Gabe Norwood

[donmar]

Good on him! ... better miss the SEA Games than missing an opportunity to play in Europe

[warren99]

Centredaily/08-30-07
"It's been a great experience seeing how basketball is played in different countries,especially,the FIBA aspect and how much pride is taken in every country with basketball."said Norwood.
"It was a humbling experience.I thought it was humbling when I was first asked but when I actually got out to the Phillipines and saw how crazy the whole culture was about basketball and how badly the whole country wanted to qualify for the Olympics,my(humility)kicked up even more."
The seed for Norwood playing overseas was planted last summer when he was a member of the Athletes in Action touring team that spent two weeks in the basketball-mad Philippines.
"They caught wind I had Filipino blood,I don't know how seriously it was taken last summer when our guide was saying that I should try to come back and play with the NT or at least come back and play pro ball."
From there, arrangements were made for Norwood to join the NT in Los Angeles where it was training.
"I didn't have Friday classes so I flew out for a tryout.It ended up going pretty well and they invited me back."
Before joining the NT,Norwood took another trip with Athletes in Action,this time to Prague.The trip caused him to miss his graduation ceremony at George Mason-he earned a degree in journalism.
After returning from Europe,Norwood had 10 days before he flew to Belgrade, Serbia to join the NT.
"Basically,halfway through the tournament we knew we weren't going to qualify for the Olympics,we didn't make it out of our pool.We were basically 3 days into the tournament and all the work we had put it was over with.It was definitely something that hit the whole team hard,including myself."
Norwood said he had a workout with the Utah Jazz this summer but it was nothing more than that. From there, he doesn't know what the future holds. More basketball,he hopes.
"I'm keeping my options open but as of right now,I'm not 100 percent sure where I'll end up."

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good luck to him.

[b3lowzro]

well good for him!!! it will give more opportunity for the other Filipinos to have exposure in the international.

[joel23]

Good! He should to play in Europe not here esp. power div 1 teams in Europe like Euro defending champion team or no.1-no.4 team like CKSA and not weaker like div. 2. Don't join the team like lower divisions and weaker euro teams as same level of PBL. and then if preparation of RP NT go back here

[Project_Olympics]

well that's good news! hope he will be in a team which he will have plenty of playing minutes!! he needs experience!!
but the bad news is if he will be available for the rp team!!

[saints13]

searching for greener pasteur and better compition. good for him.

it will gonna sharpen his skill to the maxx and toughen him as a player dont believe that hes not gonna come back for good.

remember that blood is thicker than water. hell be back. specially if he see that we aint gonna field a teeny weeny national team in the future. so relax and celebrate him.

GABE NORWOOD THE TALLEST POINT GUARD IN THE RP TEAM HISTORY.

indeed!

good for Gabe, he has brighter future somewhere else but not here he may play for the RP NT during the offseasons in whatever European country he'll play.

[demonyito]

Good! He should to play in Europe not here esp. power div 1 teams in Europe like Euro defending champion team or no.1-no.4 team like CKSA and not weaker like div. 2. Don't join the team like lower divisions and weaker euro teams as same level of PBL. and then if preparation of RP NT go back here

Nothing againts Norwood but one thing i will doubt if CSKA Moscow will ever have interest for the less experienced Gabe.

there will be probably hundred of players ahead of Norwood in CSKA list.

[chokois]

gabe norwood

this is something that has saddened me. i was expecting gabe to play here till he grows up as a man. i am gabe's number 1 fan :-) so im still crossing my fingers that he'll still want to play here. and represent the philippines in international tournament. coz its such a joy see gabe play, his athleticism and quickness are incomparable.

[demonyito]

just to have some ideas about Euro basketball calibers,
some of the recent Euro signings:

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/48169/20070924/lynn_greer_signs_lucrative_european_deal/

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/48171/20070924/brown_signs_on_with_turkish_club/

http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/13488/180

and interbasket own forum:

http://forums.interbasket.net/showthread.php?t=144

and Europe is dipping into the NBA talent pool:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/sn/20070921/sp_sn/europeisdippingintothenbatalentpool

[SkyWalker]

From ۞ ~ĽǿǿFēē~ ۞ of pba.ph

http://forum.pba.ph/index.php?topic=187158.0

[B]SIGNS EUROPEAN CONTRACT — REPORT


Norwood no longer playing in SEAG?


Though other pertinent details are still sketchy, the source said the former George Mason University star has already told some of his former teammates in the SMC-Team Pilipinas that he might accept an offer to play in Europe and, chances are, he might not be returning for good.

goodbye and goodluck!

[warren99]

interview to Gabe Norwood:
Posted date: 08-07-07
“Being an underdog is something I got used to in college. Still, playing there taught me that anybody can beat anybody. I honestly felt that way coming into the tournament.”
“I’m a very grounded person. My parents taught me well the importance of family and of knowing where you’re from.”
“I was not heavily recruited. George Mason was the only Division I school that offered me a scholarship.”
“Every game has been an opportunity to take the court for the country.”
“I know I am Filipino. Even if the documents didn’t clear me, that would only be a piece of paper saying I’m not. But I know I am and I am proud to have the right to represent the country.”
“There are many invitations to try out in Europe and in the States and my agent and I will discuss them. But I let him know where my heart is.”

[ankle breaker]

interview to Gabe Norwood:
Posted date: 08-07-07
“Being an underdog is something I got used to in college. Still, playing there taught me that anybody can beat anybody. I honestly felt that way coming into the tournament.”
“I’m a very grounded person. My parents taught me well the importance of family and of knowing where you’re from.”
“I was not heavily recruited. George Mason was the only Division I school that offered me a scholarship.”
“Every game has been an opportunity to take the court for the country.”
“I know I am Filipino. Even if the documents didn’t clear me, that would only be a piece of paper saying I’m not. But I know I am and I am proud to have the right to represent the country.”
“There are many invitations to try out in Europe and in the States and my agent and I will discuss them. But I let him know where my heart is.”

you played for the philippines in the recently concluded FIBA-Asia tournament therefore they approved your claim that you have filipino lineage. The sad fact is that the PBA doesn't allow players to play in the PBA if you only have 1/4 percent Filipino blood because as per their rules said: either one of your parents is a pure filipino and you don't have that. it's only your grandma who was a pure filipino. that rule in the PBA stinks and it really stinks. now they took a doze of their own medicine. im sure the PBA and the teams wanted Norwood to play in the PBA but they can't allow because of that rule. And now they paid the price and Norwood might instead play in Europe. The only consolation is that he is optomistic to represent the country again if he is requested to. I think it's the time now for the PBA management and team governors to reconsider and made appropriate changes to their bylaws and rules. This will help them boost their league revenues because im sure it's declining these past years even if they are claiming that they are gaining good revenues. Don't fool us, i know gate receipts are dwindling because if it is not then you don't have to make some promos or make a bargain in your tickets. Having exciting games all throughout the league will increase attendance. Millions of filipinos even patronize the NBA even if it is only shown on TV, how much more the PBA that we can see live.

[chokois]

your extremely right ankle breaker. with PBA's rule, i see little chance of having norwood play in the PBA. and that's the sad reality...very sad. we lost a basketball star who couldve propel this nation in the future to great basketball achievements. though i still hope that Gabe will still play for the national team in future tournaments. but as what the newspapers this morning have written, he may not return for good. :-(

i think what should PBA do is to at least allow cagers to de drafted whether they got full, 1/2, or a quarter blood of being filipino. after all, thats still being filipino. if pba will not do anything out of this dilemma, then i see no improvement in Philippine basketball.

[ankle breaker]

your extremely right ankle breaker. with PBA's rule, i see little chance of having norwood play in the PBA. and that's the sad reality...very sad. we lost a basketball star who couldve propel this nation in the future to great basketball achievements. though i still hope that Gabe will still play for the national team in future tournaments. but as what the newspapers this morning have written, he may not return for good. :-(

i think what should PBA do is to at least allow cagers to de drafted whether they got full, 1/2, or a quarter blood of being filipino. after all, thats still being filipino. if pba will not do anything out of this dilemma, then i see no improvement in Philippine basketball.

FIBA even accept that proponents why the PBA can't? that's why I lost interest in watching the PBA whether on TV or live games the past 4 years because Im no longer excited. I am contented reading reports in the net or in newspapers to get updated.

[bestkept]

nice one..maybe he read our opinions here. hopefully when the national team needs him, he will play...