This and that and picks for the Eurobasket Final Four

Super Family’s all pumped about the start of Survivor tonight (it’s their DWTS, I personally don’t give a hoot); you should be pumped about all the fun stuff in here this morning.

Seriously.

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There was a moment, I’m told, of classic international tournament basketball yesterday over in Poland.

France and Greece are tied in the dying seconds, winner wins the group. France makes a shot at the buzzer to win and the celebration? Well, more on the Greek side than the French.

The win gets France into the quarters against Spain today; Greece gets Turkey tomorrow and, apparently, that’s the most amenable matchup to the Greeks.

Check out this story courtesy of Truehoop to see what I mean.

It’s common, actually, that teams kind of jockey for position in the second round of these events to get what they think is a better quarter-final matchup.

Now that I think of it, it could be “tanking” and we all know how I feel about that.

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We’re in the bowels of the Air Canada Centre yesterday talking to Jay about coaching – you can see the newspaper fruits of our labour here – and spied a couple of familiar faces.

One new, one not so new.

Andrea came wandering out of the locker room after his daily workout, looking fine, big, healthy and happy.

Didn’t get to chat for very long but the feeling I got – and am getting from others that I talk to who know him well – is that he’s very glad to be back in Canada.

His time with the Italian national team wasn’t great by any means. He didn’t play particularly well, they lost, there were some issues between he and the coaching staff and the best part of the summer is that it’s over.

I don’t think any of it will have any impact whatsoever on his time in Toronto this year, especially the coaching issue.

If there’s one thing we can all agree on it’s that Bargnani has great respect for, and played well under, Jay. Can’t imagine why that would have changed.

The other guy?

Well, I turn around and there’s this familiar face coming out of the locker room, a face that signals some behind-the-scenes change that could have some impact on how things unfold.

He’s John Lee, an old friend and a former member of Jay’s staff with the national team way back in the day. Good guy, positive, hard-worker.

He takes over for Keith D’Amelio as the team’s assistant strength and conditioning coach; Keith’s gone on to greater things as the head man at Stanford.

Scott McCulloch’s still around as the head trainer and Francesco Cuzzolin’s the head strength and conditioning guy.

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Oh yeah, speaking of Greece, when it comes to next summer and so many of you are wondering when on earth Giorgos Printezis is going to ride across the Atlantic and make his mark on the NBA, consider this:

He cannot play at Eurobasket; why in the world would anyone think he can play in the NBA?

Word I’m hearing is CNP, which differs from DNP in the same way Cannot differs from Didn’t.

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Heard there were some fights in the arena last night? Hope people didn’t miss getting hot dogs because of the truculence. That would be too bad.

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So the First Lady Of The Beat and I are standing around talking to Jay about coaching yesterday when another subject came up.

The Olympics, which I hear are going to be somewhere in these parts soon.

Anyway, my Learned Colleague asks Jay if he’s been asked to take part in the torch relay, like Steve Nash told us he was when Nash was in town a week or so ago.

No, says Jay.

Odd, thinks I.

Wouldn’t it make sense to ask a guy with a prestigious Olympic background (screwed by politicians in ’84 on the boycott, played in ’88 in Seoul, provided one of the great stories as a coach in ’00), a connection to the Vancouver area and a high profile to do something?

Makes sense to me. How about you?

I know, he’s summer, it’s winter but, really, does that matter?

I’m telling you, getting him involved on, say, the Thursday before the Games begin, which also happens to be an off-night heading into the all-star break for the Raptors and the night Nash will be doing his gig, makes a wee bit of sense, no?

Anyone out there listening?

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Mail’s a little low, kids. And the weekend approacheth.

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Oh yeah, ran into Alvin yesterday, too.

He’s been in town a week or so working guys out, was out in L.A. working guys out last month and, just for kicks, he’s still playing some high level ball when he gets back to Philly in the summer.

I swear, if they need a 10-day guy in January, they oughta give him a look.

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You want a darkhorse – well, a relative darkhorse, I guess – at the EuroBasket?

I’m told Slovenia’s playing as well as anyone there, even without Rasho!

One of their best? The Gangster, who looks really good in the estimation of one guy there whose opinion I trust.

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I don’t know this for certain because I’ve never laid eyes on the guy but the talk around ACC is that there’s a striking resemblance between Sonny Weems and Joey Graham.

No idea if that translates into talent but, really, where else can you get this kind of arcane information to get you through another off-day in the summer?

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Some of you may know that I do a wee bit of coaching in the summer (Hi, Playoff Champion Mighty Yankees!!!) so this thing Jay’s hooked up with is pretty cool in my estimation.

Coaches, and I’m talking about the volunteers at the lower levels, often do get short shrift around these parts. Anything anyone can do to give ‘em a pat on the back is greatly appreciated.

Go here and if your guy or gal is worthy, send along a nomination.

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I’ve got Serbia, France, Turkey and Slovenia in the Euro quarters. You?

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Comments

[Eric Hustvedt]

Hi, Doug,
By splendid coincidence for me, I happen to be in London on the evening the Raps play the 76'ers. My wife and I didn't know where to be to say hi to you before a game in Washington this past spring (though you did acknowledge later you heard her shout to you down the run way). So, where should I be for a chance for a quick hello to you and maybe a player or two before the game at the Labatt Centre?
Eric Hustvedt, 2nd Vice-President - Logistics,
Doug Smith Blog Fan Club of Broad Cove, Nova Scotia

Blogger's note: Ha! I recall the Washington night. I can't, however, recall the logistics at the Labatt Centre. I'll be the haggard looking guy working hard.

[Stephan]

Hey Doug,

I am in Turkey right now and just to let you know, Hedo's face is pretty much at every corner of the streets promoting the Turkcell 3G (guess he won't be able to do the same for Rogers).
Just saw Serbia beat Russia and France get badly beaten by Spain (looks like they pulled an Lakers' Stunt just like the NBA playoffs - maybe Gasol told them that it worked in the US with his team there). Spain would be a lot better with Jose in the lineup, but I've been impressed by Navarro's play. As for Rubio's play... way overrated IMHO.

Stef

[Kevin A.]

"

It's funny how the instinct is always to be defensive,, even before anyone says anything. "Bargnani's bad summer means nothing and nothing will change and everythings just perfect and anyone who feels different is crazy and any problems with coaching stay in Italy because Triano's a swell dude and Bargnani loves him" It's just funny. Why not wait for a reason to get defensive before we do? This way it just looks like an agenda.

As a fan, it makes me uncomfortable. I wasn't going to think that Bargnani had become a primadonna. But now that you prematurely defend him the way you do, it makes me wonder. After all, they use the same philosophy in law enforcement: The guy who goes out of his way to tell you he didn't do it should be the first guy you question."

Eric, You obviously haven't been paying too close attention to the comments section around here... plenty of people asking if we should be concerned about Bargnani's play (which is a typical knee-jerk reaction). I would assume that the point this post is so Doug doesn't have to write a "Blogger's Note" every time someone asks the question.

[Steph]

Bargnani has a very bad year after the last summer he spent playing for Italy. Bad may be an understatement. I don't know what it is with the Italian team thinking that tearing into a guy like Bargnani could be a good thing. Regardless, I think / hope that Bargnani has grown from that first experience and after this past summer gives up on that program.

Doug has always said Bargnani needs time to develop as a centre in the NBA, and he was right. Bargnani has emerged, he is a legitemate NBA centre, and a potential All Star.

Way too many people have not heeded Doug advice and have been extremely critical of Bargnani. Deserved or not, everybody has to admit that what he showed us last year was what we all heard he might be able to deliver. Bargnani is here folks, and he's for real.

[tercte]

so ricky kept the tournament top scorer of the undefeated team on 6 points and 1-6 shooting, and the game was spain by 20 and it wasn't even that close. 2-2 3pt by rubio btw. pau will win this tournament easily, he did not have any preparation before the euro because of injury so he used the group stages to get ready for the only thing that matters, the 3 last games. serbia has a bright future, they play like they know their time is near, and maybe a medal will make them even more dangerous in the world championships next year, they don't even need the old nba guys, too much young talent.

[muchdisputed]

Eric. You seem like someone who feels he has been wronged. Perhaps it is legitimate and I mean no slight, but I offer one suggestion. Your admirable tenacity and wonderfully keen intellect - would brighten all our days if they were used to share your basketball acumen, rather than to make Doug feel awkward, uncomfortable or angry. Take it from someone who knows. We're on this earth for way too short a time.

[Darko]

Since you are talking of tanking ( France vs Greece ),
AIG vs Unicef, I'll throw in another favourite subject of yours.
I'm watching yesterday Serbia vs Russia, and who's the star of
Russian National team, one and only Mak Karti (says on his jersey)
your average looking Russian kid.
Watching these days, Serbia waiting in the semis winner of
Slovenia vs Croatia, Macedonia just eliminated... looks more like
National championship of old Yugoslavia than Euros.

[Erc]

Undisputed, what a good post. On par with the poster who advised Doug to minor in cynicism and give us more insight.
Ding. Ding. Ding to both, to steal a phrase.
Nice to see some mature adults in the mix with Doug, Doug, Eric, myself, Aditya and the rest of us sports juveniles.