Vilnius Rytas Thread

[Straight forward]

As for foreigners, they usually just call it "Lietuvos"...(Vilnius "Lietuvos")

[Dirtyh]

As for foreigners, they usually just call it "Lietuvos"...(Vilnius "Lietuvos")

Everyone I know call it just Rytas.

[Hepcat]

Interesting. While the Lietuvos Rytas media syndicate that was sponsoring the club meant Lithuania's Morning and was therefore an absolutely wretched name for a basketball team, simply Rytas could/would be a decent name since for a basketball team it would be better translated as "The East". With Vilnius being on the extreme eastern edge of Lithuania, a team named The East would have a dynamic ring to it.

[LuDux]

Gudaitis Lapeta?1
Patersen
Giedraitis Lukauskis Gailius?3 Jomantas?1
Magden Baron Normantas
Kramer?2

?1 Rumours say team would like to get rid of them
?2 Kurtinaitis says talks with with ar almost over
?3 Rumours says he wants to leave, Kurtinaitis wants hims as SF/PF and says that Gailius asked talks to be postoned while he's in NT camp. I'd imagine Jomantas faith depends on Gailius's decision

[Hepcat]

So now I see that Artūras Gudaitis as well as Deividas Gailius would like to leave Rytas. Do you think it's just the turmoil in which the club is mired or might it have something to do with Rimas Kurtinaitis being coach as well?

If it's just the former, the sooner the club changes its name to Vilkai or something the better. And a radical redesign of the uniform might be good as well. Anything helping to sever the connection in observers' eyes between the present club and the one that functioned as an arm of the Lietuvos Rytas media syndicate would be good.

[Mindozas]

So now I see that Artūras Gudaitis as well as Deividas Gailius would like to leave Rytas. Do you think it's just the turmoil in which the club is mired or might it have something to do with Rimas Kurtinaitis being coach as well?

If it's just the former, the sooner the club changes its name to Vilkai or something the better. And a radical redesign of the uniform might be good as well. Anything helping to sever the connection in observers' eyes between the present club and the one that functioned as an arm of the Lietuvos Rytas media syndicate would be good.

Players surely doesn't care too much if it's Rytas or Vilkai, they are wearing red/white/black or some yellow/green. It's just details. More important for players are finances, stability, role, league/tournament club is playin'. Club did a dumb thing regarding Gudaitis, they didn't ask him if he wants to stay, instead loudly stated that they won't sell him for any money despite there was a buy-out clause and sides could negotiate, instead Rytas rejected offers from other clubs without even asking Gudaitis' opinion. Obviously player was pissed cause of that. If he had any doubts to stay or leave, after all that it was easy to make a decision. Sure, money didn't play the last role here, he could expect much more lucrative contract in some Besiktas, Olimpia Milan which were among few names interested in him.
Regarding Gailius, there were negotiations, but they didn't come to agreement. Most likely money was the issue. After injury plagued season, Rytas probably offered lower wage, but Gailius refused

[Hepcat]

Players surely doesn't care too much if it's Rytas or Vilkai, they are wearing red/white/black or some yellow/green. It's just details.

But those details nonetheless represent a link to the three-ring circus that was the old Lietuvos Rytas. There needs to be a complete break with the old club. Vilnius needs a new start, a new team.

[Straight forward]

Seems like Rytas signed Ehodas and might bring back home Gecevičius. Those are brilliant moves. Gecevičius played his best season under Kurtinaitis.

[auris1]

Seems like Rytas signed Ehodas and might bring back home Gecevičius. Those are brilliant moves. Gecevičius played his best season under Kurtinaitis.

I just do not know anymore .
Like they have new owners etc and there all this talk about revival and new beginning , yet somehow it all looks like old scenario . That old hand is still dealing and wheeling . It just it has new faces to front this sham .
For me , not letting Gudaitis go , with a decent buy out for that matter , is the travesty .
Let me give you another combo that smells like old times - Kurtis , Jomantas , Lukauskis ,Gecevicius . The only person who is missing from this reunion ?Bebras .
So , all them last year core players either left , or have been dismissed , or trying to leave . Some will be let go . And they should be .
And you tell me that is not Vainauskas thing?

[Hepcat]

So I see that the Vilnius basketball club will be dropping the red from its uniform colours and reverting to simply black and white which were the colours worn by its predecessor Statyba club. This I don't mind at all since I've always found Rytas' uniforms hard on the eyes.

I hope the club does not end up being renamed Statyba though. I don't think naming the club after the building trade union from Soviet times would be a very good idea, traditional or not.

[Mindozas]

So I see that the Vilnius basketball club will be dropping the red from its uniform colours and reverting to simply black and white which were the colours worn by its predecessor Statyba club. This I don't mind at all since I've always found Rytas' uniforms hard on the eyes.

I hope the club does not end up being renamed Statyba though. I don't think naming the club after the building trade union from Soviet times would be a very good idea, traditional or not.

Actually these two are different clubs. People might be misleaded, cause Rytas and Statyba were co-existing for one season, but Rytas just took advantage of Statyba's very hard financial state, to get a place in LKL without any additional troubles. They started counting own history since 1997, let's say club is celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year, then changed club colours, logo, even fans who were chanting "Statyba" were kicked out of arena. Some group of them went to support Sakalai then, some dropped fanscene, some, less devoted, stayed with new club. Old Statyba was re-established some 5 years ago, even made it to NKL finals (2 tier league), but again faced financial troubles and now is gone afaik, unless some fans/players plays in some Vilnius amateurs league

[auris1]

I hope that i can put things in perspective from Zalgiris forever fan as in myself ,who is old enough to witness them both Vilnius ( Statyba / Lrytas ) teams come and go . No insults or such intended.
In soviet times , Zalgiris was a brand name . The best team in our country . Football - in Vilnius , basketball - in Kaunas . It was like a signature given for the top products at the time . Literally , there was a sign imprinted on products that meant five star quality .
And , at them soviet times , it was never about Zalgiris vs Statyba . it was about Zalgiris vs CSKA , and the rest of them soviet teams . And for Statyba was the same - to survive ,again ,from the rest of them soviet teams .
So Zalgiris rivalry was against CSKA . We did it ,they did it , who remembers it all nowadays ,right ?
In post soviet times it focus shifted to Zalgiris vs Lrytas . Local derby ,that been on for nearly 20 years . Lrytas got them LKL rings and twice European titles ,when Zalgiris got none since 98. But even when Lrytas was at the top , it was not a brand name everyone ksoviet times .
So , anyways . Zalgiris had more rivalry with Lrytas than Statyba ever . Like ,zero .Reviving Statyba name is bollocks compared of keeping the name of Lrytas .

[Mindozas]

I hope that i can put things in perspective from Zalgiris forever fan as in myself ,who is old enough to witness them both Vilnius ( Statyba / Lrytas ) teams come and go . No insults or such intended.
In soviet times , Zalgiris was a brand name . The best team in our country . Football - in Vilnius , basketball - in Kaunas . It was like a signature given for the top products at the time . Literally , there was a sign imprinted on products that meant five star quality .
And , at them soviet times , it was never about Zalgiris vs Statyba . it was about Zalgiris vs CSKA , and the rest of them soviet teams . And for Statyba was the same - to survive ,again ,from the rest of them soviet teams .
So Zalgiris rivalry was against CSKA . We did it ,they did it , who remembers it all nowadays ,right ?
In post soviet times it focus shifted to Zalgiris vs Lrytas . Local derby ,that been on for nearly 20 years . Lrytas got them LKL rings and twice European titles ,when Zalgiris got none since 98. But even when Lrytas was at the top , it was not a brand name everyone ksoviet times .
So , anyways . Zalgiris had more rivalry with Lrytas than Statyba ever . Like ,zero .Reviving Statyba name is bollocks compared of keeping the name of Lrytas .

Rytas is hated club by many, cause of all that shit vainauskas family spread on Zalgiris and LT basketball during decades. Statyba wasn't hated, just some Kaunas vs Vilnius stuff and that's all. Hate is always bigger catalyst to people, pure human nature, so of course Rytas will be remembered as bigger rival among these two. Anyway, from my point of view, the most interesting and really important rivalry was Zalgiris vs CSKA back in 80s. That was real rivalry, a real fight, tension was huge, streets in Lithuania empty. It was more than just a game, for both sides actually. In comparison with this one, Zalgiris vs Rytas is just childish games, especially lately

[Hepcat]

Anyway, from my point of view, the most interesting and really important rivalry was Zalgiris vs CSKA back in 80s. That was real rivalry, a real fight, tension was huge, streets in Lithuania empty. It was more than just a game, for both sides actually.

Did Lithuanians back in the seventies and eighties also get solidly behind the Dynamo Riga hockey team when it was playing Central Red Army or other teams associated with the Soviet establishment? Or did this kind of passive resistance to the Soviets not extend to hockey?

[Mindozas]

Did Lithuanians back in the seventies and eighties also get solidly behind the Dynamo Riga hockey team when it was playing Central Red Army or other teams associated with the Soviet establishment? Or did this kind of passive resistance to the Soviets not extend to hockey?

Interesting question really. Since I was born at the end of Soviet era, I can't really answer that, but I think it wasn't the case. Hockey never was really popular here, even tho interesting fact that it was exactly Lithuanians who brought the sport to Soviet Union in 1940s. Let's say we also had decent football Zalgiris team in 1980s, we even won bronze once, which was huge achievement in very strong league. Stadium also was usually sold-out, you could barely get the tickets, support was huge, but there weren't such tension like in basketball. Maybe cause CSKA was poor team back then. League was ruled by Dynamo Kyiv and only Russian club which was regulary among the best - Spartak Moscow, but it didn't have strong connections with Soviet government.
Zalgiris - CSKA basketball rivalry/games were just plain perfect in everything back in those days. You could barely imagine better script even in movie