If you have read our post about words for Europeans, one guy would perfectly fit to be European: Chris Kaman! Just thinking about words like – hair, growing ..
Well, it looks like Chris Kaman actually is Euroean and thought about joining the German national team. I got this very interesting information from editor in chief of the German basketball magazine FIVE, Andre Voigt. We have seen Sven Simon around on BallinEurope a few times, who is also a basketball guru for FIVE magazine, but Sven is “out of action” lately. Sven, we hope your “reha” goes well and we will see you around soon! All the best!
So what is this “Chris Kaman being German” all about? Dean Walle from FIVE magazine talked to Chris and found out that his great grandparents are German! Chris actually thought about joining the German national team but as every person born in the US, he is not sure if he wants to “cheat” on his country.
Well Chris, take a look at J.R. Holden – he is even Russian now! Just imagine my German friends: Chris Kaman next to Dirk Nowitzki .. watch out world!
[...] Tobias wrote a fantastic post today on “Chris Kaman could be German”Here’s ONLY a quick extractIf you have read our post about words for Europeans, one guy would perfectly fit to be European: Chris Kaman! Just thinking about words like – hair, growing .. [...]
[...] Chris Kaman could be German If you have read our post about words for Europeans, one guy would perfectly fit to be European: Chris Kaman! Just thinking about words like – hair, growing .. [...]
This is the turning point of Kaman’s career…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFcinlrgojk
After this magical touch he got superpowers which made him NBA’s most improved player…
Sorry Chris you would be abandoning your country, you are right to feel that way. If you were born in America you are American. It doesn’t matter what country your parents or ancestors come from. Germany might be their country but it’s not yours. I know this because my great grandparents came over from Germany as well. I might have german blood in me but Germany is not my “home country”. Sorry but you shouldn’t be able to play for them unless you were born in Germany.
ok desert dawg, we feel your patriotism.
now go yell at mike piazza for playing on team italy in the wbc. while you’re at it, how about you bitch out luol deng for playing on the english national team even though he was “born” in sudan.
[...] 45 ans plus tard, c’est le tour de Chris Kaman, le pivot des Clippers. Lors d’une récente interview au magazine allemand Five, l’un des candidats au titre de MIP (17 pts – 14 rbds) a reconnu avoir de la famille (des arrière-grands parents) teutonne et être éligible à jouer pour la sélection nationale aux côtés de Wunderdirk. Kaman n’a toujours pas pris sa décision mais d’un coup, la Mannschaft pourrait faire mal à un paquet de teams au Tournoi Pré-Olympique et à Pékin. (Via BallinEurope) [...]
seems like an extreemly touchy subject even today, particularly regrading americans choosing to represent Germany.
[...] Ballineurope.com: Chris Kaman is German, T2 Hosley, Why the Euroleague is beautiful. Another amazing week in European basketball has gone by. For NBA fans, the most interesting story was probably the news about Clippers Center Chris Kaman announcing that he has German grandparents. [...]
[...] να καλέσει στην ομάδα τον Chris Kaman! Μετά από μια πρόσφατη συνέντευξη του ο Chris ανέφερε ότι ο προ-παππούς του ήταν Γερμανός. [...]
Chris Kaman is a loser. They should strip him of US citizenship immediately and send him packing. Saying he is German because his great grandparents were is like saying I am british because I have a ancestor that was a 11th century king. My dad was born in Bremen and I was born here. I definitely don’t consider myself German. Those socialist pigs can suck it. I hope Germany makes the Olympics because if they face the US team, they are going to get slaughtered.
Ryan–”The People’s Republic of California”
I cant believe this guy! What a disgrace as an american. This guy is an american and his parents are americans, yet hes gonna try to go german just to play in the olympics. What a disgrace. If this guy had the comprehension of an american, a true american he would realize that to be an olympiad is to represent YOUR country and people, not a different one so you can get on the world stage. To me you claim the country you would fight for and protect not what you grandparents and great…… would fight for. Some of our ancestors were nazis, but that dosnt make us germans. Michele Quan was and american who had Japanese ancestors but she was an american to heart because she american no matter what her family used to be. If we were to go to war WHO WOULD HE FIGHT FOR,AMERICA OR GERMANY? THINK ABOUT IT. Iman american and i feel personally insulted. Please respond and let me know how you feel.
In technical terms Chris Kaman is American… However, under Germany’s “Right of Return Policy” he is considered German. Kaman is simply proud of his German ancestry and wants to represent the nation of his forefathers. What is wrong with that? He has the chance to compete in the Olympics- who would pass up that opportunity? Many of you think that he is turning his back on America… in fact, Kaman is doing the exact opposite.. He is taking advantage of the freedom all Americans have, which is the right to choose whatever they want… Kaman is showing that he is a proud American who can still respect the land of his ancestors, which many Americans of European descent (excluding Italian-Americans) fail to do so. In other words, Kaman is demonstrating that “European” Americans can still be patriotic Americans, but also represent the lands of their ancestors.
The US doesn’t formally recognize dual citizenship. For instance, someone seeking citizenship in the US is first required to renunciate all prior allegiances and to swear an oath to the US. Now, in practice, of course, nothing is done to enforce the words of this oath and so you have all these people running around claiming to have dual citizenship. It’s like the law against tearing the label off a new mattress or pillow, never enforced. I think it says something about one’s sense of patriotism (or lack thereof) to apply for citizenship in another country just to play basketball. Kaman sucks.