Friday Cigarettes

Sounded like a good day for a come-back !

Before I start anything, a big shout out to my men here C and T who kept on fueling the blog while I was working 24/7 on the latest issue of REVERSE Magazine. It feels like it was October last time I slept. But anyway here is what I noticed here and there the last few days :

• Did you see the Euroleague launched a new web game ? Basically a 3 point contest with some of the best sharpshooters in the game. It looks like NBA Live, well NBA Live 95 where players looked like robots. But I’m probably a bit harsh because I scored 1 and 2 out of 30 the first 2 times I played…
• I read here and there that Lonny Baxter is on his way out of prison (remember he’s the guy who fired some shots close to the White House and fedexed some pistols to a friend) directly to his Spanish team in Badalona. Everyone should be granted a second chance but that was kinda quick.
• Bargnani’s numbers rose this year as he cracked the starting lineup from Day One (14&6 instead of 12&4) but Sam Mitchell plans on benching Il Mago in the early minutes of the game again. Rasho Nesterovic should bring better defense (the Raps are on a 3-game losing streak)
• The story of a former NCAA player who now plays in the Greek third division.
• Speaking of Greece, the next big thing Kosta Koufos (MVP of the U18 European Championships this summer) played great in Ohio State’s final exhibition game (20 pts) but his team lost a Division II NCAA team (life is harder without Oden and Conley).
• Things keep on changing in Italy : Benetton Treviso fired their coach, Scafati signed 2 former NBA players in Julius Hodge and Frank Williams. Italian NT point guard Valerio Spinelli left the team and joined Angelico Biella.
• Remember our reader Kerem talked about the Turkish delight in Izmir. Draftexpress ran an interview of one part of the Big Three, former Boston College standout Sean Marshall.
• Last but not least, Ettore Messina wrote a new blog entry called “Last inTranslation”. His coaching philosophy ? It “is similar to a tailor who makes a suit for a customer”. Good stuff as usual !