Sports Thread

[Parabellum]

Serbia vs Canada | Semi-Finals | J9 Highlights | FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023

[Dimitris GR]

Congratulations to Germany for the big victory against USA.
Serbia had no problems, we ll see a great final.

[Parabellum]

Deutschland schockt die USA und steht im WM Finale | Halbfinale | J9 Highlights | #FIBAWC 2023

[Parabellum]

Deutschland - Serbien, Highlights | FIBA Basketball-WM 2023

[Ale]

yep it is not football - so old saying by us (Servius)) "basket is sport played by 10 men and Germans always win in the end" to stand - but Germany is world champion ; congrats.

what to say huge majority of us expected (in unexpected situation) we to win as we made it as far with team nobody favorised, but worst second half happened in worst time (comparing to Canada & Lithuania)... actually, very good German tactics and defense on our main center and on "Bogi" who scored 15 pts in first half and only 2 in second (!). unlike Canadian, German coach obviously knew very well what is main threat and prepared tactics properly...

not a pun, but for a small country without some infrastructure golden chance for "big sport" WC win is wasted... interesting is how FIBA do not recognize our totally our (as 99% of players were Serbian) 1998 and 2002 golds as ours ; so that would quasi be our first. Congrats to winners, deservedly without lost game and awful, awful third quarter by us, only 10 points... for the end of nice story - our coach talked on conference "compare German potential and league, infrastructure and our" but all I know is that both our clubs in Euroleague were in front of German clubs last year ... but I support growing in sport which is iconic for us in Germany, few good example in middle-west-northern Europe where it is relatively popular and i remember great games in NBA against Nowitzki when we all watched Kings ...taste is bad as unexpectedly we went as far and, despite awful quarter, had chance maybe for extra-time... generally not bad final, silver for country as our is more than good and hope for more games like these and wins against favorised NAmerican rivals (doesn't matter who plays for USA). as conclusion and final grade of tournament

[Parabellum]

The surprising win of the world championship title is a ray of hope in the currently gloomy German sports sky. And it is the best example of how low the appreciation of sports other than soccer, which is overrepresented in the media, is in Germany. All matches could only be watched in a paid stream on the Internet. It was only when medal success became apparent that access was unlocked from the semifinals onward and the final was also broadcast on public state television. This is a bizarre and unbearable situation when you consider that the state TV stations spend money on broadcasting soccer matches down to the 4th German league, but major sporting events beyond soccer are largely ignored.

My heartfelt congratulations to Novak Djokovic, who has set another historic milestone in tennis by winning the US Open.

[Ale]

interesting to hear. 10 (as grade) for a post as is known that i like those kind of things about many subjects similar to many others, some dude said that nobody is broadcasting even their games in Canada etc. Also noticed that Spanish state TV is only of big European countries that detailedly and properly reported about German win i.e. final, but Spain is maybe exception when it comes to honoring other sports etc. since you mentioned, football is overrated so we decided to boycott (as club) this season all Euro-comps even if UEFA offered 2 places in CL to us ;p ...let Stella be the only one playing in Europe. definitely after watching club and now representation much recently, basketball is nicer to watch personally

intersting is previous subject, can understand dissolution of big states (even Yugoslavia where we were "only" 1/3 of population as republic) but somehow funny when it comes to state that compromised 90 of one which was named this or that way (like case of Serbia and Montenegro). And when you look at list of medalists and now Germany has 1 WC and EC gold while we none... unimportant technicality nobody cares really if you include or doesn't previous states and of course unimportant to any fan as everyone would agree that we have more golds than Egypt, Slovenia and Latvia (yes Egypt also has one Euro gold) - but is funny when you lived and watched winning of whole 3 European golds and 2 WC golds for your country, while on table it says zero But our smart heads insisted that we call ourselves Yugosarmatia so Lithuania has 3 we none

there is some obvious bad luck above us recently, it is not fantasy and realistically we could have ended last two years with one (additional, at your face FIBA)) gold on EC, last year was good team and played alright until Italy, with WC gold now and even maybe with another club basketball title, wasn't so far as we almost eliminated champions... but 3 of 3 misses ; ...maybe you don't follow that and why i talked so much basket, but 1992 title (club) and those from 1995-2002 as national team were stronger sporting memories personally, we even had rock-pop songs about Divac, Bodiroga etc ) many things changed, world is going is directions, nothing is so deep and memorable anymore, plus we are getting old as persons...but i finish now, maybe popularised it a bit more than there is interest on forums... btw, glad you followed both Partiman finish in EL and these games, as said again relatively strange ignorance as Germany is not really nobody in basket... not everything should be about profit in life (although it is tendency), must say national games have their place, esp, as you like me, prefer team sports

[Parabellum]

I have always remembered that Yugoslavia was a sports nation and very successful especially in ball sports. Probably the individual sports such as soccer, water polo, basketball and handball were popular regionally differently (Ale, you are welcome to correct me if my assumption is wrong). In any case, after the disintegration of Yugoslavia and the establishment of the individual republics, it turned out that the national teams of Croatia and Serbia most consistently continued these successes, and I always associate the successes of the Yugoslav national team with this and see the long tradition.
In the end, the number of titles and championships is unimportant. For me, the knowledge that teams from the former Yugoslavia are serious sporting opponents who must be treated with respect at all times remains independent of this.

[Ale]

not so much regionally in our case (as Serbia) as we had really all in team sports in one moment and during 90s - strong football, basket, volley, handball, waterpolo etc. teams which all picked medals and were among favs... but basketball was cult for my generation. But subject no much about that it was about de facto Serbia having whole treasury (fort Knox)) of medals after Yugoslavia while it stands as "Yugoslavia" won those medals ; ... regarding Serbia and Croatia having most success post 1991 simply those were two main states of it, and biggest, although Serbia (with Kosovo then) more than twice bigger - so yes, pardon, de jure Serbia as republic was almost half of ex-Yugoslavia ) Most talent, best work, clubs and organization in those two ; ...if you want some historical detail, regional, on basket it was one Croat whose name 50 years or so was related to "boom" of sport but, strangely, already in 80s best coaches were Serbian so even clubs from other republics which won European trophies were led by Serbs and then maybe most iconic name led Partiman and is with us today etc. so could be said that we (just like prior to ww1 in army)) had tactical, organisational talents we do not produce anymore... even in football our coaches were respected in places like Spain and, maybe unhumble but stands for basket, we helped country upping its own status (Spain concretely) so "mission done" ;

and ther we come to that subject our coach talked about after German defeat - same faces 30 years post (look at video and you will see one coach from the 90s) and we do not produce coaches anymore, was our trademark once as Serbia, if you want to know regionally often from smaller towns in Serbia ;

anyway, serious subjects away, great song i mentioned, more satirical and fun but captures moment of 1998 when it was made i think... popular in Greece as well esp in part of Athens more related to our club some "character" who forced Pamela Anderson to meet him for 30 mins on our airport and so It starts with line "what we need, what is good to touch the sky - give us games we don't need bread" reference to Roman "bread and games" ;... as for legendary song subject, deserves monument in city as any hero from past ;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9p-KQx06Ew

...but is also (having temporar function in EL, it is not presidents of some countries) symbol of changing times as EL (even slightly) considers spreading to Arabia - in that sense if that means way forward for Saudi cheers i support, and can't wait this song to go big in Saudi kingdom, Mecca and all have fun, certainly watch video which is in its place as captures status of basket players of 90s in us, really - while Para said it is unimportant - somehow it looks like 5 golds (plus else) in 7 years were not won by us due to name technicality so i insist... doesn't mean much but for precision it was Serbia that was "powerhouse" of basket in 90s, not Yugoslavia. the end - hope many games with Germans of some significance ;

[Parabellum]

... - while Para said it is unimportant - ...

Well, I mean that actually the success, the winning of a title counts only for the moment or for a short time afterwards. Reveling in the successes of the past is something for nostalgics. It's nice, but you can't buy anything from it. The best example is the German national soccer team (men and women) - already multiple world and European champions, they currently don't even make it past the group stage in championships.
If you can't continuously confirm your performance, you dismantle your own monument.

[Ale]

yes, but German "suckers" (football players, but funny joke, btw soccer is fully legitimate English term not American per se) will be back - with more blacks as we all once ...btw, yes again you are right it is more nostalgia than importance as Croats now finish above Germans for example ; - but number of medals counts and stays as testimony of some past lively school of sport - so conclusion we were basketball multiple world champions etc

...by the end of day usually check results, to see what's been played and similar so for fun and in lack of any sign of life ; today basketball two games from some competition in Europe called "basketball champions league" - do not follow and of course euroleague is main competition on continent with all elite clubs, despite this name

anyway, first laugh is Benfica (club from Lisbon more famous for football section) scoring for European basket fabulous and super 122 points in game against some Georgian club, already said that anything over 30 point is superb for 10 mins quarters - we had record last year of 40 points against Real for example so Benfica's scoring is phenomenal, although predictable that Georgian opponent is far from top club ;

second laugh, also something unusal - even more! - in other game some Slovakian club Levice (in jargon we say it as "two left hands" i.e. less capable, but for them something about lions) managed to score 0 (zero!) points in first quarter against some Cypriot club. Congrats .... game was still ongiong when i posted, btw

incredible rarities if you know anything about basket in some lower level competition, although totally unimportant as post - just for fun & action

[Ale]

there was some smaller incident on EC qual match between Serbia & Montenegro on stadium here, almost fight but with police preventing anything... Montenegro fans reacted with making damage and breaking seats, some say in moment when our team took the lead, some say becuse someone stole their flag from "cage" and similar... totally unimportant but for humor read today on net how their fans published online statement, guess with humor and satire, irony, calling those who stole flag and quasi caused incident "brave Serbian Oblić and few Jugovićs" with sarcasm aiming at some knights that died in battle with Ottomans, at least in pop culture and "Jugovich" is probably family that is unhistorical while it was possible Nemanjic junior line from today Montenegro after other brother married Ana Dandolo ; ...so, always talk to much about that history i read it with smile and wonder, wasn't my idea at all just their words, did they want to give some encrypted message to us and world that they are Turks ...unimportant but good for laugh, so for pal Para whi is interested in some humor and region, some fan culture... of course we and Monteblack are in perfect relations, great pals and as i said one of my fav subjects - always support good humor and they are my favs, after them mostly like national jokes about Liliput ...but generally as i said numerous times we, them and Italians are same thing...

one things i missed till today that we qualified for football Euro next year after 23 years, totally forgoten fact, incredible while there were 4 WCs we took part on. So it also goes as "first time in history then" and our last game was 6-7:1 defeat versus Neverlands in 2000... hopefully first game next year won't be similar ...in basket EL we are not something 2 loss one win in 3, today another loss in Athens on sight ; ...generally many teams are in some chaos, everyone is laughing at PAO i.e. Panata as we call it and similar... but about that after new year if we are in some positionand ther is some fun game. Looks like Spanish duo is again in top

[Ale]

was a good one, really good one in Athens... even if we lost after overtime 98-94 this is what (not so numerous in Europe) EL fans want to see and pay for in "elite" and we delivered, lasted for 2 and 1/2 hours while basket game is 40 mins ; ...signs of life and capability. you go in Athens do have game like this

was a huge mistake by Olympiakos, coach or more likely players 5 seconds before end (regular) to leave i think 2 or 3 players in position to shoot - last second 3s are out trademark and only trophy was won like that and it happened again... in vain, but most important that every watcher could say that game was good and nice rotations this time... after new year or march or never

[Bombast the Blue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XDBS7sLZxU

[Ale]

must say it is first time I've watched him ...because i was too young then... and my poor family did not have TV yet ; ...thanks in that sense for news and actuality

as for Bobby, don't know about you, but we all knew him as last survivor (not anymore) and most famous of that Munich airplane crash (plane was on his way from Belgrade and why it was reported and talked) which he survived with lots of luck and no injury... lived long after almost died when was 20, so it's a story

beside that he was part of the team (as well as few survivors) remembered as part of other club (Partizan) greatest ever success by eliminating them "only" 8 years later so Bobby & co surely had some trauma or uneasiness flying in and out of city for "big game"... so generally was famous name here ; ...seems i always have a story when you inform that old English person dies, like queen etc... but those are past times, we won't have big nor important games against English anymore, nor some political ties

[Ale]

one word from previous post (and is usual in sport world and practice indeed) come to my mind...

so if anyone is for dark humor here is one - game with Stella in Belgrade 1958 almost eliminated great Manchester United team... ) ...; Bobby talked it many times, even when we played against them just few years ago, just came as good black humor line

[Bombast the Blue]

https://www.record.pt/multimedia/videos ... a-feminina
Portuguese female cup goal scored by Marítimo (from Madeira Island) on their defeat against Sporting (Lisbon)

[Ale]

considering Euroleague basket - due to huge interest on forums - almost 1/3 pass 10 games, time flies... we are on misrable 13th place 4-6 but will be better in march, plus playing without Punter for some time.... even with that, just like last year if my data are true, we are again highest scoring team in whole league, Real game less and will probably pass ; ...and again one of worst defenses 3-4th from the bottom. Watched most games, didn't look like we are scoring more than all others, but that is stats...

watching just Baskonia with one eye, like last year detail from their stand and our flag constantly positioned there, they are cute rare thing on any other court and they are removing it only when playing against our teams i think, so pedantistic ) ...even if unimportant detail from Basques - did you know it is same as Vasko and Gasko etc, Gascony is Baskony you get idea ) they are cute

[Ale]

Vasco was btw and without joke one now mostly obsolete name present in us historically maybe due to someone serving in Felix legion once

turned out to be nice finish Basko-Monaco needed at least draw myself and was "hehe, i'm so good" when Howard, player for Basks, scored 3 points (i already started swearing as he wastes many balls)) 6 seconds before end to level, then Mike James funny guy of Monaco shot and missed but some sadly jumped and slamed for Monaco win 77-75 in last seconds - very, very sadly...

one stat we are leading and is important as Stella also insisted to play in Colosseum this year and that is attendance category, strangely in fromt of Stella ; ...hope it stays that wayso come and buy tickets to beat them, but wouldn;t be surprised our politicos to start gathering and forcing people to go to Stella games just to beat us .....

Maccabi is also playing games here now as they are under sanctions ; haha... don't know why of all countries but doesn't matter (they maybe also wanted to be in Arena due to history who gets dark humor)) But without public i.e. behind closed doors due to EL decision... wanted to see Baldovin (one of their players) here after roundly 700 years, but they do not let...

was a good game, shocking finish... that much for news, come on Basks and Party, see you in march but join us from Baskonia with some story....

[Ale]

must say i'm not some fan of tennis, but watched also recent Davis cup quarters and semis, some drama there if you missed:

https://www.daviscup.com/en/news/332788.aspx

uncharacteristic, esp. since easy win just week ago on final tournament against him where Janko wasn't put much of a fight, this time Djokovic aka Đolo had few match points which Sinner neutralized in streak and won singles... later same day deciding doubles and against at 40-0 for us at break, Sinner makes few serves and points in row and they win easy... Italy won Davis cup, btw. Congrats to Sinner, not big fan of sport but definitely he positions himself as some future (will be even less when Djolo retires)) really wanted to see this duel in this moment and was true drama ....but Sinner will not end in heaven, just him to know but nice guy

this is BTW next year road to last 16 for us, via Slovakia... hope guys made it, could be worse and Djolo gives another try at finals, maybe last, bad luck above us all recently ; ...there was even some political "ouverture" (huh i parlevu French so good) with some song our team used before match with Britain and was quasi another chance to attack Djolo by some as at quasi "annexes half of world for Serbia" (many anthems should be banned if any criteria)) as it mentiones some old victories by us on begining of XX c etc. BS as always, but negative propaganda as always.... besides that good match and our friendly Italy Since mention that, I kinda start to like new thing Djolo "arguing" and waving hands, pointing ears towards spectators, fun intermezzo (too bad he is at career end, starting to get funny)...nice, shocking match, almost all expected we will win DC this year, even i as watching sport just rarely...

https://www.daviscup.com/en/draws-resul ... /2024.aspx

something unrelated for the end - did I tell you my Basks that Unai Emery is my fav football coach of today, without joke wish him all luck and eventually bringing Villa to CL next year, would respect him even greater as true coach making wonders without huge money. respect

[Parabellum]

The sports clubs in my home city have not played a role in Germany in recent years and have mostly only been found in the lower leagues.
One club has shed the role of underdog - the Niners Chemnitz in the German Basketball League.
The team from Chemnitz celebrated its 16th success in a row in all competitions (national and international) with a 79:58 (38:26) win at EWE Baskets Oldenburg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGqqCLshSik
Thanks to their success, the Niners are now just three wins away from setting a new record. The current record for a German team, held by runners-up and Champions League winners Telekom Baskets Bonn, is 18 wins across all competitions and dates back to last season.

[Ale]

they say "historic moment" as they noted that club wasn't placed so high in any main sport in any elite club competition for decades (except waterpolo or similar which is not main sport anyway)... so let's capture it as mid-december 2023 as historic then, since i already talked subject much

but irrelevant (there was serie of home games, btw) at this moment and nobody cares, even i anymore so it is the end here... declare season finished ) ...what is behind Bolognese's position is mystery but they hired guy (domestic) who led Latvia on WC btw ;

[Parabellum]

Luke vs. Luke ...
WORLD CHAMPION CROWNED! | Final Highlights | 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship

... and farewell to Russ "The Voice" Bray, darts' most famous caller.
Russ Bray '180' in Ten Different Languages

[Dimitris GR]

RIP Franz Beckenbauer. One of the greatest!!!

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San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs | Super Bowl LVIII Game Highlights

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LeBron James - NBA All-Time Leading Scorer with 40,000 career points