Team France 160
Believe the hype: Playoff action in Spain, Lithuania, Romania, Germany
Sorry, the N-B-what? While Euroball fans can certainly take pride in the outstanding number of Continental players still competing in the big league overseas – a list that includes Team Turkey’s Omer Asik, Team France’s Joakim Noah, Team Britain’s Luol Deng, Zydrunas Ilgauskas of Lithuania, Team Switzerland’s Thabo Sefolosha, French sophomore Rodrigue Beaubois (sort of; […]
Tony Parker confirms participation with Team France for Eurobasket 2011
Perhaps further contemplating a lockout, the San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker declared he will suit up for Team France in Eurobasket 2011. In an interview with French TV, Parker stated emphatically that he “will be at Eurobasket this summer” and that he is “eager to get started.” Though the Spur believes that Les Bleus “have […]
Türk Telekom tournament tips off in Turkey
Tipping off yesterday in Turkey with a full slate of games was the U16 Türk Telekom tournament. The 12-team competition is stacked with European sides, including the hosts, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Germany, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, and Ukraine; China, Iran and Puerto Rico fill out the field. Defending champions Serbia are not participating. The always-excellent European […]
Cyril Julian: From SLUC Nancy to oenology
Call him a “Warrior,” call him SLUC Nancy’s former savior, call him one of the best French players of the past 10 years never to play in the NBA … but now you can call Cyril Julian a degreed oenologist – and a guy with the enviable chance to live out two of his dream […]
Fernandez a Blazer through 2012 (yeah, surrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre)
Despite the guard’s well-known recalcitrance to continuing with the Portland Trail Blazers, the team has officially picked up a fourth-year option on Rudy Fernandez’ contract thereby theoretically keeping the Spaniard on the Blazer payroll through 2011-12. Trail Blazers GM Rich Cho stated that “there was never a question the Blazers would pick up th eoption […]
The Eurocentric 2010-11 NBA Preview (or How the Hoops World revolves around Europe)
With the 2010-11 NBA season tipping off tonight, BallinEurope marks the occasion in the best way possible: By overrating the league’s Continental players and making a few offhand Fearless Predictions™ in the guise of a preview column. Brief notes and snarky remarks on all 25 NBA teams follow. (Yes, BiE said “all 25.” Since the […]
FIBA Women’s Worlds continues today
After an off day Sunday, the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women restarts today with some notable matchups – but figure the real fireworks to come on Wednesday night. Today, defending FIBA world champions Team Australia and Olympic titlists Team USA are still undefeated and are both facing teams characterized as desperate for wins and […]
Help decide Alexis Ajinca’s jersey number on Facebook
Alexis Ajinca is looking for a new jersey number, and he’s turning to his Facebook followers to help. It seems Ajinca won’t be wearing the #21 he has donned for Team France in international play and for the Charlotte Bobcats over two seasons when he joins the Dallas Mavericks for 2010-11. BallinEurope isn’t sure why […]
"Twelve Giant Men": Origins and brief history
For those wondering about that lustily-belted, catchy fight song the Turkish fans serenaded at Team France pretty much throughout the second half in the “Eighth Finals” game of the 2010 FIBA World Championship, BallinEurope’s got some answers. The song is entitled “Oniki dev adam” (or “Twelve Giant Men”) and was originally written and performed by […]
Official BallinEurope Fearless Predictions™ … in haiku!
Fearless Predictions™? You bet BallinEurope’s got ’em for today’s matches! Just to present the prognostications a bit differently and not at all because BiE seeks to become the TMQ of basketball or anything, outcomes are predicted in haiku format! Slovenia vs. Australia For Slovenia-Oz, A big men’s match: These Euros Have slightly more skills. Slovenia […]
Official BallinEurope Power Rankings: Pre-knockouts edition
Now that noted astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has announced God’s non-existence in our universe through mathematics, maybe he can start working on explaining the FIBA tie-breaking procedure. No, no, don’t start on BiE; it’s as easy as dialing up Wikipedia to find the steps in determining seeding for tournament play: Placement is determined based on, in […]
Greece vs. Russia: He who wins shall lose?
“Sometimes when you win, you really lose. And sometimes when you lose, you really win. And sometimes when you win or lose, you actually tie and sometimes when you tie, you actually win or lose. Winning or losing is all one organic globule, from which one extracts what one needs.” – Gloria Clemente, White Men […]