http://forums.interbasket.net/ Discuss the ULEB Euroleague, ULEB EuroCup, FIBA EuroChallenge, Final Four, and other European international tournaments and club competition here. en Thu, 23 May 2013 09:23:51 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.interbasket.net/images/misc/rss.png http://forums.interbasket.net/ http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23888-An-outsider-s-perspective-on-the-current-state-of-Euroleague&goto=newpost Sun, 19 May 2013 03:00:36 GMT I fully admit that I’m a complete novice to basketball in Europe, I’ve tried to ingratiate myself to the game in the last five years but compared to... I fully admit that I’m a complete novice to basketball in Europe, I’ve tried to ingratiate myself to the game in the last five years but compared to people who have followed it all their lives I know less than nothing.
In either case watching the Euroleague 2013-2014 thread as someone who is trying to get into the league I can say the following confidence. The Euroleague, in trying to immediately and directly challenge the NBA has shot itself in the foot, and I may be understating it.

I’ve been following Euroleague the last couple seasons and for the most part it has been positive, but I can see the fraying at the edges. The license system in particular, it ‘worked’ more or less so long as teams kept their place in their domestic leagues as great or at least good. There are more and more cases where that simply isn’t the case, and as new fan I can’t help but think it’s stupid. For all the flaws in the champions league in soccer at least teams earned their position year after year. For Basketball right now it is a mess.

Now I’m probably not Euroleague’s target audience, but I’ll say this. A 10,000 plus arena is great, but if the team sucks and the arena is quiet I don’t care. I’d much rather see a deserving team with 3,000 raucous fans than a pitiful team with an abominable record and an arena that sounds like a church. I believe Euroleague went the wrong way. It went for number of fans to compare itself directly with the NBA, instead of going with the strength of teams, and as a new fan I’m not sure if I can keep watching if it continues on this path. ]]> Dtown http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23888-An-outsider-s-perspective-on-the-current-state-of-Euroleague http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23879-ESPN-Basketball-Capitals&goto=newpost Sat, 18 May 2013 15:40:09 GMT Has anyone else been watching this? They covered Istanbul and Berlin this week. Have to say, after all the hype I was left rather underwhelmed. ... Has anyone else been watching this? They covered Istanbul and Berlin this week.

Have to say, after all the hype I was left rather underwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to see basketball promoted, but the documentaries had something of a superficial feel to them. At 30 minutes the documentaries were too short to give any meaningful insights about the clubs involved. Istanbul, for instance, has four big clubs - at a push you could meaningfully cover two clubs, three was optimistic and Galatasaray scarcely got a mention (I think this might be because they were in the Eurocup this season, the documentary seems to focus on Euroleague teams).

For example, it was mentioned that Fenerbahce come from the Asian part of Istanbul and that most people on the Asian side of Istanbul support Fenerbahce (which would stand to reason) but the cultural and political difference between a fan of Fenerbahce and Galatasaray / Besiktas / Efes Pilsen wasn't explained. The closest they came was to say that Efes Pilsen, sorry, *ahem* Anadolu Efes fans are the best educated in terms of basketball culture because their club is purely a basketball club as opposed to being a generic sports club like the "Big Three" Istanbul sides. I remember seeing a football documentary on ESPN Classic (although it may have been French TV produced) which explained the political side of the Galatasaray - Fenerbahce derby in much more detail. It's more than geographical, Galatasaray has its culture rooted in the college it was founded in and is thus favoured by academics, whereas Fenerbahce were previously favoured by officers in the Turkish military. On that documentary they had interviews with Galatasaray directors recalling games against Army sides where the army players would single them out for some rough treatment on the pitch because they were Galatasaray players / officials, they represented an alien World to those army men, they represented free thought as opposed to the "Yes, Sir!" obedience the army drills into you and as a European thinking club they represented the broadening of horizons over the insular mindset that may be inevitable if one's career is built around defending the state.

Sorry to turn this into a discussion on the politics of the Istanbul sports scene, but if I've done that it's because these are exactly the kind of insights I had hoped to glean from Basketball Capitals, but there were no such insights to be had. The closest we got was learning that basketball became big in West Germany because of the influence of the American forces after WW2.

Next week they are broadcasting the Madrid and Athens episodes. I'll watch but am not optimistic. I would love to learn more about the politics of the Olympiakos - Panathinaikos derby but somehow don't think I'll learn this from Basketball Capitals. I might be wrong. It would be nice to learn if one team are middle class and the other working class? Are one team founded from a particular industry? Any left-right wing political background to the derby? Where do AEK Athens fit into all this? Other than being an emigree club originally founded in Konstantinoupoleos / Istanbul, what is their politics against they background of the Olympiakos - Panathinaikos rivalry? These are the sort of questions a documentary about basketball rivalries should be answering! ]]> trey from mars http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23879-ESPN-Basketball-Capitals http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23861-Euroleague-final-Real-Madrid-vs-Olympiacos-Piraeus&goto=newpost Sat, 11 May 2013 11:18:27 GMT CSKA and Barcelona are the past. Real Madrid and Olympiacos are the present. How do you see the final? I am scared of Olympiacos defense,... CSKA and Barcelona are the past.

Real Madrid and Olympiacos are the present.

How do you see the final?

I am scared of Olympiacos defense, few times I have seen that exhibition. They played like a machine in both sides of court. According to Euroleague web they have a deep 15 players roster, altough only 11 or 12 are goint to play obviously.

On the other hand Real Madrid plays "free" game, unpredictable, with some LOLaso mistakes, but with a great scoring potential with JC Carrol, S. Rodriguez, Rudy Fernandez, Sergi Llull, Nikola Mirotic...Felipe Reyes, Marcus Slaughter, Carlos Suarez will help with the diry work... the Real Madrid's rotation is shorter as Draper, Hettsmeiher and Pocius (injuried) are not expected to play.

In my opinion Olympiakos is favourite because they could choke Real Madrid, but this is a Final and many things can happen. For example I remember the World Championship '06 final, where Greece had defeaten USA and Spain had lost Pau Gasol for the final, but the "miracle" was done.

I hope Olympiakos starts failing the 3 point shoots, so that they become nervous and after that all the game would just fall in Spanoulis and Law with high pressure. ]]> naumoski http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23861-Euroleague-final-Real-Madrid-vs-Olympiacos-Piraeus http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23854-Tickets-for-Final-Four-Londres-2013-for-sale-at-face-value&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 11:49:53 GMT I got 3 of the best tickets on Block 111 Lower centre. I paid 595€ per ticket but now i cannot use them because my friends could not make it to London.
I sell them at the same price i paid. I can sell 1, 2 or the 3 tickets. They are electronic tickets so if available they can be purchased until the very last minute. They cover the following:

Friday 10th of May:
- 1st Semifinal: CSKA Moscow - Panathinaikos
- 2nd Semifinal: Real Madrid - FC Barcelona

Sunday 12th of May:
- Third/Fourth Placement Game
- FINAL

My phone number is 07986486714 or from outside UK 00447986486714 ]]> hugoiturralde@yahoo.co.uk http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23854-Tickets-for-Final-Four-Londres-2013-for-sale-at-face-value http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23845-The-Revenge-London-F4-CSKA-vs-Olympiacos&goto=newpost Mon, 06 May 2013 19:06:38 GMT As in 2012, Olympiacos starts as underdog... will be able to repeat or will be CSKA revenge?? Poll is open My choice: CSKA CSKA 83 -... As in 2012, Olympiacos starts as underdog... will be able to repeat or will be CSKA revenge??

Poll is open


My choice: CSKA

CSKA 83 - Olympiacos 71 ]]> radallo http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23845-The-Revenge-London-F4-CSKA-vs-Olympiacos http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23844-nike-international-junior-LONDON-tournament-2013&goto=newpost Sun, 05 May 2013 22:44:49 GMT http://www.euroleague.net/events/nike-international-junior-tournament/london If you,like me ,live in this town,and missed on cheap?(130 pounds)... http://www.euroleague.net/events/nik...rnament/london
If you,like me ,live in this town,and missed on cheap?(130 pounds) tickets,this one is for free.
My good friend was unaware of it,and he is the one who never missed one tournament (albeit for national team), hence the post.
Hope to see you there
yes,i will be supporting lrytas.
I have two t shirts saying Zalgiris and Russia
Dilemma now ]]> auris1 http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23844-nike-international-junior-LONDON-tournament-2013 http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23839-2012-13-All-Euroleague-nominees&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 14:38:00 GMT "After counting the votes of fans and media members from far and wide, Euroleague Basketball is pleased to release the names of the 10 nominees for the All-Euroleague teams":

http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/112969/180

Dimitris Diamantidis, Panathinaikos Athens
Rudy Fernandez, Real Madrid
Shawn James, Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
Victor Khryapa, CSKA Moscow
Nenad Krstic, CSKA Moscow
Nikola Mirotic, Real Madrid
Juan Carlos Navarro, F.C. Barcelona Regal
Vassilis Spanoulis, Olympiacos Piraeus
Milos Teodosic, CSKA Moscow
Ante Tomic, F.C. Barcelona Regal ]]> naumoski http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23839-2012-13-All-Euroleague-nominees http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23838-El-Clásico-London-F4-Real-Madrid-vs-Barcelona&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 14:33:02 GMT Well, well, well.

I see nobody opens the thread, so I'll do.

Wich team will win the semi-final?

IMO Real Madrid will defeat Barcelona: 60% Real Madrid - 40 % Barcelona. ]]> naumoski http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23838-El-Clásico-London-F4-Real-Madrid-vs-Barcelona http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23771-Euroleague-FINAL-FOUR-2013-London&goto=newpost Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:54:06 GMT Image: http://oi39.tinypic.com/23460k.jpg CSKA Moscow - Olympiakos Real Madrid - Barcelona

CSKA Moscow - Olympiakos
Real Madrid - Barcelona ]]> Turkish Airlines Euroleague http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23771-Euroleague-FINAL-FOUR-2013-London http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23768-Euroleague-clubs-in-2013-2014&goto=newpost Fri, 26 Apr 2013 07:35:42 GMT Image: http://www.euroleague.net/rs/39607/757d79e1-8eb4-4d67-b3d3-090cbf11400c/529/filename/2013-14-euroleague-country-ranking.png National...

National league results starting to flow in, so we could fill the puzzle for the next season ]]> Billy Bounce http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23768-Euroleague-clubs-in-2013-2014 http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23761-Premeditated-theft-Baskonia-CSKA-with-video&goto=newpost Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:55:16 GMT Absolutely disgraceful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-UVXHrZk2Q Absolutely disgraceful.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-UVXHrZk2Q ]]> fail http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?23761-Premeditated-theft-Baskonia-CSKA-with-video