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mayteromanl2
Guest
But without Pau, we won't play at the same level. It happened 5 years ago, in EU Belgrade, and yesterday. Pau is the key, he's who make our team be one of the best, not just a good one.
But without Pau, we won't play at the same level. It happened 5 years ago, in EU Belgrade, and yesterday. Pau is the key, he's who make our team be one of the best, not just a good one.
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Frosties2
Guest
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Frosties2
Guest
I have lived in both countries, Serbia and Spain for more than a few years. Both countries are pretty much the same, football being sport no. 1. Spain does have a tradition, let me remind you that in 1950 they did take part in the first WC and that they won the first Silver medal in the EC back in the 30s.
If you check out the FIBA hall of fame, you will see quite a few names of Spanish basketball both as players and coaches.... so Spain does have a good tradition and ACB league is a good proof.
However, Spain´s federartion did terrible mistakes in the early 90 and there was an awfull vaccum between 91 to 99, 8 years without a single medal. The mistakes were mainly due to the profesionalization of ACB league. Needless to say that Yugoslavia and the USSR were always superior to Spain, Italy, Israel or Greece... countries with a tradition on its own.
So, Spain might not have been a winner as Yugoslavia was... but it has a deep bball tradition.
Don´t get me wrong or do not take me for an anti-Serb, but sometimes I got the feeling that you believe that basketball is a sport you and only you play... needless to say that although you have made a trademark of the sport, I deeply belive only in Lithuania bball is sport no. 1 in Europe (and I have lived for quite a few years in Belgrade...)
BTW, check out the silver medal team from 84...
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Frosties2
Guest
I have answered fastbreak on that. Spain has a solid bball tradition. Again, it is the country with the largest no. of silver medals in EC, it took part in the first EC and WC... so try to check out historical records before you relay on your empiric knowlege....
And this also applies to Argentina or Brazil. Before you were born, these two American countries were alredy at least once WChampions... So please, bbasketball was played well before you knew about it
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Frosties2
Guest
Yes, and with Pau Spain lost a final and did NOTHING in the Olympics in 2004. Pau has been an excuse for many things in this EC and a terrible cover for players like his brother.
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Frosties2
Guest
É o que tem nao saver ganhar...
ou crer-ser melhor pelo feito de ser o que se é 
I think Serbia is still in pain for suffering from Spain the most humillieting defeat ever in their glorious basketball history: the opening game of the EC 2005 in Novi Sad...
That is the difference between the old and the new country. They see whom they win not what they achieve....
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Frosties2
Guest
No, it is simply a question of level. Argentina, Brazil and the USA can win the Americas. In Europe at least 8 countries could do that:
Spain, Serbia, Greece, Russia, Lithuania - and although it has never been the case Slovenia, Turkey and a third country (Germany, France, Croatia...) could make it through.
Higher level, I believe.
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fastbreak2
Guest
They had some success over the years but they don't have a bball tradition. Bull fighting is probably still more popular than basketball. Tradition is not only success, even Egypt has a Eurobasket medal. It includes media coverage, fan and player base. Spaniards always say they learned the game from us. Basketball in Spain became mainstream after the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. That vacuum you mention is actually the turning point. Complete reorganization from the core. This golden generation was made in the ACB league. Those "mistakes" from the 90s made this generation!
The ACB is still the key. As long as its strong, they will have a good basketball team. Basketball is not a profitable sport they wont be able to pour millions in the league forever (same goes for Greece but that's another story). They would not want Mirotic that badly if they weren't afraid of the future. He is by far their best talent apart from Rubio. This summer the Spanish U18 finished 11th. They have a solid core with Rubio, Llul, Rudy and Marc but far from a contender.
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fastbreak2
Guest
I ll stop watching basketball as soon as that happens. The incident in 1993 is too much anyway.
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Frosties2
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Frosties2
Guest
Do not go that stereotypical, please. Bball is the second sport in Spain. Not having a solid winning tradition does not mean having tradition at all. If you want to go face to face, you have also to pay attention to the fact that futsall is by far the most popular sport in Spain, so indoor hockey and some traditional sports all over the Iberia. Besides, tennis is extremely popular, a bigger choice of sports.
Even before 1992, Spanish clubs were top class in Europe. Have a look at the 80s or the 70s. The same applies for Israel, were bball is a popular sport. It is true that YU basketball had an important influence in Spain, of course it has.
Regarding media coverage, you give yourself an answer: howcome withou media coverage you have the ACB where out of 18 teams 6 are top class in Europe? By the way, ACB was created in 1982...
Spain will be there, as it has been. Maybe not winning as this last 4 years but it has always been there. I would not be that "happy"
My pleasure!
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Frosties2
Guest
To me Samb is the most tallented young player right now. And the key clubs bringing youngsters are Joventut and Estudiantes, only basketball clubs, not to mention Baskonia (Kaha Laboral, as you call it in Serbia
), a fantastic young academy (Scola, Nocioni, Oberto, Garbajosa, Calderón, Splitter...).Regarding Mirotic, he is the one who chose Spain, not the opposite. All the Argentinians and Splitter have Spanish passport too, but they chose to compite for their countries (and who would reject them in the NT?
).
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Srle2
Guest
Exactly
Pau is the player who makes difference for Spain. I know lots of people claim Pau less Spain won the world championship in 2006 but the truth was he missed only the final game against Greece he was the most valuable player for the Spain before that injury as usual.
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Srle2
Guest
É o que tem nao saver ganhar...
I think Serbia is still in pain for suffering from Spain the most humillieting defeat ever in their glorious basketball history: the opening game of the EC 2005 in Novi Sad...
That is the difference between the old and the new country. They see whom they win not what they achieve....
That"s not even close to truth, the most embarrassing losses in our newer basketball history are those against New Zeland and China at the Olympics in 2004. We came to that tournament as the one of the favorites to win it all and we ended up second to last
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Luíz for 32
Guest
First this:
Then...
What's up to come in the end of the semi-finals???
Then...
What's up to come in the end of the semi-finals???
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FPJ2
Guest
Lol, Pau made us an amazing team in 2006-09.
He is the best player you can have for a fiba tournament, and one of the best players overall. Even the Lakers would not be the champions right now without him.Also, he scored 29 points in the key match vs USA in 2004. And he is the key for spanish gold chances for the next few years.
Marc's poor performance is Marc' fault, not Pau's.
Spain is simply not that good team everyone in Spain expected before the WC, that's all, some good players, some regular players, like many other teams and one step behind the best teams in this WC.
And no, there are not excuses for wednesdays loss, Serbia deserved the win because the played better, and were always ahead, only Navarro's performance let us being fighting till the end.
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dxjayrock20082
Guest
First this:
Then...
What's up to come in the end of the semi-finals???
Luis Scola got dupped there. Lol.
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Genjuro2
Guest
Wow, you look American, like if there wasn't basketball in Europe before the Dream Team came to show us how to play the game...
Basketball in Spain became mainstream (at least, as much mainstream as it has ever been here) after the Olympic silver medal in 1984. That was an incredible boost.
Indeed in 1992 Spain lost to Angola at the Olympic Games (a game known here as "Angolazo"), which cause damage to basketball interest in Spain.
Anyway, regarding Spanish tradition, you only need to check that Spain has been in the top-6 at the Eurobasket for something like 30 to 40 years, without barely any exception.
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Genjuro2
Guest
Yes, it was Mirotic's decision, but it was a money decision. With the 5-Spanish-players quota placed in the ACB, he needed to be eligible to play for the Spanish National Team to qualify for it. If he had chosen Montenegro, he would be considered foreign in the ACB, regardless his passport.Regarding Mirotic, he is the one who chose Spain, not the opposite. All the Argentinians and Splitter have Spanish passport too, but they chose to compite for their countries (and who would reject them in the NT?
When the Argentinians and Splitter came to Spain there was no quota, and besides many of those guys had already played for their youth NTs, which made impossible for them to switch to Spain.
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AirBall2
Guest
Grande cojones...
