FIBA World Championship 2006

[boutons_]

August 16, 2006

At ude Not Talent Key to Gold for U.S

By REUTERS

Filed at 5:31 a.m. ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James believes a change in at ude not talent will hold the key to a gold medal for the U.S. men's basketball team when the world championship tips off on Saturday.

Without a gold medal in major international compe ion since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a new generation of young, eager American talent will attempt to return the U.S. to the top of the podium in Japan.

``In 2004, we didn't understand the significance of how big the Olympics were for the U.S.,'' James told reporters on Wednesday.

``I think everybody felt like it wasn't as big as the NBA, which is not true. I think every guy didn't have the right mindset and as a team, we didn't come together.

``But, it's a new day, it's a new age and I feel this team has the right ingredients, has the right nucleus and guys are really prepared and know what's at stake, to win the world championship.''

James, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Miami's NBA finals MVP Dwyane Wade are the new standard bearers for a U.S. team that dismisses the ``Dream Team'' label, anxious to establish their own iden y in a basketball world that has grown more compe ive.

CHEMISTRY IMPORTANT

Placing an emphasis on teamwork over individual performance, the U.S. has learned from the success of Olympic gold medallists Argentina and twice world champion Serbia and Montenegro that chemistry is as important as talent.

``The chemistry is unbelievable,'' Washington Wizards forward Antawn Jamison said.

``I think that was the biggest adjustment or the biggest thing we need to have as far as going into the world championship is great team chemistry.

``Right now, guys are still playing unselfishly and the most important thing is to win basketball games.''

Since the Olympics swung open the doors to NBA players at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games, Americans have expected their basketball teams to return home from the major championships with nothing less than gold medals.

But the days of the U.S. simply turning up to the collect the gold medal have faded, along with their aura of invincibility.

``We understood we can't show up and win,'' Wade added.

[zeleni]

August 16, 2006

At ude Not Talent Key to Gold for U.S

By REUTERS

Filed at 5:31 a.m. ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James believes a change in at ude not talent will hold the key to a gold medal for the U.S. men's basketball team when the world championship tips off on Saturday.

Without a gold medal in major international compe ion since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, a new generation of young, eager American talent will attempt to return the U.S. to the top of the podium in Japan.

``In 2004, we didn't understand the significance of how big the Olympics were for the U.S.,'' James told reporters on Wednesday.

``I think everybody felt like it wasn't as big as the NBA, which is not true. I think every guy didn't have the right mindset and as a team, we didn't come together.

``But, it's a new day, it's a new age and I feel this team has the right ingredients, has the right nucleus and guys are really prepared and know what's at stake, to win the world championship.''

James, Denver's Carmelo Anthony and Miami's NBA finals MVP Dwyane Wade are the new standard bearers for a U.S. team that dismisses the ``Dream Team'' label, anxious to establish their own iden y in a basketball world that has grown more compe ive.

CHEMISTRY IMPORTANT

Placing an emphasis on teamwork over individual performance, the U.S. has learned from the success of Olympic gold medallists Argentina and twice world champion Serbia and Montenegro that chemistry is as important as talent.

``The chemistry is unbelievable,'' Washington Wizards forward Antawn Jamison said.

``I think that was the biggest adjustment or the biggest thing we need to have as far as going into the world championship is great team chemistry.

``Right now, guys are still playing unselfishly and the most important thing is to win basketball games.''

Since the Olympics swung open the doors to NBA players at the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games, Americans have expected their basketball teams to return home from the major championships with nothing less than gold medals.

But the days of the U.S. simply turning up to the collect the gold medal have faded, along with their aura of invincibility.

``We understood we can't show up and win,'' Wade added.

The Jamison statement about chemistry is so out of date. How can a man judge chemistry after blowout victories and a hard-earned win against Brazil? USA is just waiting to be hammered.

That is just the lesson of Slovenia and Croatia, that have similar players in character. Players are hungry, and coach can do just about anything as long as they are winning. When they start to lose... then the chemistry breaks.

Jamison would the the first one to say, if no one wants the ball, I want it bad! Wade is saying they can't show up and win... And he is admitting this after 4-year-long crisis of USA Basketball... That are some arrogant fellas!

[Kibic]

The Jamison statement about chemistry is so out of date. How can a man judge chemistry after blowout victories and a hard-earned win against Brazil? USA is just waiting to be hammered.

That is just the lesson of Slovenia and Croatia, that have similar players in character. Players are hungry, and coach can do just about anything as long as they are winning. When they start to lose... then the chemistry breaks.

Jamison would the the first one to say, if no one wants the ball, I want it bad! Wade is saying they can't show up and win... And he is admitting this after 4-year-long crisis of USA Basketball... That are some arrogant fellas!

Well, you know... They do not care much about WC. In basketball NBA rules. Last two DREAM teams faild, but who cares. Even the rules are diferent. Would it not be nice to see TP cry about NBA rules when he came to play in NBA.

[zeleni]

NBA doesn't rule anything. Soon European players will get out just couse they cannot win their playoffs just couse of some incompetent managment or a passive owner. Gasol would leave Grizzlies, since they dream only of playoffs?!
What kind of leadership is just hoping that the biggest contract means a better player? No one wants responsibility, neither GM or the Coach, owner on the other hand does his job like he is a owner of low-budget movie filled with enthusiasts.ž

No one cares, Kibic, you are so right.

[spurschick]

Japan 2006 - Fans rush to buy tickets

GENEVA, Switzerland -- If the FIFA World Cup has witnessed an unparalleled fan frenzy, basketball fans in Japan and around the world have discovered the FIBA World Championship is not much different.

The news will come as no surprise with the world's best players like Argentina's Emanuel Ginobili, Team USA's Dwayne Wade, Germany's Dirk Nowitzki, Austrlia's Andrew Bogut, France's Tony Parker and Spain's Pau Gasol among the dozens of superstars headed for the tournament.

The Local Organising Committee in Tokyo announced that the Group Games in Hiroshima and Sapporo are sold out whilst Hamamatsu, and Sendai only have small quan ies remaining. Only Japanese fans will have a chance in a last sales wave to buy the last tickets. For the first round, a ticket is valid for the complete session of all three games per day. The prices range from 4.000 to 9.000 Yen per ticket.

The Final Round in the Saitama Super arena, which can hold 22.000 spectators, has also witnessed a run for tickets. Some Game days such as the Semi Finals and Finals are almost sold out, whereas for the Eighth Finals and Quarter Finals limited contingents are still available. For the final round in Saitama a ticket is valid for two games and the prices range is from 5.000 to 20.000 Yen per ticket. For reference: the exchange rate is about 119Yen/US$.

[spurschick]

For those who haven't checked it out yet, the official site has some pretty cool stuff, including blogs, wallpapers, brackets and games.

http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/06_wcm/index.asp

[hendrix]

Good Stuff there

"3. Tony Parker, of course. The small guard surprises me every time I see him. It's always like: Man, my coach should have told me that basketball is that easy for a point guard, who cannot shoot. Just drive to the basket and go for a lay-up every time, get a million dollar contract, become famous and get a super model girlfriend. Life is so easy sometimes!
Back to the point: how is it possible, that Parker can drive and finish almost every time he wants? He is not a great shooter, has no range, but sported the best field goal percentage last season in the NBA behind Shaq and Eddy Curry! Impossible! Okay, he is quick, but I still don't get it. Does anybody have an explanation?"

[TPMG2007]

Good Stuff there

That is some bull .

[spurschick]

ARG - Fatigue to blame for Argentinian slump

SENDAI (FIBA World Championship) - Argentina center Ruben Wolkowyski admits tiredness has been a significant factor in his team`s disappointing recent performances in the lead-up to the FIBA World Championship.

The reigning Olympic champions lost three of their last four warm-up games before arriving in Japan, including two convincing defeats to Spain in the space of a week as well as an 83-64 reverse at the hands of Serbia & Montenegro in the recent Singapore Cup.

Wolkowyski puts much of Argentina`s poor form down to fatigue but still backs them to make an impression at the World Championship.

"Tiredness has been a big influence," the BC Khimki player said. "People don't know that after the game, we haven't slept and have gone straight on to train.

"We used to get up at 3am and were very tired. That has ac ulated and the team are feeling it.

"However, our goal was not to play well in these warm-up tournaments, but to prepare the team to get to the World Championship in the best shape.

"We still have several things to correct, but in training, we will try to improve on them."

Wolkowyski, the former Seattle SuperSonic, added the team`s focus was now completely on France, Argentina`s opening opponents in France.

"I think (Tony) Parker is the main weapon of France, so we'll have to be careful with him," he said on www.ole.com.ar. Obviously now not so much of an issue at the moment.

"We will have to put on a good defensive showing that we know we are able to do. That is more important than worrying about our rivals.

"We know the team we have and the things we can achieve.

"We've already demonstrated it so the only thing we have left is to wait for Saturday to arrive."

Wolkowyski will play in his fourth World Championship, having already featured in Toronto in 1994, Greece in 1998 and Indianapolis in 2002.

"When I played in my first World Championship, I was very nervous before the games but now I'm calmer," he added.

"Having been in three World Championships, and having lost the 2002 final and won the 2004 Olympics, that has given me a lot of experience which makes me feel calm."

[spurschick]

ARG - Oberto fears Parker loss could galvanise French

SENDAI (FIBA World Championship) – Argentina center Fabricio Oberto fears the absence of Tony Parker could in fact have a positive effect on France when the two teams meet in the FIBA World Championship on Saturday.

The San Antonio Spurs guard was forced to pull out of the tournament with a broken finger he sustained in Les Bleus` warm-up game against Brazil on Tuesday.

The news came as a huge blow to Claude Bergeaud`s men just one day before their World Championship opener against Argentina tips-off in Sendai.

But Oberto, who is Parker`s team-mate at San Antonio, believes the French will be able to cope with the absence of their star player.

“Tony Parker is an important loss, but it could make them better in adversity,” Oberto said.

“France know how to play without Parker. They are a powerful team with or without him.

“However, we can only think about us: defending hard and showing our power in attack. Starting the tournament on the right foot will be important,” he added.

The 2004 Olympic champions have had a mixed build-up to Japan with six wins and three defeats in their warm-up matches.

But point guard Juan Ignacio Sanchez is confident the Argentinians have learnt from their mistakes in time for the game with France.

“We did a lot of self-criticism and we said that we are not going to repeat our mistakes,” Sanchez said.

“We are going to rediscover our team spirit. We improved a lot in training and we want to play now.

“France are a fantastic team. They have an NBA style. It would be great starting with a victory.”

[spurschick]

FRA - Parker bitterly disappointed to miss out FIBA World Championship

SENDAI (FIBA World Championship) - Tony Parker expressed his huge disappointment on Friday night after being forced to pull out of the FIBA World Championship because of a broken finger.

The playmaker, who sustained the injury in France's last friendly against Brazil, revealed to fiba.com in his first interview since withdrawing from the team that he had acted after being advised by the the San Antonio Spurs.

"It really is very disappointing and tough to swallow because I felt in great shape before I got hurt against Brazil," said Parker.

"I had been looking forward to playing for France and I felt we had a great team which had the potential to do great things here.

"I want to play, but I can't play. It's that simple really. If it were up to me I would play. But it's not that easy.

"Obviously I have to consider how my team-mates and my coaches on the national team would feel about it. If I play hurt, I may not be helping my team so I can't be selfish and decide I want to play just for myself.

"And of course, I also have to consider what the San Antonio Spurs staff would say about it if I decided to go ahead and play. If I aggravated the injury I could be out for up to three months. I don't think that would be a good idea."

The 24-year-old explained how the freak accident happened.

"I got my finger caught in the jersey of one of the Brazilian players and I thought I heard a pop sound. So immediately I thought I had broken something in my finger. But the doctor looked at it and said it was still straight so it was probably just a sprain."

"But overnight it really started hurting pretty badly so on Thursday I told the doctors we should get an X-ray done just to check. The X-ray showed there was a broken bone and we tried to build a cast that would allow me to play but it was just too painful."

"I can't hold the ball. It's my index finger on my shooting hand so obviously that's the one finger you can't really hurt and still hope to be able to shoot.

"Obviously it is a big blow to me and to the French team. But these things happen and I must get past it.

"There is more at stake here than just the World Championship. The goal is the Olympics in 2008. So the best thing I can do is to recover and support the team throughout this compe ion."

Parker was in contact with his agents and with the Spurs' staff in San Antonio.

"At the end of the day, the Spurs make the decision. They're the bosses. So I will go back to San Antonio, get checked by the medical staff and go from there."

Parker does expect to be fit for the Spurs' trip to France in early October when they will hold part of their training camp in Paris.

"I have been told that I need to give it a month to heal. So I should be ready by then. I would like to come back to Japan around the time of the quarter-finals to support my team-mates.

"Nothing is definite yet, but we'll see how it goes. I may not come back but I will still support them throughout the compe ion."

[spurschick]

Here are 10 reasons why Team USA won't win the gold
(excerpt from ESPN article)


1. The experience factor. Most of the better teams in this tournament have been playing together for years and years, not just a few weeks. The players from Argentina have been together since they were on their national junior squad, giving them almost a decade of tournament experience together. The international game is more of a team game than the NBA game, and nothing builds a team quite like growing up together as a unit. Team USA can't compete in this category.

2. The 3-point factor. The international 3-point line is nearly three feet closer to the basket than the NBA line, putting a huge premium on the outside shot. This U.S. team has more shooters than the 2004 Athens team, but there's still no Ray Allen or Michael Redd. And if Joe Johnson pulls a Richard Jefferson and suddenly can't hit the broad side of a barn, trouble lurks.

3. The officiating factor. Squirreled away in a tiny hotel room somewhere here is a referee who can't wait to see LeBron James alone on a breakaway -- not to see him dunk, mind you, but to whistle him for traveling. FIBA referees seem to take a perverse pleasure in seeing the U.S. lose, and if you don't believe me, go ask Tim "FIBA Sucks" Duncan.

4. The familiarity factor. Everyone around the world watches NBA basketball, but try to find a single U.S. player who watches Euroleague games. The opponents know the Americans' tendencies inside and out, but most of the international players are mysteries to Team USA.

5. The physicality factor. FIBA referees will call hand-checking fouls like they're going out of style, but they'll let players get away with armed combat underneath the basket without calling a foul. That doesn't bode well for skinny Chris Bosh, and it'll be an eye-opener for young Dwight Howard.

6. The overconfidence factor. The U.S. will cruise through the opening round, but the quality of the opponents it will see in the single-elimination medal round will be a whole different matter. If Team USA's confidence gets artificially high after the first week, it won't enter the medal round with the healthy respect for its opponents that it needs.

7. The rock-hard, slippery ball factor. The U.S. team been practicing since day one with the slightly smaller Molten ball used in FIBA tournaments, but those balls are broken in. It'll be a different story down the road when some tournament lackey breaks out a brand-new ball for a U.S. game. Happens every time.

8. The food factor. If you don't like Japanese food, you can subsist over here on American fast food. But try eating that stuff for three weeks, and watch your energy level plummet in inverse proportion to your climbing cholesterol count.

9. The smell factor. This is a little disgusting, but it's true: Some of these teams stink, literally. Players on international teams travel to and from the arenas in their uniforms, and many players forsake showers as a result. I got a really close look at Argentina during the Worlds in Indianapolis, and I do not believe Fabricio Oberto, Luis Scola or Andres Nocioni bathed during the entire tournament. BO may be repulsive, but it also keeps defenders a few extra inches away.

10. The fear factor. International teams are no longer afraid of U.S. teams, and since they always go into games against Team USA as underdogs, they play with a looseness that often works in their favor.

[carina_gino20]

ARG - Oberto fears Parker loss could galvanise French

SENDAI (FIBA World Championship) – Argentina center Fabricio Oberto fears the absence of Tony Parker could in fact have a positive effect on France when the two teams meet in the FIBA World Championship on Saturday.

The San Antonio Spurs guard was forced to pull out of the tournament with a broken finger he sustained in Les Bleus` warm-up game against Brazil on Tuesday.

The news came as a huge blow to Claude Bergeaud`s men just one day before their World Championship opener against Argentina tips-off in Sendai.

But Oberto, who is Parker`s team-mate at San Antonio, believes the French will be able to cope with the absence of their star player.

“Tony Parker is an important loss, but it could make them better in adversity,” Oberto said.

“France know how to play without Parker. They are a powerful team with or without him.

“However, we can only think about us: defending hard and showing our power in attack. Starting the tournament on the right foot will be important,” he added.

The 2004 Olympic champions have had a mixed build-up to Japan with six wins and three defeats in their warm-up matches.

But point guard Juan Ignacio Sanchez is confident the Argentinians have learnt from their mistakes in time for the game with France.

“We did a lot of self-criticism and we said that we are not going to repeat our mistakes,” Sanchez said.

“We are going to rediscover our team spirit. We improved a lot in training and we want to play now.

“France are a fantastic team. They have an NBA style. It would be great starting with a victory.”

for a while there, i thought who's Juan Ignacio Sanchez? Then...oh...pepe

[spurschick]

Germany beat Japan 81-70
Dirk had 27 pts

[orhe]

damn it mate ( it really sucks that the philippines has been suspended from Fiba Play due to administration issues....

last asian games we beat Japan... we should have won against korea but our PG decided to choke on two free throws and we just massacred Lebanon on an exhibition last week...

[carina_gino20]

that's what happens when you taint basketball with politics...

[NuGGeTs-FaN]

Australia Beats Brazil!!! Woooooooot

[velik_m]

Nigeria leads versus S&M after 1st qtr.

[FreshPrince22]

Fiba's website blows. Year after year, they can never handle the traffic they get.

[xamila rey]

Nigeria leads versus S&M after 1st qtr.

how do u know ??
are u able to watch it online?
so far what i found is this,
http://live-sports.atspace.com/index.html
in case u know a link, can u please tell me where i can watch Arg Vs France (live)??
thanks

[carina_gino20]

how do u know ??
are u able to watch it online?
so far what i found is this,
http://live-sports.atspace.com/index.html
in case u know a link, can u please tell me where i can watch Arg Vs France (live)??
thanks

that page also has a link to the arg-france game...

[velik_m]

how do u know ??
are u able to watch it online?
so far what i found is this,
http://live-sports.atspace.com/index.html
in case u know a link, can u please tell me where i can watch Arg Vs France (live)??
thanks

i get serbian national tv.

[velik_m]

2:30 to the end of 3rd Nigeria up by 4

[xamila rey]

i get serbian national tv.

thanx for ur respond,
i am trying to get into that link but it
doesnt work,
i think the game that u r watching should be on by now
i donno i am kind of lost.

[velik_m]

thanx for ur respond,
i am trying to get into that link but it
doesnt work,
i think the game that u r watching should be on by now
i donno i am kind of lost.

ehm... i get serbian national tv on cable (and croatian and bosnian and macedonian and austrian and italian and german... you get the picture )