2010 World Championship preparation games

[Franz]

The more I think about, so long as the United States doesn't blow out Spain it can actually build drama for the tournament. Any other outcome could make a rematch worth while, and even if the US did blow out Spain one could easily point to the two games at the Olympics to why that doesn't matter.

All that said if the United States and Spain both win their groups they can't meet in the finals anyway, at least according to these brackets http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_FI...d_Championship

They took down the schedule that they had on their site. Seems strange.....maybe to make USA/Spain final possible?

I hope that it's the same schedule, so they play each other in semifinal instead of final.

[JGX]

Why not? If they lose they can always say that they were saving their best efforts for the knockout stages. Isn't that Fiba Europe motto?

For a normal team that is okay but the US is still under (unrealistic) pressure to win every game. A friendly against Spain in Madrid or Greece in Athens they will have to treat like a gold medal game. If they win they'll be drained before the tournament even starts, if they lose it'll be the start of a disaster.

I'd much rather see low-pressure friendlies that allow for experimentation and confidence-building...not that there are guarantees in those games either but it's safer. Unfortunately Eurobasket qualifying runs throughout August and limits our options, but a little tournament against Angola, Jordan, and Canada would be nice

They took down the schedule that they had on their site. Seems strange.....maybe to make USA/Spain final possible?

I hope that it's the same schedule, so they play each other in semifinal instead of final.

http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwc/men/v2/p/system-competition.html

If USA and Spain win their groups they would not meet until the final but if one of them finishes second they would meet in the quarters.

[Chigusa]

For a normal team that is okay but the US is still under (unrealistic) pressure to win every game. A friendly against Spain in Madrid or Greece in Athens they will have to treat like a gold medal game. If they win they'll be drained before the tournament even starts, if they lose it'll be the start of a disaster.

I'd much rather see low-pressure friendlies that allow for experimentation and confidence-building...not that there are guarantees in those games either but it's safer. Unfortunately Eurobasket qualifying runs throughout August and limits our options, but a little tournament against Angola, Jordan, and Canada would be nice

Your scenario is quite possible. But i'm not so sure an early loss starts a disaster. It depends on the makeup of the team & staff of course, but one should not fear adjustments or adversity, sometimes it might be what eventually puts you over the top. As our international friends have taught us, the friendly or early group stage is opportunity to grow & evolve into what you eventually want to be. Team USA obviously wants to evolve into a championship caliber team with such a schedule. If we are to currently conclude that the core of the Redeem team returns, then I think they have enough international experience to battle through that.

Your lighter tournament could be just as well, but I don't know if that would result in a longer run versus the slated schedule. Personally, I don't think the guys themselves would be that drained physically..you're right there are big expectations and they will be the favorites, the biggest boost is obviously to the winners. But you are either on top of your game or not. Tournament with Jordan/Canada..no disrespect to them but this is for the Worlds. Did you not see the Road to Redemption documentary? The evolution was taking place in training camp..those guys were ready to go in the first friendly, against anyone. You have to be on top of your game against likes of Spain, Argentina, Greece. And while I think USA will have its share of blowouts, I think they will see a tad bit more closer games anyway. It not like those teams won't adjust, mine as well play & adjust with them..that's what it is all about. Besides..they would only have to treat one of those friendlies as a high pressure gold medal game..the one with the World & European Champions.

[khaledlebanon]

I think that Lebanon will win the Fiba World Championship Turkey 2100 i'am not joking :P:P

[JGX]

Your scenario is quite possible. But i'm not so sure an early loss starts a disaster.

2002 and 2004 they were finished once they lost a game. This is a fragile program that feeds off confidence.

As our international friends have taught us, the friendly or early group stage is opportunity to grow & evolve into what you eventually want to be. Team USA obviously wants to evolve into a championship caliber team with such a schedule.

They don't need high-pressure friendlies to "evolve into a championship caliber team". Certainly didn't need them in 2008.

Moreover, like I said in the previous post, they labor under different expectations than a normal team. If they were to win the WC but lose a game--even a friendly--the summer would be considered a mixed success at best. It is unfair and unrealistic but true.

[Chigusa]

2002 and 2004 they were finished once they lost a game. This is a fragile program that feeds off confidence.



They don't need high-pressure friendlies to "evolve into a championship caliber team". Certainly didn't need them in 2008.

Moreover, like I said in the previous post, they labor under different expectations than a normal team. If they were to win the WC but lose a game--even a friendly--the summer would be considered a mixed success at best. It is unfair and unrealistic but true.

We will agree to disagree. I tend to look at each tournament individually, and I definitely don't think this is the same program as the one from the early 2000s. 2004 was finished in training camp, they were not going to run the table whether they defeated Italy in preparation game or not. In 2008 they thrived off of the motivation from past failings. 2010 Turkey is a different tournament, different challenge, in some ways a tougher challenge in my mind. Who is to say that a tougher pre-tournament schedule would not greatly prepare them for the tournament? lol, if people want to look at a WC title with a friendly loss as failure, then I'll let them cry themselves to sleep over the 'monumental' gold medal preparation game. I'll gladly accept the title of World Champ. Yeah, your mixed success at best scenario is a possibility, but USA dominating the finals in that same scenario is another possibility..what then? Like KG says, anything is possible

[Buzissa]

Spain may play a friendly against the USA in August next year.

The game will be played in August...

http://www.acb.com/redaccion.php?id=63418

[Dtown]

http://turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/10/fwc/men/v2/p/system-competition.html

If USA and Spain win their groups they would not meet until the final but if one of them finishes second they would meet in the quarters.

Actually Wikipedia was right, and the FIBA tournament site backs it up quite clearly. B1 and D1 are in the same bracket, and if they advance that far they will play each other in the semifinals not the final.

Fantastic news for teams like Argentina and Greece, if they win their groups they can avoid both Spain and the United States until the final. Of course that's if the US and Spain both win their groups.

[JGX]

Actually Wikipedia was right, and the FIBA tournament site backs it up quite clearly. B1 and D1 are in the same bracket, and if they advance that far they will play each other in the semifinals not the final.

Hmm...I could have sworn it was different when I posted the link. Although it is quite possible that I was hallucinating. But the potential quarterfinal matchup with D2 jumped right out at me.

Actually it is possible that I wasn't hallucinating and they did change the brackets on my link:

http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:UYOvpioS47YJ:www.turkey2010.fiba.com/pages/print/pages/eng/fe/10/fwc/men/v1/scheResu/systComp.asp36377.asp+site:www.turkey2010.fiba.com+turkey2010&cd=10&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

(if you look at the non-cached version it now displays the brackets with B1 and D1 on the same side)

In any case I am now relieved that we don't play D2 in the quarterfinals.

[Franz]

Lets just hope that USA and Spain finish first in their groups, so they play each other in semifinal (if they both make it that far of course).

[LFGC79]

PR will play 4 games in Spain and four games in Germany.

[Franz]

I read that USA will play a friendly in Lithuania. Is this true?

[Basket_]

I read that USA will play a friendly in Lithuania. Is this true?

Men teams will play in Spain. And USA U-17 will have a training camp in Lithuania, where they will play some frendly games, before world championchip.

[Lietuvis]

I read that USA will play a friendly in Lithuania. Is this true?

That would be awesome! Better be Siemens arena!

[pablonis]

Was kind of hoping they wouldn't play each other until the final, more drama that way. That said potentially playing this game in Madrid would add a definite twist.

There's only a small differerence between confidence and ignorance