Comments on: France-Italy Game II http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/ A San Antonio Spurs Blog Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:00:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Will http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6895 Will Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:18:51 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6895 Impitoyable, I was talking more about recent history and the failure to qualify to the Euro in due course. Things are definitely looking up for the French NT. Impitoyable, I was talking more about recent history and the failure to qualify to the Euro in due course. Things are definitely looking up for the French NT.

]]> By: Timothy Varner http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6858 Timothy Varner Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:38:46 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6858 Impitoyable, Thanks. That's fascinating. And expected. Thanks to all our French readers. You're invaluable contributors to this site, especially now that the Spurs have Parker, Mahinmi and SpurNando. Every time I see a .fr I'm happy. How I wish Nicolas Batum was on the list...oh well. Impitoyable,

Thanks. That’s fascinating. And expected.

Thanks to all our French readers. You’re invaluable contributors to this site, especially now that the Spurs have Parker, Mahinmi and SpurNando. Every time I see a .fr I’m happy.

How I wish Nicolas Batum was on the list…oh well.

]]> By: Impitoyable http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6855 Impitoyable Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:24:41 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6855 Parker said that he lied intentionally to the media in order to hide France's game plan. Regarding the previous versions of the NT and "old guys playing in Europe", one has to remember that the team generally had very few good veterans until 2005. In fact, most of the guys that won the silver medal at Sidney in 2000, were still in their prime but had since been boycotting the NT because of unpaid bonuses due by the French Basketball Federation. It's only after the 2003 Olympic qualification failure (where Parker basically called out Moïso and Abdul-Wahad for quitting on the team), that some good european league veterans decided to come back. Thus the 2005 team added former Maverick and Euroleague star PG Antoine Rigaudeau and C Frederic Weis to the core of then 23 year-old Parker, Pietrus, Diaw and Turiaf and achieved a bronze medal at Eurobasket. Parker said that he lied intentionally to the media in order to hide France’s game plan.

Regarding the previous versions of the NT and “old guys playing in Europe”, one has to remember that the team generally had very few good veterans until 2005. In fact, most of the guys that won the silver medal at Sidney in 2000, were still in their prime but had since been boycotting the NT because of unpaid bonuses due by the French Basketball Federation.
It’s only after the 2003 Olympic qualification failure (where Parker basically called out Moïso and Abdul-Wahad for quitting on the team), that some good european league veterans decided to come back. Thus the 2005 team added former Maverick and Euroleague star PG Antoine Rigaudeau and C Frederic Weis to the core of then 23 year-old Parker, Pietrus, Diaw and Turiaf and achieved a bronze medal at Eurobasket.

]]> By: Will http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6827 Will Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:34:33 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6827 I forgot to say Parker said before the game that he was out of condition and would be playing 15 minutes or so... and ended up playing 30 minutes (23 points, 4 assists). I hope it won't have any bad consequences, be it for his ankle or for the relationship between the Spurs and the French NT. I forgot to say Parker said before the game that he was out of condition and would be playing 15 minutes or so… and ended up playing 30 minutes (23 points, 4 assists). I hope it won’t have any bad consequences, be it for his ankle or for the relationship between the Spurs and the French NT.

]]> By: Will http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6826 Will Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:27:20 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6826 At least 3 more games to play - we might see more of Ian against Finland since this game has very low stakes. As for the people who said France wouldn't be going anywhere anyway... not to sure about that. Before it was Parker, a few NBA rookies and some old guys playing in Europe. Now we saw a good core of NBA players (Batum, Diaw, Turiaf - all guys with quite a lot of experience now) and some hungry young players like De Colo, Diot and so on. Florent Pietrus is also playing very well (and might go to the NBA some day like the others). If they manage to reach the Euro anything is possible - and it's a clear a good result would be a serious boost to Parker's confidence (or to put it in another way, a major chip off his shoulder). At least 3 more games to play – we might see more of Ian against Finland since this game has very low stakes.

As for the people who said France wouldn’t be going anywhere anyway… not to sure about that. Before it was Parker, a few NBA rookies and some old guys playing in Europe. Now we saw a good core of NBA players (Batum, Diaw, Turiaf – all guys with quite a lot of experience now) and some hungry young players like De Colo, Diot and so on. Florent Pietrus is also playing very well (and might go to the NBA some day like the others). If they manage to reach the Euro anything is possible – and it’s a clear a good result would be a serious boost to Parker’s confidence (or to put it in another way, a major chip off his shoulder).

]]> By: Eric http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6820 Eric Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:02:29 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6820 Here's a link to watch online, if anyone's interested: http://www.freedocast.com/keeper Here’s a link to watch online, if anyone’s interested:

http://www.freedocast.com/keeper

]]> By: Robby http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6795 Robby Fri, 14 Aug 2009 04:12:07 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6795 "Not sure of Tony Parker's stamina or overall health status. Parker only played sparingly vs. Finland, but I imagine that was a strategic move. Assume he will play a bigger role vs. the Italians. Though, Team France has been fortunate that their young guards, Antoine Diot & Nando De Colo, have played with such poise. The status of Nic Batum is questionable, as well, because of a bum shoulder. Nic was a huge factor in the 2nd half of the Aug. 5 meeting." Got this piece from a link <a href="http://thepaintedarea.blogspot.com/2009/08/eurobasket-qualifying-update.html" rel="nofollow">Eurobasket Qualifying Update</A> “Not sure of Tony Parker’s stamina or overall health status. Parker only played sparingly vs. Finland, but I imagine that was a strategic move. Assume he will play a bigger role vs. the Italians. Though, Team France has been fortunate that their young guards, Antoine Diot & Nando De Colo, have played with such poise.

The status of Nic Batum is questionable, as well, because of a bum shoulder. Nic was a huge factor in the 2nd half of the Aug. 5 meeting.”

Got this piece from a link Eurobasket Qualifying Update

]]> By: Timothy Varner http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6789 Timothy Varner Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:46:54 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6789 Thanks, Eric. Corrected. Thanks, Eric.

Corrected.

]]> By: Robby http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6783 Robby Thu, 13 Aug 2009 23:24:07 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6783 Nando, has been playing good basketball far France Its a little disappointing that Ian wil not play And yes TP might need to play heavy minutes in this one... hopefuly they win again... Nando, has been playing good basketball far France
Its a little disappointing that Ian wil not play
And yes TP might need to play heavy minutes in this one… hopefuly they win again…

]]> By: Eric http://www.48minutesofhell.com/2009/08/13/france-italy-game-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-6780 Eric Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:31:34 +0000 http://www.48minutesofhell.com/?p=3876#comment-6780 They won't actually qualify for play in September with the victory. They'll have to beat a team from the other group (probably Bosnia & Herzegovina) in a playoff to qualify for Eurobasket. But, yes, it's a huge game. France are favorites, but Italy have a few players that can get hot from outside, which makes them dangerous. Parker will probably have to play big minutes in this one. They won’t actually qualify for play in September with the victory. They’ll have to beat a team from the other group (probably Bosnia & Herzegovina) in a playoff to qualify for Eurobasket.

But, yes, it’s a huge game. France are favorites, but Italy have a few players that can get hot from outside, which makes them dangerous. Parker will probably have to play big minutes in this one.

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