March 2011 42
Bits, bites and videos going into Euroleague playoff games three
Tonight: Which Euroleague teams will be bounced to end their 2010-11 bid? And which will force a game five? A few bits, bites and videos’ worth of notes on tonight’s games below the break from BallinEurope via a buncha other sources – many of which are not actually named “YouTube.” Plus, of course, those patented […]
Pau Gasol’s Facebook page: 2 million served
Have you “liked” Pau Gasol’s Facebook page today? If so, you’re now one of the Laker big man’s two million-plus fans on the social network site. Pau delivered the 20-second, locker-room shoutout to his virtual horde on – where else? – YouTube posted below. Gasol today ranks 871st on the “Facebook Pages Leaderboard,” just ahead […]
Outside the comfort zone: An interview with John Staudt, Europe’s youngest top-division coach
As a teacher in an inner-city New York high school, John Staudt taught the values of pursuing a dream, even if one must go well outside one’s comfort zone. The 28-year-old recently personally got to opportunity to put both such ideals to the test with the Aalborg Vikings of Denmark’s Ligaen. That’s right: BiE said […]
Ricky Rubio: An object of faith
Of all the European players who have come down the NBA Draft pike, none – no, not even Darko – has been as polarizing as one Ricard “Ricky” Rubio Vives. And why such derision on both sides of the Ricky Rubio question? Since when has anyone outside the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area cared so damn […]
All-Euroleague Team 2010-11: BallinEurope’s ballot
Beyond checking out the wild Menorca-Caja Laboral Baskonia game yesterday, BiE spent a good deal of time this weekend contemplating an empty 2010-11 All-Euroleague team ballot. The EL folks sure don’t make things easy for the voter, providing 60 names are allowing one to vote for just five – not that anyone would ever think […]
Sunday viewing: The week in basketball videos online
What else are you doing on this Sunday (BiE means between this afternoon’s ACB games and tonight’s domestic league action, that is)…? Check out a few videos posted to the ‘net this week, courtesy (mostly) of YouTube and BallinEurope…
Unicaja vs. Real + hysterical play-by-play × dance remix = Greatest YouTube video of all-time?
Okay, okay, BiE knows he awarded the lofty title of “Greatest Basketball YouTube Ever” last year to something completely different, but we may have a new contender. How can you deny the greatness of a video that takes the infamous (and virally spreading) color commentary to the recent ACB match between Unicaja Malaga and Real […]
Kentucky’s Josh Harrellson plays Enes Kanter for a day
A brief note from University of Kentucky basketball land and an interesting trick from coach John Calipari’s tactical bag: At practice, the Wildcat coach “instructed the team to call Kentucky’s lone senior Josh Harrellson ‘Enes Kanter’ for last night and all day” in the leadup to the Kentucy-Ohio State NCAA tournament game on Friday night. […]
Elitzur Ramla 61, Arras 53: Israel’s first-ever European women’s champion crowned
Slightly belated congratulations from BallinEurope go out to the women of Elitzur Ramla for their recent coronation as 2011 FIBA Eurocup Women champions by dint of a 61-53 victory over Arras Pays d’Artois in France. In the match, second leg in the two-game playoff format, Elitzur dug themselves an eight-point hole early but stormed back […]
Sabonis on expansion into Europe: “It depends on the NBA”
Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis recently gave a brief interview to Erildis Budraitis of Balsas.lt – later picked up by the official website of Žalgiris Kaunas – in which the big man reminisces about life in the NBA and speculates on the presently American league’s future a bit. A few interpreted excerpts follow. Balsas: Do you […]
On the map, in the news: Maccabi Tel Aviv legend Tal Brody
One old-timer’s name popping up in the news lately is former Maccabi Tel Aviv/Team USA great Tal Brody. Actually, to define Brody as “great” in his years with Maccabi is overwhelming understatement, as the man’s career has weaved a thread through the club’s and, to an arguable extent (and o, it will be argued; see […]
Remember this name, NBA Draftniks: Nikola Mirotic
Despite his impressive performance at the FIBA U20 European Championship and a nice 14-point seven-rebound performance in the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit game, Nikola Mirotic hasn’t fully captured the imagination of international basketball media types until just about three months ago with Real Madrid. In was in week 13 of the ACB when then coach-Ettore […]