Eurobasket 2011, Lithuania

[Gytaz]

Why was it decided to hold the games of the group in which the Lithuanian team will play in the city with the smallest arena, i.e. Panevėžys? Given the demand for tickets to the games involving Lithuania, would it not have made more sense to hold these games in either Klaipėda or Šiauliai which have bigger arenas?

Cido arena isn't the smallest one.

Šiauliai Arena 5700
Cido Arena (Panevėžys) 5656
Alytus Arena 5500
Švyturio Arena (Klaipėda) 5486


Panevėžys was chosen because it didn't have any decent accommodation options for the fans, so it made sense to let Lithuania play there, making sure that other two teams, which were expected to have the most fans - Latvia and Slovenia - play in other cities. Besides, Panevėžys is not very far from both Vilnius and Kaunas, so it's easy for people from those cities to get there.

[turk-jugoslav]

Spain,Lithuania and Greece look favourite team in Eurobasket for me.Lithuania will have energy and motivation during the tournament.They will play at home with great Lithuanian fans and It is a big advantage.Spain is always strong and now stronger with Serge Ibaka in center position.Greece looks very tough and diciplined team altough without Diamantidis but they are weak at center position.I don't know how they will fight Spanish and Lithuanian centers.
I don't think our team will reach to quarter finals.We are the worst team at offence.Enes Kanter is getting better.He was very efective in the last two matches altough missing many easy shots... He is learning how to make defence and offence but not agressive enough.He looks the strongest guy in the court but he doesn't prefer to use his body when goes to rim... Ömer Aşık is continueing to miss free throws.Hidayet Türkoğlu and Ersan Ilyasova played like a ordinary players in preperation games.I am not hopeful about our team

[auris1]

Why was it decided to hold the games of the group in which the Lithuanian team will play in the city with the smallest arena, i.e. Panevėžys? Given the demand for tickets to the games involving Lithuania, would it not have made more sense to hold these games in either Klaipėda or Šiauliai which have bigger arenas?

I think Gytaz explained it best - the difference is minute.
What would be different is that if Lithuanian played all the games in Kaunas.We could be talking about so much different numbers.
We would get extra 50000 people just for the first 5 games in attendance at least.
We would not have to spent ,what,20 mil on refurbishing Alytus arena.
But of course,FIBA rules applies even for a such small country which will be made to pay for this for another 30 years by ordinary people.
But even if they had agreed on hale,we could have saved millions.
I have to admire Garastas ,when he says that the cost of having this championship was only 3 mil,totally disregarding the cost of building arenas.
If you put together the cost of all of them,it is close to one billion(almost) paid by taxpayers and locals when money is sparse.
And the last thing is this - you just can not get the fucking tickets -it went for the people who have connections,or friends,or relatives etc.
And all of them went to the black market too straight away.
Fuck it.

[jaykoo]

How much are the tickets to Lithuania's 1st round games on black market?

[Gytaz]

But of course,FIBA rules applies even for a such small country which will be made to pay for this for another 30 years by ordinary people.

There's no rule that it has to be 6 different cities. First stage matches could have easily been played in Kaunas Sports Hall.

I have to admire Garastas ,when he says that the cost of having this championship was only 3 mil,totally disregarding the cost of building arenas.

It's not like the arenas will never be used after the Eurobasket. And municipalities get money by leasing them. Siemens arena was built by private company and didn't cost tax payers anything, all (?) other arenas were partially paid for by the EU funds. Building them also employed a lot of people in the stagnant (during the financial crisis) construction sector.

If you put together the cost of all of them,it is close to one billion

I think you greatly exaggerate the number.


Anyway, what I mean by this - don't be so negative.

[Hepcat]

Hopefully Lithuania can use these new arenas in the next decade to host FIBA Europe youth championships, FIBA U17 and U19 championships, and finally a FIBA world championship. That will all be gravy.

[adebisi]

Maybe we should arrange an IBN member's meet somewhere in Lithuania during the eurobasket?

[Basketball Owner]

Didn't find topic Belgium NT, so I'll ask here. Why did Belgium cut DJ Mbenga?

[Limar]

Didn't find topic Belgium NT, so I'll ask here. Why did Belgium cut DJ Mbenga?

If I understood properly, he didn't fully recover after injury.

http://www.belgianlions.com/index.ph...ur-la-lituanie

[Basketball Owner]

If I understood properly, he didn't fully recover after injury.

http://www.belgianlions.com/index.ph...ur-la-lituanie

Thanks. DJ Mbenga is one of biggest ego-maniacs I've ever seen. After he played NBA finals with Kobe, I've watched him couple of games for Belgium. His actions toward referees, opponents and his teammates were disgusting. He acted like he's better than anybody there, like he doesn't belong there...

[Tomtom]

Thanks. DJ Mbenga is one of biggest ego-maniacs I've ever seen. After he played NBA finals with Kobe, I've watched him couple of games for Belgium. His actions toward referees, opponents and his teammates were disgusting. He acted like he's better than anybody there, like he doesn't belong there...

He's a NBA superstar, a world champion. He has the rings to prove it!!! You have to respect that!
Seriously, the guy may seem unbearable with his ridiculous american gangsta crapper look and posture but I regret the coach choice.
The coach says Didier isn't ready to contribute more than a few minutes per game and he wouldn't accept that role because of his ego. But the player has said the contrary. He doesn't care how many minutes he will play. Moreover Mbenga may be usefull for 5 minutes stretch and he was improving. His play against Greece was ok.
So the coach prefers to keep a not 100% fit Oveneke instead of a not 100% fit Mbenga.

[Silvio]

He's a NBA superstar, a world champion. He has the rings to prove it!!! You have to respect that!
Seriously, the guy may seem unbearable with his ridiculous american gangsta crapper look and posture but I regret the coach choice.
The coach says Didier isn't ready to contribute more than a few minutes per game and he wouldn't accept that role because of his ego. But the player has said the contrary. He doesn't care how many minutes he will play. Moreover Mbenga may be usefull for 5 minutes stretch and he was improving. His play against Greece was ok.
So the coach prefers to keep a not 100% fit Oveneke instead of a not 100% fit Mbenga.

Other teams too have problems with similar attitude (I'm too sexy for my national team) players and decide not to call them. Here in Croatia Planinic, in our neighbourhood it is Vujacic in Slovenia and Milicic in Serbia. That is off the top of my head, surely there is more examples. But usually it is case of being not satisfied with role in the team and/or playing minutes given.

[adebisi]

Enjoy

http://www.champgirls.com/

[Basketball Owner]

Enjoy
http://www.champgirls.com/

Any information about this photoshoot? Are they from country they represent, or what?

[auris1]

[QUOTE=Gytaz;623356]

[I]It's not like the arenas will never be used after the Eurobasket. And municipalities get money by leasing them. Siemens arena was built by private company and didn't cost tax payers anything, all (?

)
Are you sure?
I am sure that at least companies get some tax relief(like not paying ground taxes etc) ,plus subsidising from council for whatever reason ,plus whatever money they can embezzle on the side too ,which goes from taxpayers monies(or not getting tax income).

Building them also employed a lot of people in the stagnant (during the financial crisis) construction sector.

mh,image how much monies changed hands till the company which could not do projects on time had won the bidding.

I think you greatly exaggerate the number

.
I do.
But even more Garastas.

Anyway, what I mean by this - don't be so negative.

Maybe i should.But i just cant
Peace.