nature of either contract, could be taken to court for damages rendered.
Last edited by Bukefal; 01-11-2010 at 06:52 PM.
Yeah, I pointed that out that that's also the reason why you dont care, but I also pointed it out for you to see that we do care, because its different for us.
I don't think TP is playing for his country because he is afraid of fan reaction, he is playing for FNT because TP has been raised bb wise by the French federation ! He is just grateful for that and he wants to retribute the BB French federation that enabled him to become what he is today and also because he loves his country. For the same reason he is investing personnal money on French BB. Nothing wrong with that. We should praise that spirit instead of bashing him. TP is really a good guy.
Besides untill now and as far as I know TP never missed the PO or has played poorly in the PO because of the French NT.
Bottom line he has ac ulated a big mental fatigue and he is thinking of what he can do to preserve himself in the future especially with this new contract perspective. Consequence he is thinking more and more to let the FNT but I'm sure it's a heart breaker for him.
Bottom line, everybody is blaming the “summer, international compe ion” when the real problem isn’t that ….. the problem is the atrociously ridiculous schedule the NBA has….. so we fans can spend more money and owners and Stern can get richer and richer every second…….. that… the season should be 60 games and playoff just best of five… it’s sickening…… Nothing more exciting than watching guys defending their Countries colors…….
Also as Pop whined about the back to backs…… what spectacle is to see player braking down and playing tired night in and night out??? Reduce the number of games and the NBA will increase its quality significantly… now owner won’t make as much money….. so … that’ll never happen.
TP doesnt feel that he 'owes' the fans to play for France, but rather feels he 'owes' his country, to play for FRance. It's something he wants. It's pride and doing something for the country you come from and grew up. It's the best thing for an athlete in europe. He does it for himself. It's an honourOriginally Posted by Obstructed_View
I agree with that to some point, but the posts by many of the French fans in this very thread lead me to believe that Parker also plays because he's afraid of the reaction of a country that seems to feel he somehow "owes" them every summer of his NBA career, especially now that the USA is throwing 20 NBA all-stars at the international compe ion every year that can average 4 minutes each.
I agree, you are somewhat right about this.
I think there are 2 problems:
- the NBA regular season should be shortened. 82 games is simply too much. The quality of the game suffers a lot from it.
- FIBA has too many tournaments and they are too long. Continental Championships (Eurobasket, etc) every 4 years and not 2 and the WC with only 12 teams and shorter qualifying states for not-elite teams would be more than enough.
Yeah, you don't care if you suck the life out of professional athletes without compensation in the name of glory for your nation, because you've been doing that to your professionals for decades. It's shocking that so many fans of the national team seem to just take for granted the sacrifices the athletes make for them.
Pro athletes in the olympics doesn't mean anything to Americans because we've only been doing it for a few years, and we have the common sense to realize how meaningless it is. Once Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley cared more about covering up the Reebok logo on their warmups than celebrating the gold medal, the charm was pretty much gone for me.
You could change that Argentina/Manu fan to just International fans.
Yeah, I agree, I also wouldnt mind FIBA championships to be less and less long. Every two years, plus additional qualifications plus many trainings and travelling, its too much.
BTW I would like to
This is raising the bar: an argument TP/manu playing for FNT without dumbass, you, ty ass etc... Not the case of everybody in the thread unfortunately.
The quality of the game suffers a lot more from bad teams than from too many games. Retraction?
Well i't's just something you do, I cant even explain it. Just something you do, for your country, for giving something back which the country gave you, for your pride etc etc etc.
Its indeed different for american people. But that's still not a reason why Americans should hate on us being different in this.
That's what he usually does.
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