France and Slovenia will meet in Euro 2005

[baraya]

Well for some players its very important to play for their own country, they worked their whole life to be in national team and in some coutries people respect and suport them. I can understand why most "superstars" in USA doesn't care about playing for national team, to much money and no pride. Half of them would beat eachother up, other half would be laughing :/ Well if you live in country that has 2mio people and you actualy got a team that could beat most other teams, that means something to you.
PS: and the players are actualy all friends, imagine that huh

nice written

i´ve got to say something to Frenchise friend. are you so sure, that France will beat SLO this summer?. and why? you really know all slowenian player. not those which play in nba. -but the others, in euroleague, and italian championship. there are a few of them, much better than most players from your´s country team. there is lakovic, smodis, tusek, milic, and of course becirovic, who has been playing an amazing well last year, and next year Denver will probably call him( their draf pick), to join the team. and there are more of great players, waiting to join the national team. and comming generation ( golden ) 1984 is one of the strongest in the world.
and dont take me wrong. i´m not bashing your country´s players. i really like french championship. a big number of black athlets whose almost flying around the baskets. it reminds on nba. whatever, we will have to wait till the summer, and see our teams trying to reach gold.

[gus]

The Euro is one the best Basketball Championship in the world. If USA and Argentina were allowed to play it would be the best of the best. It is more compe ive than perhaps the World Championship because no s bags are allowed to play ( e.g. China, Angola etc. ). So If you want to watch some good basketball stuff and check a lot of diiferent tactics ( zone defense, flex offense, very hard team defense, ) you'd better watch the Euro Champs.
Besides you will see also some good NBAers like Dirk, the Eslovenian, Peja and the Serbian, hopefully some Croats, Pau Gasol etc.

Perhaps, you do not notice it, but Pop and Larry Brown ( Pop especially ) are using some ball movement copied or adapted from their Olympic experience.
E.G. going with the PG or SG to the rim and then take the rock outside for a long shot.

I hope that TV broadcast it in Argentina.

Gus

[Frenchise player]

i´ve got to say something to Frenchise friend. are you so sure, that France will beat SLO this summer?. and why? you really know all slowenian player. not those which play in nba. -but the others, in euroleague, and italian championship. there are a few of them, much better than most players from your´s country team. there is lakovic, smodis, tusek, milic, and of course becirovic, who has been playing an amazing well last year, and next year Denver will probably call him( their draf pick), to join the team. and there are more of great players, waiting to join the national team. and comming generation ( golden ) 1984 is one of the strongest in the world.
and dont take me wrong. i´m not bashing your country´s players. i really like french championship. a big number of black athlets whose almost flying around the baskets. it reminds on nba. whatever, we will have to wait till the summer, and see our teams trying to reach gold.

I really believe in this french team because the three best players, Parker, Pietrus and Diaw are from the same generation and play together for a while there are strong bounds between them.
But what I think will make the difference between Slovenia and France is tony. He is one the best international players in the NBA (that means to me the world less Bodiroga), just behind Kirilenko, Nowitzi and Gasol. There is no slovenian player who can stop him. France is athletic and young and it will be an interesting match against more experienced Slovenia.

[boutons]

"the three best players, Parker, Pietrus and Diaw are from the same generation and play together for a while there are strong bounds between them."

I imagined they would do well, but they couldn't qualify for Athens. I hear Tony played really badly in the qualifiers, and everybody played selfishly. Maybe in 2008.

[gus]

Patience my French friends,

In the Qualy tournament for the Olympics in 1999, Argentina with youngs Ginobili, Nocioni, Scola etc. lost the chance to qualify because there were only 2 places, and they were got by the Dream Team with Garnett, Duncan, Mourning and Canada with Nash, and Argentina due to injuries did not have big men, and the others were too young.

See what happened later.

France has a good chance, because Serbia is aging ( I sincerelly do not think that Bodiroga makes any diference anymore, I would put my hopes in Rakocevic (sp), Peja and Radmanovic ), Russia do not have his act together. But if Spain play how do they played in the Olympics, it is my candidate.

Regards.

[Dario]

Ye, spain is my favourite to, but you are wrong about serbia, if they can get all their best players together they can win it. France is always playing for top spot, but never makes it, and for slovenia, formidable team with impresive wins in qualifying rounds, but cant do when it comes to big games. But if they explode they can go all the way anytime, but i doubt that will happen anytime soon

[pepito51]

If the folks back home are small minded enough to think that way then it's too bad. They should be happy that Beno is successful in the best league. No one should be guilted into playing for so called "national pride". Everyone that works hard deserves a vacation.

I may be selfish but like Holt, I make an investment in the Spurs every year. Since the players are employees to the Spurs their first loyality should be to the person signing the checks. If they want to play for the national team they should sign contracts with the national team. You cant have your cake and eat it too. There is just too much at stake.

Money, money, money... In soccer, the best achievment for a player is not the Champion's league Cup.... but the World Cup. You are too much used of having base-ball, american football and basket ball in your country. This sports during years were your dominants sports, no opponents.... so why should you try to challenge the other little countries?? why??
And suddenly... your nba "investors" understood that european players were good, that some american players who played in european championship were good ( and now coach too)....
so now that USA team can't win against countries white 10, 100 times less people, and so called "little league"; you dont understand why your investment ( cause you dont talk about sport rigt?? you talk about investments, they are your toys?) go to play them...
Your vision of the sport is a little bit strange. Personnaly, i love basket players, not superstars... when Tp says he's too tired, i can understand him after a nba le... nba starts in october right?? i know thay ave pre season but being paid millions per games and having two or three months of holiday should be enough to go to play for your country and please your national fans... it's just sports, in europe, when you won a le with your national team, that's important.

[pepito51]

Ye, spain is my favourite to, but you are wrong about serbia, if they can get all their best players together they can win it. France is always playing for top spot, but never makes it, and for slovenia, formidable team with impresive wins in qualifying rounds, but cant do when it comes to big games. But if they explode they can go all the way anytime, but i doubt that will happen anytime soon

I'm french, .... and i think spain will look pretty scrary, I dont know much about slovenia, just that they have huge player with great style. Do you have a good generation?
France will have to find a collective game but i'm sure that after great season, TP will be good, peitrus too and Diaw will be frustrated so he will play so well...

Does anybody know Diaw??? I'm so sure that he would be great as a spurs, as he unselfish and so gifted....
Anyway, this Euro will be fantastic to watch.... for everybody....

[cmurek]

Anyway, this Euro will be fantastic to watch.... for everybody....

Yes, that so true! On EC we can see a lot of players with imagination and that maks a game much more watchable than any other NBA game where we can see just dunking Maybe Spurs are only team with "the game" becouse they have international players who have a key rolls in a team. I dont like NBA any more, since the last real superstar (jordan) reatired NBA goes down! NBA In Eurepe is not more respected from some yers ago!!!

[fonzy16]

WTF????Spain? SCG is a clear favorite to win all. They are playing in Belgrade! Ever been in game in Belgrade. Fans are nuts. They wont let them lose.

My favorites:
1. SCG
2. Lithuania
3. Slovenia (i hope)

Can't wait for the tournament.

[Solid D]

So If you want to watch some good basketball stuff and check a lot of diiferent tactics ( zone defense, flex offense, very hard team defense, ) you'd better watch the Euro Champs.

Perhaps, you do not notice it, but Pop and Larry Brown ( Pop especially ) are using some ball movement copied or adapted from their Olympic experience.
E.G. going with the PG or SG to the rim and then take the rock outside for a long shot.
Gus

gus, keep up the good work & posting here. I think you are right about Pop using some elements adapted from their Olympic experience. I have noticed the Spurs run what looks like the Flex, more often this season. It works for Argentina. It gets everyone moving and involved. No unnecessary dribbling. Dribbling only when used to penetrate inside or to gain a passing angle or spacing. The Spurs run lots of different offensive looks though.

[pepito51]

1. Lithuania
2. France ( but it's my french point fo view.... ;o)
3. Spain

BUt slovenia, SCG, Italy too... germany with dirk too.... Mann, that will be so great to watch... no littel team, even greece could do something...

[SLOVENIAN 8]

The funny is that Slovenia in qualifications always dominate and beat everyone (Italy, Rusia, France, Germany, itd....), but when they came to EURO it is allways something wrong. I just hope that this year they do something

[Slomo]

WTF????Spain? SCG is a clear favorite to win all. They are playing in Belgrade! Ever been in game in Belgrade. Fans are nuts. They wont let them lose.

My favorites:
1. SCG
2. Lithuania
3. Slovenia (i hope)

Can't wait for the tournament.

Playing in Belgrade is a scary experience for any team that is not from SCG, the public in the arena will be the sixth man.

Also do not forget that Serbs are masters of improvisation, even if their recent form or results do not make them a le contender you can never dismiss them at home.

[pepito51]

it can also be scary for the home team... if something begin to turn bad.. it can become a disaster really fast.. some player are better with the public against them... but you're right playing in belgrade must be impressive... there's no ambiance like that in nba for sure ;o)

[fonzy16]

Off topic, belgrade related...
Two days ago Larry Bird and Chris Mullin were in Belgrade watching the Zagreb-Partizan game in Goodyear Adriatic league.

[gus]

Thanks Solid D. for your comments, I like to post here.-

With respect to the crowd making things difficult for other teams in Belgrade, I would say that it won't happen.

The tournament will be in the at the new stadium and because it is big it won't be so impresive like in the local matches or the greek league ( that is pretty scary too ). Compared to some local matches in the Greek league the Detroit brawl looks like the Ballet Fundraising event.

Rgds.

Gus

[parker_man222]

o, I'm french (my english isn't good) and I support San Antonio since Tony Parker arrived in NBA. France has a very good team, the lineup will be : Parker, Pietrus, Diaw, Turiaf, Antoine Rigaudeau (he played with Denver and dallas) and the subs utes will be Gelabale (Real Madrid player), Laurent Foirest (a great shooter), Johan Petro (he will play in NBA : number 17 in the NBA Mock Draft),....
We can win the Europe Championship.

[cmurek]

There is a lot of teams who can win a le! At least 8!

I hope that Rasho be a MVP

[baraya]

I'm french (my english isn't good).

you don´t have to write about your english. when you say that you are french, we know all about it. i´ve been a couple of times in paris, and if you don´t speak their language, you have a huge problem. only persons i spoke to, were some workers in hotels and boys on the streets, trading small towers, watches made in china, and other ...
but you´ve made a brave decision and wrote a post in this strange language !! keep on postin`