Now that the Euroleague is in full swing, a couple of problems have arisen (What can i say? I’m living in Hungary where the dominant cultural paradigm says, “Complain first, enjoy later.”) and I’m appealing to the BallinEurope crowd for help.
Problem one: So much basketball, so little time.
Between writing/editing for this website and RealFootball365.com combined with any number of freelance jobs, a good fraction of my time is taken. Plus, there are the actual games to watch: Twelve a week, which already puts a crimp into a sports-viewing schedule already crammed with sixteen games of NFL football. Somehow, i’ve got to find time to sleep in there. And spend time with the, um, what do you call them…? Oh, yes: the children.
Problem two: Lack of focus.
I love basketball, i love Euro and Euroleague basketball, i love writing and i love BallinEurope.com. Putting all gushing aside, however, makes way for a bit of a confession: My knowledge of Euroleague specifics is short; i’ve only been following the league for three years now and that mainly through highlight clips, Babelfish-translated game reports and Euroleague.TV. (Hungarian TV coverage, much like the state of the country’s game, is pathetic.)
Somewhere in the blur of watching Roma take out Tau Ceramica earlier this week, it struck me how much fandom, through its single-minded obsession with a single team, can accelerate the learning process. You may not know everything about the league, but you know everything about one team; and odds are you’re motivated to study up on the league’s remainder as competition for your team.
Besides, the Euroleague motto is “Devotion,” is it not?
Therefore, i, Os Davis, am hereby declaring my Euroleague team loyalty up for grabs!
Tell me: What is my Euroleague team to be?
Write us here at BallinEurope.com explaining why i should be a fan of your team (or even an opposing team, heh heh). Make your argument interesting, compelling, irresistible, and most importantly funny. History is impressive, as are pictures and videos (because then we can run them here at BallinEurope and i can increase the size of my PC’s wallpaper collection).
Bribes are not only accepted, but encouraged.
Once we get a few good suggestions, i’ll throw them together for consideration with two other teams that i’m already considering. Several factors – among them history, uniform (hey, i’ll be buying the paraphernalia, right?) and likability – will be considered. I’d also prefer a team with a chance of making of it to the Euroleague Sweet 16, to as extend my first season of official fandom a bit longer.
Unless, of course, i get a good bribe, which will in all likelihood win the contest.
In return, i will contribute my Devotion to the team, blogging my fan-based learning experience as a Team X fan for BallinEurope. I’ll talk trash online as much and as verbosely as required, and i’ll spread the good word about Team X in exotic nearly Euroleague-free places like Hungary and America. Plus, as stated previously, i’ll be buying up team gear and knickknacks, so that should increase future payroll possibilities for Team X that much further.
I encourage all readers and all BallinEurope contributors to throw in their two Eurocents into the argument: This is a (basically) virgin fan for the taking out here, boys and girls! Be gentle with me and my Devotion.
(Incidentally, did i mention that i’m taking bribes?)
