Whitlock: Boyz From the Hood Triumph over Whimpy Euros

And just to clarify -- nobody said these teams play all year together -- they compete together in various world and European tournaments year after year after year. That is a huge advantage -- particularly since the overwhelming majority of them are playing international basketball with international rules on various teams year round.

But again, it is all good -- we've finally changed the way we do things and we'll take care of business this year playing by their silly rules even though we're sure to get robbed every single game by Eurotrash refs.

 

I for one am glad the international game didn't follow the American lead. Then we would have had stupid illegal defense calls in the Olympics and, back in the late 70s, early 80s, we'd have had 3-to-make-2 and 2-to-make-1 free throws. It's like a promotion at the Sizzler.

I don't have a problem with most international rules. I have no problem with the lane, except that I visually can't get used to it. But forcing bigs out to the short corner forces them to develop a shot and opens up the lane for cutting and more athletic play. I think the 30 second clock is perfect. To me, 24 is too short because if you pressure the other team's primary ball handler and force them to use clock to come up the court, you almost guarantee they have to go to a two-man game or, worse, one-on-one. I just described the disaster that was NBA basketball in the 1990s.

In short, the international rules, while different, aren't necessarily bad and definitely not inferior to the crap that passes as rules in the NBA and how some of the rules are enforced...explain to me again how the Dream Shake wasn't a walk...

 

I think I did -- no the NBA would not be better playing that style of basketball with that enforcement.

The NBA is just fine -- it is most popular sports league in the world -- worldwide --for a reason and it is by far the best basketball league in the world and that is the reason so many Eurotrash stars break their necks trying to play in it.......

 

He didn't really write this, did he?

Is this some sort of satire somebody did?

If this is legit, this guy is a bigger racist fuckhead than I thought.

 

You obviously have never played basketball and have no clue about the game if you don't think the game played by international rules is majorly different than the game played in the NBA.

 

Weird... Hadn't noticed that Brian Scalabrine was a 'brotha'.

 

Um, and one other thing -- considering it is the U.S. Virgin Islands and that Tim Duncan developed and perfected his basketball skills in WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- it is ridiculous to consider him an international player.

The Spurs nucleus was Duncan, Horry, Finley, Bowen, Barry along with Parker and Ginobili -- two international guys (which by the way if Ginobili didn't revert to his Eurotrash (I know he's Argentinean, same difference) ways, the Spurs beat the Lakers, but I digress......) out of the top seven players. If you feel the need to throw in stiffs like Oberto, Udrih and Elson, well, I think it is safe to say the Spurs would have won without them......

 

Zag, I certainly have played, and I'd venture likely more than yourself. And I didn't say international rules weren't significantly different, but I also don't believe it should be viewed as profound a difference (ie "a different game") as the excuse makers like yourself would have folks believe.

Basically it means a wider lane, shorter 3-pointer and open use of zone defenses, beyond that it's the same game. It means less emphasis on driving, isolation and one on one skills, more on outside shooting, ball movement and passing. It's a difference, but it's certainly not an adjustment that should be considered unreasonable for the best players from the best league in the world to make.

At least it wasn't for us in 2000, 96, 92 and all those other years when we dominated under those rules. It's not like international rules were invented on 02 when we started getting our asses kicked. It was the foreign competition that changed when we started losing, not the rules.

 

By "we" are you telling us that you're Canadian? Because Dr. James Naismith -- a Canadian -- created the game. Basketball is not an American invention.

 

If by "long cycles," you mean "a couple of weeks before the Olympics or worlds," then yes, you're right. Otherwise, you're so full of shit it's not funny. Yeah, they have a national team player pool (as does USA Basketball in the wake of Athens 2004). But these guys have day jobs in leagues all over the world. Half the members of the Argentine Olympic team roster listed on this link play in the NBA. When do they find the time to compete in all these international tournaments you imagine they play in? Was Ginobili moonlighting at some South American qualifying tournament in Montevideo in May, thus reducing his effectiveness with the Spurs?

American NBA players compete in the worlds, Olympics and Tournament of the Americas when an Olympic berth is on the line. Those are the only tournaments listed in the international stats section of Ginobili's own Web site. But by all means, keep believing that guys like him spend 3-4 months a year playing for their country.

http://www.latinbasket.com/ARG/nt.asp

 

The fact that he has an injury that might keep him out of the Olympics is irrelevant when given the opportunity to embrace a stereotype (those foreigners! so soft!) and call someone Eurotrash. You stay classy, Zag.

 

So folks from South America are "Eurotrash" too, now? Are there any foreign players you don't consider Eurotrash?