WTF are they playing for?

[Solid D]

I don't see any reason why a real NBA should participate in these bull games.

I don't see these dudes playing in the summer leagues....

NBA players, even good ones, play during the summer. The photo I posted is an example of a Summer League that goes on in Houston. Lots of NBA stars have played at the Fonde in the summer. Why you don't know this is beyond me but hey, if you don't know...you don't know.

[Solid D]

http://www.hoopsvibe.com/hoops-tours...e-ar33086.html

Houston Pro City Summer League07.7.2006 - Updated on 07.7.2006

Fonde Community Center located at 110 Sabine Street
Houston , TX

July 10 - August 16, 2006
Every Mondays and Wednesdays

Last year’s participants included, Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley, Rashard Lewis, Damon Jones, Ron Artest, Steve Francis, Moochie Norris, Reggie Evans, James Posey, Royal Ivey, Kendrick Perkins, Mike James, Nick Van Exel, J.R. Smith, Damon Stoudamire, Ansu Sesay, Charles Smith, Jonathan Bender, Terrance Morris, Jumaine Jones, Derek Anderson and Ndudi Ebi. This year the list will increase with names like Penny Hardaway, Rasual Butler, Anthony Goldwire, Emeka Okafor, Mo Williams, Jason Williams (ex-Duke star), Gerald Green and T.J. Ford just to name a few.

For more info on the Houston Pro City Summer League, click here. Houston Pro City Summer League

[picnroll]

No problem. Play the games. But then, after expenses are accounted for (and not the lavish ones that the FIBA officials alot themsleves) apportion the revenue from selling TV rights, etc. back to the pro teams that provide their players. Afterall there is nothing non-profit about the World Championship or the Olympics for that matter so why should teams provide players who they are paying for playing basketball to let someone else make money off of them playing basketball for free.

[ducks]

did not ron artest play in the summer leagues?

[SequSpur]

Exhibition games...

[cheguevara]

plain and simple. National pride beats club pride. It's like your job vs. your country, what would you pick. Get over it Tpark, tough , players value more Olympics + WC than old boring ass NBA.

and as we speak Argentina is the owner of the world in basketball, let's see if US can take it away from them...

[Cherry]

I don't see any reason why a real NBA should participate in these bull games.

Why not? Are they made of cristal or what?

The players accepted the risk, they took up the challenge with pride, heart, sacrifice, and you have nothing to do about that.

But...of course...they are phenomena that are beyond your understanding.

.

[smeagol]

But you euros should just chill out, your as usual, wrong.

It's not only Euros who have an opposite view to yours. It's Argentines and other Latins and even many Americans. Actually the only ones who opine like you are Sequ (when Sequ is on your side, you're are sure you are right!) and picnroll (I'm really surprised about one of the most intelligent posters taking such a narrowminded position).

So, who's wrong again?

[ducks]

no one is right or wrong in this issue
I can see both sides views

I know if james gets hurt and can not play at all in the nba
stern may think differently about this games

[Pero]

Maybe to Slovenia...

The Americans and the Argentineans are concerned about the Olympics.

The Americans don't want to lose again because they were embarassed last time.

It would've been better to throw a college team in there, let them get blown out and the USA would've had a reason.

Now, when they drop again, there is no reason, its just a stupid idea.

I bet right now the Argentine team wants the WC le more than the olympic le, since they`d want revenge after the loss on the previous WC, and they already have an olympic le. And americans didn`t look much concerned about the olympics last time...
Though you are right, the last US WC team was embarassed, and couldn`t handle their losses...

Why do you think the US team will drop again? It`s the strongest team in years, and look like it has a good mentality.

[Pero]

No problem. Play the games. But then, after expenses are accounted for (and not the lavish ones that the FIBA officials alot themsleves) apportion the revenue from selling TV rights, etc. back to the pro teams that provide their players. Afterall there is nothing non-profit about the World Championship or the Olympics for that matter so why should teams provide players who they are paying for playing basketball to let someone else make money off of them playing basketball for free.

You forget, not every national association is as rich as NBA, a lot are much poorer. The players get some money, and for some it`s not so little, except the ones that play in the NBA. How could national associations afford to pay so much to their players?
Though you are maybe right in that FIBA should take care of this better. And I can`t really think of where the money is going, though I believe some of it goes to national associations. And they do have to pay for the NBA players that play for their teams, though it might look like nothing compared to their wages...
Were people complaining about the same thing when it was the first time that NBA players played? I`d imagine it was the same back then.

[picnroll]

A few years back they had a piece on 60 Minutes called "The Princes of the Olympics" about the lifestyle the high ranking International Olympic Committee members lived. They can hold their own with Saudi princes.

[WalterBenitez]

Is this the summer rec league for countries or what? It's not the olympics, so wgaf?

Dude, these NBA players are sacrificing the future of their franchises for nothing.

I don't know why it's even on TV.

BS.

I asume that Pride and Honor doesn't mean anything for you

[BgT]

Do something with your life dude.
NBA is not everything. Your TV set is not everything. Your couch is not everything. Hamburgers are not everything.

I think you really got the point here. Fat ass with a guy named TPark sitting on it can't really see beyond his TV and some juicy chicken wings.

[Renu_]

These are all ways to see great things happen: NBA, WC, Olympics.. We all like to see winners do their thing. Now, what we don't want to see is our heroes getting beat from some guys we don't even know. So we like to play on our territory on our rules so nothing can get wrong. It's all very natural. USA is still nb1 in the world so lose your fear. Show little courage. Beat FIBA, beat the refs, "win" the crowd, and most important - beat the teams. C'mon you can do it. I'll be rooting for your team, but not on tuesday against slovenia.

[hendrix]

"Magic" Johnson. Michael Jordan. Larry Bird and so on... have played for the US National Team in Olympic Compe ion.
Reggie Miller, Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O'Neal, Joe Dumars, Dominique Wilkins, etc, etc have played for US National Team in a World Championship (1994).
So I think Stern can risk to lose "Lebron" (ooooh...incomparable Lebron... Jordan is nothing compared to you... oohhh).

[ALVAREZ6]

T Park is a proven re .











End.

[danyel]

There is an obvious difference between international fans and at least some USA fans. For us is national team 1st, local team 2nd.

We couldnt care less how much a player is being paid, how much money the owner losses if that player gets injured, its their problem. Tickets or t-shirts wont cost more whether someone gets injured or not.

We don't mind the money side of the issue.

Of course I can see there is an issue there, but thats something they will have to work out between FIBA and team owners. Same thing is happening between FIFA and soccer teams and soccer national teams play way more often, not just for a couple of months every year.

[WalterBenitez]

There is an obvious difference between international fans and at least some USA fans. For us is national team 1st, local team 2nd.

We couldnt care less how much a player is being paid, how much money the owner losses if that player gets injured, its their problem. Tickets or t-shirts wont cost more whether someone gets injured or not.

We don't mind the money side of the issue.

Of course I can see there is an issue there, but thats something they will have to work out between FIBA and team owners. Same thing is happening between FIFA and soccer teams and soccer national teams play way more often, not just for a couple of months every year.

I do agree, not saying one point of view is better than the other, only saying that Intl speaking, the National Team is higher and bigger than any other thing, at least for me

[nbascribe]

Okay Sequ let me answer your first question. They, meaning the US team, is playing for an Olympic berth into Beijing. USA Basketball has been so dismal in the past few international tournaments that we have to actually re-qualify for the Olympics. That is what this team is playing for.

Now should NBA players be in this mix? I don't think so. I do not think that NBA players are the best players for this style of tournament. I have consistently proposed that use players who understand the FIBA rules, who have played overseas and who are hungry enough. I've actually said it this past week on Ticket 760 and of course David Chancellor doesn't ge the reasoning behind it. Right now I've even penned an op/ed piece that says that Team USA needs to scrap this "Dream Team" concept once and for all and find twelve players from the NBDL, CBA, FIBA and the top four players WHO WERE NOT DRAFTED this year, form a barn storming team with corporate sponsorship, find a coach who wants to win on the international level, and then let this team barn storm across Europe in exhibition play against the top FIBA teams in Europe.

In my scenario this team not only gets the experience of playing against the best Europe has to offer, but this is the team that represents us at the World Championships and at the Olympics.

But of course that doesn't make too much sense to those who think that the NBA should be dictating Team USA and USA Basketball. Believe it or not, David Stern is being a serious hypocrite on this issue. He will chastize American basketball but he will not allow USA Basketball pick a diverse team that has the best American ball players representing this country in these tournaments.

[picnroll]

Why does the Olympics have an age limit for its soccer compe ion. Probably because the clubs got tired of having their players getting "borrowed" every other day and that's the deal they made with the Olymic committee robber barons. They should put the same age limit on basketball.

[smeagol]

Why does the Olympics have an age limit for its soccer compe ion. Probably because the clubs got tired of having their players getting "borrowed" every other day and that's the deal they made with the Olymic committee robber barons. They should put the same age limit on basketball.

Soccer clubs have to "lend" their players to the NTs much more often than NBA teams do. There's continental tournaments (Copa America, the Euro Cup), there's the World Cup qualifiers, the World Cup itself . . . , there's ing friendly games where clubs allow their international players play for their NTs (there is one game between Brazil and Argentina coming up in September where Messi, Tevez and other Argies playing abroad are part of the squad)).

Actually, soccer teams have to do it in the middle of the local tournament (WorldCup qualifiers are year round) which would be the equivalent of the NBA teams letting their stars go an play for their NTs in March.

Don't bring a soccer analogy. You will probably get you ass handed in this discussion if you do.

[picnroll]

I don't know the soccer situation well at all but I don't think teams "have" to release players and I do think there are some teams that don't release their star players for a lot of "minor" compe ions. and there are some tournaments that star players chose not to go to. I know that's the case for some US players like Claudio Reyna and some US goalies that play or have played in the British leagues.

[picnroll]

So why does the Olympics have an age limit on soccer?

[velik_m]

So why does the Olympics have an age limit on soccer?

because FIFA doesn?t want compe ion with their WC.