Group B, Day 6: Croatia vs. Puerto Rico

[Silvio A.]

I think it's absurd to be eliminated in the first round of a World Cup in this way.
A team with a great tradition in basketball as PuertoRico can not be kicked out of Senegal, with all due respect to the Senegal.
I remember the World Cup of 1990 concluded with a great fourth place. It was the team of Lopez, Ortiz Rivas etc ... .great players.
The injury of Arroyo and to Vassallo penalized PuertoRico but big responsibility has, in my opinion, also the coach.
Sure that Ramos would not have been more helpful than Clemente and Diaz?
Huertas also bad as I was expecting more from Galindo and Sanchez.
Now where to start? Arroyo now has an advanced age, who's out there? Napier? But decides to play in the national team?
Certainly a quintet Barea, Holland, Harkless, Peavy and Ramos would be a great lineup, but I think Peavy is now finally out, and Harkless applies as for Napier will want to play for PuertoRico?

[tres equis]

According to reports, the puerto rican medical staff said that arroyo was cleared to play but he choose not to do it, renaldo balkman was palying with pain in his achillies tendon but choose to play anyway, that says a lot!, i think its time for arroyo do us a favor and just retire from the national team.

[TDW]

According to reports, the puerto rican medical staff said that arroyo was cleared to play but he choose not to do it, renaldo balkman was palying with pain in his achillies tendon but choose to play anyway, that says a lot!, i think its time for arroyo do us a favor and just retire from the national team.

Carlos Arroyo has played a almost every summer for the past 12 years and has always given his best. It is very disrespectful to insult our best player, he could very well be considered our best player ever. If he felt he could not play to a 100%, then he should not play. While you witness Barea being a ballhog and not playing defense now you're going to insult Arroyo? We allowed 103 points, that was not Arroyo's fault.

By the way, he responded to the people who have questioned his heart:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/carlosarroyoinsisteenquenoestabaaptoparajugar-1849233.html

[tres equis]

Its not an insult to say that he should retire from the national team, i want barea to not play anymore with the team too, im just telling it like it is, im pretty sure that backstage is another issue, everyone can put a good face on tv or in an interview. At the end of the day whether he wanted to play or not we should move on from arroyo and barea, i give him credit and respect for never turning down the team but we need to start all over.

[TDW]

"According to reports, the puerto rican medical staff said that arroyo was cleared to play but he choose not to do it, renaldo balkman was palying with pain in his achillies tendon but choose to play anyway, that says a lot!". When you said that I felt like you were implying that he was not willing to sacrifice his body for the better of the team, that is why I said you insulted him. But I do agree that he should retire, its time for younger players to get experience against top teams. I don't think Barea should because we would need a veteran on the team, we would have none if Barea, Arroyo and Santiago retire from the team. By the way, lets not forget that Balkman is 30 years old, we should find a replacement for him too soon enough.

On Carlos Arroyo's issue Puerto Rico's doctor, Luis Molinary, responded to what the media claimed he said.

http://www.primerahora.com/deportes/baloncesto/nota/sedefiendeeldoctorluismolinary-1033760/

“Yo creo que se sacó de contexto de un comunicado que salió originalmente. Yo creo que se sacaron extractos del comunicado y no la comunicación completa. Yo creo que por el respeto y la admiración que le tengo a Carlos, que nos tenemos mutuamente, estuve bien claro en el reporte de prensa y lo que yo hablé con los periodistas… Como todo, los resultados de unos estudios pueden salir negativos, que esté todo bien, pero independientemente… Es individual cuando una persona, por ejemplo un paciente que tiene dolor de cabeza, tú le puedes hacer un CT de cabeza y salir normal. Pero si sigue con dolor de cabeza, no puede retornar al trabajo. Si a un atleta tú le haces unos estudios y salen negativos, es el atleta el que decide cuando se le va el dolor, cuando está 100% listo y preparado para entrar a cancha otra vez. Por eso desde un principio se dijo que la decisión es del atleta cuando él esté listo y preparado para entrar a cancha. En eso estábamos claros y esto se ha sacado todo de contexto”, expresó el galeno a su llegada a la Isla junto a algunos miembros del combinado y el cuerpo técnico.