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Like there isn't a resistance to acomodate the FIBA from NBA franchises!
Parker's back in Europe -- so are the problems
By Buck Harvey
Don't worry about a fractured relationship between Tony Parker and the Spurs' front office. Parker and R.C. Buford are scheduled to have dinner Friday night in France.
And don't worry about the French holding a grudge. Parker would have missed Wednesday's game against Italy anyway and, besides, Les Bleus won in overtime. For those who care about the details: Nicolas Batum, the athletic small forward the Spurs wanted in the 2008 draft, was a star.
But there is still a lot to worry about over there, and the NBA should worry, too. This is broken in a thousand ways, from the schedule to the lack of practice control to the arenas themselves.
France and Italy, for example, played in a gym on Sardinia because it's one of the few in the country with air conditioning. A year ago, when the climate control failed, the floor became slippery.
There's a lot of time to slip, too. If France qualifies and plays in the European Championships, Parker will have spent two months this summer with the national team. At least the French didn't begin as early as, say, Italy did. The Italians started training camp July 2 and could keep going until mid-September.
This is what happens when they mix in a home-away series with Finland. FIBA could streamline, but there's a resistance to accommodate the NBA.
There's no standard for practice schedules, from FIBA Asia to FIBA South America. If a national team wants to go through two-a-days, that's what happens. And if someone is hurt? No uniform system exists to determine how a player is cleared to play or gets rehab.
An extreme case: In the past, NBA officials were shocked when they observed the Chinese team and realized ice was not available for post-practice treatment.
All of which is why the Spurs insisted Parker fly trans-Atlantic. They wanted to make sure his injury was as minor as reported, and they didn't mind if he missed a few days of a long summer of basketball.
They likely wanted to send a statement, too. They will be involved, and they will control everything they can control.
The Spurs also see the other side of national teams: Ian Mahinmi joined the French team this week, and the Spurs are all for it. Mahinmi can use all the work he can get.
Like there isn't a resistance to acomodate the FIBA from NBA franchises!
What a clueless article.
I love Bruno's reaction.
Priceless.
Clueless- pot meet kettle.
My stalker.
NBA players should be loyal to their teams, they're the ones paying them millions, not their countries.
pathetic article.
ian needs the work and we are also deeper in the frontcourt now so an injury to ian would be nowhere near as damaging to the spurs.
no ice slipply floors? y not just play outside? highschool gyms are better than that (texas ones at least)
Do you expect more from Harvey?
Europe is in the third-world.... isn't it ?
French NT coach said the opposite.Parker would have missed Wednesday's game against Italy anyway
False. They played in Sardinia because Italia wanted to play in a small arena with people close to the court to put as much pressure as possible ont he opponents.France and Italy, for example, played in a gym on Sardinia because it's one of the few in the country with air conditioning. A year ago, when the climate control failed, the floor became slippery.
Italia has some 10,000+ arenas. I haven't checked by i highly doubt they aren't without air conditioning.
French NT did it because they knew they couldn't asked NBA players to come as soon as early July.At least the French didn't begin as early as, say, Italy did. The Italians started training camp July 2 and could keep going until mid-September.
Well, NBA could have adjusted when they started to get international players. NBA schedule is crazy and is the main reason of injuries.This is what happens when they mix in a home-away series with Finland. FIBA could streamline, but there's a resistance to accommodate the NBA.
Link with Parker?An extreme case: In the past, NBA officials were shocked when they observed the Chinese team and realized ice was not available for post-practice treatment.
Spurs send Mike Burgardt and Engeland with France NT. France NT send X-Rays/MRI pictures and Parker consulted a doctor picked by Spurs in France. Spurs were damn involved.They likely wanted to send a statement, too. They will be involved, and they will control everything they can control.
IMO, a main reason why they call Parker back was to avoid him playing in Italy.
If you like the positive side, you also had to accept the negative side.The Spurs also see the other side of national teams: Ian Mahinmi joined the French team this week, and the Spurs are all for it. Mahinmi can use all the work he can get.
Spurs damn like French basketball. They drafted 3 French players and 2 (Diaw and Batum) were said to be their first target during drafts. If Spurs aren't fine with the French NT, they should have simply go elsewhere.
Last edited by Bruno; 08-06-2009 at 04:52 PM.
look at the suit of batum in the draft night...he weras a black & silver tie/suit...spurs colors...but rockets failed our plan to get finnaly our 3/SF athletic...
Buck Harvey is one of the worst sports writers in the country.
Harvey is a very good writer. Relative to the writing in the newspapers these says, he's F. ing Scott Fitzgerald.Buck Harvey is one of the worst sports writers in the country.
+1
oconnor's home gym seems much nicer.
As ducks would say if this would be Manu, trade his ass...
just pathetic article full of poor poor cliché
San antonio has the worst in sportswriters in the industry....I am so sick of this ....
I am totally dreading the inevitable onslaught of French homer bull we are going to experience this next season now that Parker is our superstar and Manu hasn't done in over two years.What a clueless article.
Bruno will have his own cult.
thanks for the reply. it's good to hear a well-thought, reasoned answer; not the usual BS that pops up when international play comes up.
and i totally agree about the nba schedule being the primary reason for nba players being hurt at such a high rate. the players really need to address the schedule next time collective bargaining with the league takes place. as a fan, i want to see these teams at full strength.
of course the french worthless NT loyalists are out in force laying the claim of bull at the spoken truth being written.
That note made the article a good one. I'm still doubting the French story that it was Holt who called Parker back to San Antonio. Everything else points to it being RC.Don't worry about a fractured relationship between Tony Parker and the Spurs' front office. Parker and R.C. Buford are scheduled to have dinner Friday night in France.
But yeah, France won so I guess Parker will hold off burning his Spurs jersey for at least a couple of days.
People who claim that the NBA should be more accommodating to FIBA are forgetting one thing, the NBA pays the players to play. Let me explain.
I don't knock the players for having national pride and wanting to show it. If they want to play for the national team, there's really not much that can be done about it.
However, the NBA teams invest millions of dollars in these players. That's what they are, investments. And they want a return on their investment.
Imagine if you gave a brokerage firm money to invest in you, only the firm wanted to call the shots on what to invest in without your input. Wouldn't you be a bit upset if they're decisions ended up sinking your investment?
It's all about compromise. The player has to know that the NBA wants a return on their investment, so if they want to play, they should know the team probably won't be happy about it.
As a result, the player has to protect himself as much as possible, or the owners will take it upon themselves to protect their investments, either through outright forbidding or international play or incentives written into contracts to cover the team should the player get injured.
However, the team must also respect that the players feel that it's a great sense of honor and their duty to play for the national team should the call come forth. And that honor is sometimes worth more than money, as hard as it is for American society to believe.
And FIBA, well they should be thanking the US for sending the Dream Team and thereby making basketball a global game. Without the Dream Team, Euro basketball would probably just be coming out of the dark ages about now. So FIBA just needs to get out of the way and let the NBA, players and National Teams work it all out.
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