Parker signs letter of engagement with French

[ploto]

but the first time i saw Tony showing his current level of leadership was with the french team last summer. he couldn't really capitalize on it because of his injury, but i really think it helped him to be the obvious leader of this team.

A lot of NBA teams used to encourage these international players to play for their national teams for this very reason- they usually have a larger role and a leadership role that allows them to grow as players. The Spurs always encouraged Rasho to play for Slovenia and if you ever saw him play for them, you would know why.

[Phenomanul]

Yes, I'm xenophobic because I want the Spurs to be succesfull.


Right on skippy.

Your first post was highly inflammatory. You cursed out an entire country.

Hence the xenophobia...



But very typical of you to pounce on one word without actually addressing the logical fallacy of your statement... especially when countered with arguments that proved your stance is not as full-proof as you assume it is.

Players decisions to play for their national teams in the summer don't necessarily dictate whether or not the Spurs win a championship the following year.

I guess FIBA is to blame for Fisher's 0.4 and the Barry no-call.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

This is going to hurt us a lot over the next few seasons. With Duncan in his twilight, Parker will need to shoulder most of the load. We need him rested and ready for the season.

I agree with timvp...if he wants to play in the Olympics then that is his perogative, but playing in garbage tournaments every summer is excessive.

Again with this? WTF is these stupid comments? This not suck ass Americas championship. Euro championship is overall much better level than world championship is. It is nothing in any way garbage or crap tournament.

This is why NBA American fans have so horrible reputation around world with all these ridiculous things they say.

[MaNuMaNiAc]

Yes, I'm xenophobic because I want the Spurs to be succesfull.


Right on skippy.

no, you're xenophobic because you don't know when to shut the up. Nobody minds that you don't like that Tony is playing. Your bull comments about France being a "good for nothing country nobody gives a about" is what makes you a giant ing xenophobic , entiende?

[Spurs Brazil]

In terms of talent you are dead wrong, what roster could put the equivalent of TP Diaw Turiaff Batum Pietrus Noah Ian Petro Ajinca just to name the NBA players ?? not a load may be two or three max

Greece. They have like 10 or 15 players in the NBA


Oh wait...

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against a player giving back as you say. It's a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, this represents a conflict as it were. The choice for the player then is: employer or country. There are many ways to give back with the millions they make. Just as long as they do it off court. Ultimately it's an issue of health, are you as a player doing everything within reason to stay healthy so that you can fulfill your obligations?

Again, Olympics every four years: reasonable. All of these tournaments each and every year are really pushing the envelope though.

This is very reasonable and understandable. I agree with this. But do not make mistake that Euro championship is crap tournament. Most Olympic teams would struggle a lot in the Euro tournament.

[Agloco]

Agloco, I only quote your post because of the part I've bolded that always winds up in these debates. I appreciate posts like yours that try to make a point without personal attacks.

As to contractual obligations; all NBA teams and players are subject to the provisions of the CBA. Under the CBA, the owners get limits on players salaries, rookie pay scales, and other things that protect their interests. The players get guaranteed contracts and many other benefits. The CBA prohibits certain behavior and allows teams to seek remedies in the case of violations (Monta Ellis, Vladimir Radmanovic, for ex).

The CBA specifically protects the players right to play for their National Teams as long as certain insurability issues are addressed. Beyond that, the NBA actively promotes and markets the participation of its players. The NBA is an active partner in the financing, training, coaching and marketing of USA Basketball.

I have no problem with any NBA player participating for their national teams.

I also have no problem with a team doing what the Spurs with Manu last summer and withholding a contract extension to wait and see what the effects of such participation may be on a player's future contributions to the team.

If NBA owners want additional control over National Team play, they should negotiate it into the next CBA.

Yeah, I re-posted admitting my poor choice of wording......

Bad choice of words. I should have stated "moral" obligation, but the word might lead most to be highly cynical about it. Yes, employees have moral obligations just the same as employers do. These need not be explicitly stated.

Take money from someone, agree to keep yourself healthy and not run up the mileage on your body. It's just the right thing to do. Like timvp said, the Olympics is cool, but every scrub tournament is excessive.

[tlongII]

I thought he was already married???

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

I don't know maybe our French friends can give us their opinion.

They have a very small talent pool compared to better Euro countries in basketball. Slovenia, Spain, Lithuania, Serbia, Greece can send plenty of players that do not even make their team that would be stars on French team. France has had bad coaching but this is not the main problem.

Slovenia is bad coaching and players not wanting to play but for France main problem is they cannot compete with these other countries in talent. Those main ones like Spain, Serbia, Greece, Lithuania have many more good players to choose from than France.

[EricB]

Your first post was highly inflammatory. You cursed out an entire country.

Hence the xenophobia...



But very typical of you to pounce on one word without actually addressing the logical fallacy of your statement... especially when countered with arguments that proved your stance is not as full-proof as you assume it is.

Players decisions to play for their national teams in the summer don't necessarily dictate whether or not the Spurs win a championship the following year.

I guess FIBA is to blame for Fisher's 0.4 and the Barry no-call.

Hmmm, David Robinson 1996 1997

Ginobili this year

[Bukefal]

This is very reasonable and understandable. I agree with this. But do not make mistake that Euro championship is crap tournament. Most Olympic teams would struggle a lot in the Euro tournament.

You cant compare that, everything is relative. but yeah, eurobasket is compe ive and hard. Anyway, i think its good for international nba players to keep playing for their countries. Thats their duty, and the nba teams should stop objecting. Injuries happen everywhere, wether at their club or nt, happens. What's the best thing, than playing for your country??

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

A tournament that consists of Finland, Portugal and Belgium is a scrub tournament ... no matter how much bounce you add to your sig.

Euro tournament is right there with world championship and overall is stronger even maybe. It is just a little barely below Olympics. Argentina send B team to Americas tournament and wins silver or or gold. if they did that in Eurobasket they would be lucky to finish in 10th place. Americans really have no clue about FIBA basketball.

[Bukefal]

Those main ones like Spain, Serbia, Greece, Lithuania have many more good players to choose from than France.

Exactly, Serbia especially, although they arent doing so well recently.

[DPG21920]

Bull . How come you do not get mad at the Spurs for playing Manu when he was knowingly and visibly injured? How come only NT basketball gets your wrath?

Don't be a hypocrite. Criticize the Spurs as well for injuring Ginobili. Also, should players be allowed to train in the offseason? Should they be allowed to play, intense and compe ive pick up games with other pros to keep in shape and work on their game?

Hmmm, David Robinson 1996 1997

Ginobili this year

[DPG21920]

By the way, how can any tournament with Finland be considered bad???

[DAF86]

no talent when most of the NBA players aren't there (that was the case last summer)
no gameplan
no winner outside Tony.
too much to overcome.

but the staff has changed, the best french NBA players could be there next summer. Noah could give some heart to this team. there's still hope for us. but none if tony doesn't play.

oh, and the Argentine NT has a lot more of talent than the french one. More talent and more heart.

More heart maybe, more BBIQ seems too. But not more talent. In the last Olympics we had a six men team with no backups for the point guard position nor the 4 and 5. And we played some mayor minutes two guys that spent all his career in the Argie league (which isn't very good outside the young talents, 'cause all the players go to play to Europe or the NBA).

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Nice, I really want to see them at eurobasket in poland. But italy will be hard though.

Yes they might not even make it over Italy and all fans here is going crazy.

[Agloco]

A tournament that consists of Finland, Portugal and Belgium is a scrub tournament ... no matter how much bounce you add to your sig.

+1

Why is Parker needed against that type of compe ion in the first place?

[kace]

They have a very small talent pool compared to better Euro countries in basketball. Slovenia, Spain, Lithuania, Serbia, Greece can send plenty of players that do not even make their team that would be stars on French team. France has had bad coaching but this is not the main problem.

Slovenia is bad coaching and players not wanting to play but for France main problem is they cannot compete with these other countries in talent. Those main ones like Spain, Serbia, Greece, Lithuania have many more good players to choose from than France.

true. if we had to bring 20 names of good players, we would be in bad position.

but to have a compe ive team, you only really need 7 or 8 good players. We have them. We should do better. We were 5th in the 2006 world championship (without tony) and 2nd in the 2000 Olympics.

[sonic21]

eurobasket is compe ive,
except for the US and Argentina NT, all the good teams are in europe.

[Bukefal]

By the way, how can any tournament with Finland be considered bad???

That's why finland has to qualify (yet) and isnt in the final tournament.

[EricB]

Why should I critique the Spurs for injuring him?


HES GETTING PAID MILLIONS BY THE SPURS

NOT ARGENTINA

THATS THE GODDAMN POINT

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

In terms of talent you are dead wrong, what roster could put the equivalent of TP Diaw Turiaff Batum Pietrus Noah Ian Petro Ajinca just to name the NBA players ?? not a load may be two or three max

lol NBA only fan disease. Other than Parker not one of them would even be that good of a player for best Euro national teams. Several of them would have no chance in of even making a roster for best Euro teams. Please.

Parker of course great, Diaw good for that level but nothing more than that and the rest a bunch of average or suck ass players at that level.

[Phenomanul]

Hmmm, David Robinson 1996 1997

Ginobili this year

Hence the choice of the word "necessarily"....

Your crass extremism is your achiles' heel when it comes to debating such things... it's rather impulsive. Sometimes it's 'spot-on' and sometimes it's 'not'... but one thing is for sure, it's always (to borrow a word from your set) opinionated...

[Agloco]

Bull . How come you do not get mad at the Spurs for playing Manu when he was knowingly and visibly injured? How come only NT basketball gets your wrath?

Don't be a hypocrite. Criticize the Spurs as well for injuring Ginobili. Also, should players be allowed to train in the offseason? Should they be allowed to play, intense and compe ive pick up games with other pros to keep in shape and work on their game?

If the Spurs want to risk their investment, then that's their prerogative. The NT shouldn't get to call the shots with another businesses money. Should they?