NBA Twilight Zone

nedjelja, 22.07.2007.

SELCE, ADRIATIC: Pripreme za EP, III dan...HOUSTON: Steve Francis(hise) is back!!!

SELCE, CROATIAN ADRIATIC...


Dobar dan, jeste li uhvatili hladovinu??

Nakon što smo uspješno dovršili višednevno obiteljsko preslagivanje trash-talking kockica koje su se pod teretom vremena postali pravi pravcati trash-talking blokovi, ne mogu biti spremniji za sutrašnje putovanje u mjestašce gdje se za EP priprema naša reprezentacija u naj-hrvatskijem od svih ekipnih sportova, neću sada prebrojavati odličja...



TOP 10 SUMMER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS...


Čak je i doktor ozljeđenog nogometaša Vedrana Ćorluke dio ljetnog košarkaškog folklora iskoristio da bolje medijski obogati svoju izjavu:

Još niti ne znam gdje su naši odsjeli (10 min. od centra Selca), ne znam s kime ću razgovarati i koga ću slikati/snimati, ali znam da ću biti on the face of the place zahvaljujući dobrodušnosti i susretljivosti vlastite žene Marije i kćeri Klare.



BULLS vs. PISTONS 1984-85: ROOKIE JORDAN SAVES THE DAY...


Selce, here We come for 10 days!!! Prijedlozi za odmor ako još niste krenuli: SKUPLJI JEFTINIJI

Novac Bogatima, Vrijeme Siromašnima!!!


Muraya
NBA.BLOG.HR

subota, 21.07.2007.

SUDAC BROJ 21: Tim Donaghy napravio tri sekunde u reketu Las Vegasa...

UNDER FBI INVESTIGATION: TIM DONAGHY, NBA REFEREE


The real Tim Donaghy?


Over dinner conversations, Frank Capece would warn his friend, Tim Donaghy, to slow down on the spending and ease back on his lavish lifestyle. Donaghy had a house off a country club in suburban Philadelphia and treated himself to a fancy new BMW, and Capece, a New Jersey attorney, implored the NBA official to consider what it would someday cost to send his daughters to college.

"I would scold him about those tuition bills coming and the necessity to save money, and he kind of glossed over it," Capece said Friday afternoon. "I would get angry with him, angry like a friend does. The car, the house next to the golf course, it was all big bucks – even for an NBA ref. He really desired some of the better things in life.

"I don't think he was listening to my lectures."

A longtime courtside season ticket holder for the New Jersey Nets, Capece had developed an improbable friendship with Donaghy through years of game nights at the Meadowlands. Before Nets home games, they would grab dinner at a Bennigan's near the Northern Jersey arena. Sometimes, Donaghy would call him before working a New York Knicks game and they would meet in Manhattan for a meal.

Capece considered Donaghy a friend, and insisted, "To say that he knew where to find a mobster, or make a bet, I find it very, very difficult to believe. I'm stunned."

"I mean, this guy was the quintessential yuppie," Capece added. "It doesn't jive. Something is missing here to me."

So, this yuppie, the son of a college basketball official, is suddenly the center of the biggest scandal in NBA history. Tim Donaghy, 40, is under federal investigation for allegedly betting on NBA games and possibly with organized crime figures to control point spreads of those games they had wagered on together.

As the story goes, law enforcement sources are saying, Donaghy had accrued gambling debts when mob associates strong-armed him into cooperating with a game-fixing scheme. A New York grand jury could bring charges within two weeks.



As one NBA elder said Friday, "This is as major as anything we've ever faced as a league. The integrity of our sport is at stake here."

Privately, NBA officials wish they could've seen a pattern within Donaghy's officiating to suggest that he could've been shaving points, but that hasn't been apparent to the naked eye. He has consistently been graded as one of the league's better officials, which is the reason he was assigned to five playoff games in the past two years.

NBA officials, sources said, are painstakingly studying tapes from the past two seasons under FBI suspicion (2005-06 and 2006-07). It is believed that more than a dozen games could've been deliberately affected by Donaghy's calls, games where he and the mob associates had bet thousands of dollars on the point spreads.







The fact that his performance reviews hadn't suffered these past two years reminded the league office how the manipulating of a game can be done in the most subtle of ways, without alarming even the most educated eyes.

"Remember," one league official said Friday, "the officials are graded nightly on the calls that they don't make, not just the ones they do."

This isn't the first time Donaghy has come under investigation within the NBA. Two years ago, a dispute with neighbors Peter and Lisa Mansueto in suburban Philadelphia caused the couple to contact the league office about Donaghy. Capece called it "a dispute over a tree," but the Mansuetos sued him for harassment.



Capece says he counseled Donaghy on the matter, and remembers that, "He was very concerned over NBA security becoming involved in it. He cared very much about his reputation. After all of that, he moved to (Bradenton) Florida."

Within the league, that reputation was originally tarnished with his handling of the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons brawl at the Palace of Auburn Hills in November 2004. Along with his refereeing partners that night, Donaghy was criticized for letting the infamous game get out of control and turn into one of the darkest days in NBA history. A year earlier, Donaghy was threatened by Rasheed Wallace outside the Rose Garden arena in Portland in 2003, a loading dock incident that cost Wallace a seven-game suspension.

"A solid ref," one NBA general manger said Friday. "Some better, a few worse. But he would show you a temper now and then."

If Donaghy was considered a competent official, several sources described him as fairly unpopular with his peers, past and present. He was raised the son of a college referee and came out of Cardinal O'Hara High School in the Philadelphia suburb of Springfield that produced four NBA officials through the years. From his Philly basketball roots to his peers in the NBA, Donaghy isn't described with much affection.



Now, suddenly, an anonymous 5-foot-8 referee figures to make himself one of the most infamous characters in NBA history.

"The picture isn't straight," his buddy Capece said. "I'm so perplexed by this. I mean, don't get the idea this guy was Leroy Brown with a big diamond on his finger, but he clearly enjoyed the finer things in life.

"Still, this, though? No. No way. I just don't see it."

Whatever he was chasing, whatever he so desperately wanted, his life is a shambles. And now, Tim Donaghy threatens to bring down the NBA with him.


Adrian Wojnarowski
Yahoo! Sports

petak, 20.07.2007.

PARIS, OCTOBER 1997: Michael Jordan at McDonald's Open Final...

JORDAN @ McDONALDS OPEN...


I think this footage is somewhat rare. In October 1997, Bulls went to Paris to compete in McDonald's Open which featured some of the best clubs from all over the world. The other teams competing were Paris St Germain, the champions of France, Olympiakos of Greece, the European champions, Atenas de Cordoba, the South American champions, Barcelona and Benetton, champions of Spain and Italy, respectively.

Jordan playing in Europe was a gigantic event. More than one thousand journalists came from all over the world to witness the tournament. France-Noir, a daily French newspaper, wrote "Michael Jordan is in Paris. That's better than the Pope. It's God in person."

Pippen was injured and Rodman was ill, thus they were absent. In the semifinals Bulls beat Paris St. Germain 89-82 in a quite close game. Kukoc was 0-7, Harper 1-9, Kerr 2-7. Jordan finished with 28pts on 11/23 with 6 assists. Longley and Scott Burrell had also good performances.

On the other semifinal matchup Olympiakos beat Atenas de Cordoba in the final possession. So the Bulls and Olympiakos met in the finals. This time Bulls were more focused and since it was a 20-25 point blowout early in the fourth quarter Jordan only played for 29 minutes and finished with a game-high 27 points. (if anyone's interested I have the boxscores for both Bulls games. )

The camerawork was great in this game. The commentary wasn't English.


Here are the complete results in the tournament. (Bulls entered from the semifinals).

10/16/97
Atenas de Cordoba 87 -- Benetton Treviso 78
PSG Racing 97 -- FC Barcelona 84

10/17/97 (semifinals)
Olympiakos 89 - Atenas de Cordoba 86
Chicago Bulls 89 -- PSG Racing 82

10/18/97 (final and classification)
Benetton Treviso 106 -- FC Barcelona 103
Atenas de Cordoba 88 -- PSG Racing 78
Chicago Bulls 104 -- Olympiakos 78


STARKS23
YOUTUBE.COM

četvrtak, 19.07.2007.

DECEMBER 21, 1990: Bulls vs. Lakers, Jordan 33/15/9, Magic 18/9/14...

CLASSIC MATCH-UP: JORDAN vs. MAGIC...


Here's a well-known fact:
Both Vince Carter and Jason Kidd had triple doubles in the same game on April 8, 2007. The last teammates to achieve this rare feat were Jordan and Pippen in January 1989.

Both of these were overtime games.

Here's a not well-known fact:
In a game in December 1990, not two but three players were literally on the brink of a triple double.

Jordan: 33pts, 15rbs, 9asts, 2stls, 1blk

Magic: 18pts, 9rbs, 14asts

Pippen: 28pts, 11rbs, 9asts, 3stls

Yes, no actual triples doubles there but they're as close as they can get. And since this wasn't even an overtime game, one could argue this is as good as those games, possibly even better because of the third player.

Besides, it's really a great game full of amazing assists, drives, offensive rebounds, steals, hustle plays and so on.

Jordan not only have some amazing assists but he also goes crazy on the boards. In his career, he has 8 regular-season games with 15+ rebounds and this is one of them. 8 of his 15 rebounds are offensive, Lakers as a team has 10 off. rebounds.

As for the game itself, it's a pretty close game until the last 4-5 minutes. Then the Bulls tightens the defense and Lakers finish without a point in the last 4 minutes. Jordan scores 11 of his points in the 4th, including the Bulls' last 7 points.

This is also Magic's last regular season game in Chicago before announcing his retirement in 1991.

I'd like to see an English version some day. Until then, here it is.

Enjoy...


STARKS23
YOUTUBE.COM

srijeda, 18.07.2007.

NOVEMBER 28, 1981: Jordan's First College Game - North Carolina vs. Kansas...

FRESHMAN JORDAN IN ACTION...


This is how it all started. North Carolina vs. Kansas. The first ever college game of "Mike Jordan".

Jordan picked two quick fouls at the beginning, so he had to sit for some time in the first half. The replays were quite rare but I included all of them along with announcers' comments on Jordan and a couple of James Worthy plays.




Jordan scored 12 points on 5-10 shooting. For the most part, his shots were jumpers under Dean Smith's famous four corners offense. He missed his first shot which was eerily similar to the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Final game. He made his next three.

The end of the game is especially interesting. Announcers were talking about Kansas fouling Jordan because of his inexperience and they did. Even though it was his first trip to the line in the game, he managed to sink both of them under pressure.

Enjoy.

STARKS23
YOUTUBE.COM

utorak, 17.07.2007.

JANUARY 8, 1987: Bulls vs. Blazers, Jordan 53 points...

JANUARY 8, 1987: BULLS vs. T-BLAZERS...


86-87 Blazers were an incredible offensive team. Led by Kiki Vandeweghe and Clyde Drexler, a total of seven players averaged in double figures in scoring that year. (This is probably an NBA record shared with the Showtime Lakers and maybe some other teams. But since I didn't have a chance to look it up I can't say I'm 100% sure). Considering the Bulls roster that year it was almost a necessity for Jordan to have a high scoring game in order for Chicago to have a chance.

Playing partly on small forward, Jordan started the game with ultra-high intensity. With jumpers and drives he first got Drexler into foul trouble, then Jerome Kersey. Finished with 53 points on 20-34 (59%) shooting. Also assisted big baskets at the end and came up with a clean block to seal the game in the crunch even though a bogus foul was called. 53 was his regular season-career high at that time.

There was a small problem in the original broadcast and that is at the beginning of the second half, the announcers faced a technical problem and it was fixed halfway through the 4th quarter. So, in that period there's no commentary but everything is pretty obvious, so it shouldn't be a major problem I think.

Enjoy.

STARKS23
YOUTUBE.COM

ponedjeljak, 16.07.2007.

JANUARY 12, 1984: North Carolina at Maryland, Jordan vs. Bias...

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING GAMES OF 80-TIES...


This was a vintage N. Carolina - Maryland matchup featuring players like Jordan, Len Bias, Sam Perkins, Kenny Smith, Brad Daugherty and more.

Sophomore Bias had a great first half scoring 16 points. Finished with 24pts and 4rbs. (24pts was his career-high at that time). Perkins was with 26/12.

Junior Jordan scored 21 and he was a monster on the boards with 12 rbds (7 off). He also had 2 blocks and at least 4 steals that I put in the video but could be even more.

He came up with all the big points, rebounds and the steal at the end of the game. And of course, he has his famous dunk at the buzzer. There were also 2-3 questionable calls on Jordan plays which I also included.

STARKS23
YOUTUBE.COM

nedjelja, 15.07.2007.

MADE IN CROATIA: Tracy McGrady Prelude...

MADE IN CROATIA: TRACY McGRADY PRELUDE...


Evo moj prvi video...ništa special...Tracy u glavnoj ulozi...pa pogledajte.


Me and only me
WWW.BLOG.HR

subota, 14.07.2007.

REMEMBER THE NAME: Jamario Moon, Rookie, Toronto Raptors...

JAMARIO MOON STAIRS FROM ALBANY (CBA) TO TORONTO (NBA): I dok su se Netsi bavili potpisivanjem svojeg Raptors-extaminatora, Colangelo & Gheraldini su se okrenuli prema nešto južnijem NY-susjedstvu, i u stilu prošlogodišnjeg dovođenja AParkera doveli potencijalnog VC-eliminatora.
Da se radi o ozbiljnoj prinovi potvrđuje i DVOGODIŠNJI ugovor, financial terms are not disclosed (nagađa se cca 430-450.000 US$ pre-tax), ali možete staviti ruku u vatru da će Jamario za 30 puta manje novaca godišnje barem pokušati natjerati VC-a da zaradi EACH & EVERY POINT vs. his former team...


TORONTO RAPTORS
SHOOT FOR THE MOON


Lost in the flurry of free agent signings on Wednesday, including Jason Kapono to the Toronto Raptors, could've been a reminder why Toronto's Bryan Colangelo is perhaps the best general manager in the league now.


Remember this name: Jamario Moon.

If you happened to stop into the Armory in Albany, New York, last year to witness coach Micheal Ray Richardson's act, you couldn't help but notice Moon, the rarest of sightings left in the decaying Continental Basketball Association – a true-to-life prospect.

Moon, who's 6-8, was the CBA's defensive player of the year and a first-team all-league choice. He went undrafted out of a Mississippi junior college in 2001, bounced around several leagues and finally found a believer in Colangelo. The Raptors held a mini-camp two weeks ago and signed him to a non-guaranteed two-year contract.

A heartbroken scout for another Eastern Conference team who watched Moon play in the CBA said, "Don't be shocked if that kid turns out to be a contributor for the Raptors."


Adrian Wojnarowski
Yahoo! Sports

petak, 13.07.2007.

ONE WEEK AGO: Starbury II presents Cuba AND1 XXXL to Div iz Pule...

FREE AGENTS - OFF THE MARKET: DIV IZ PULE & STARBURY II...



Che Guevara


Ernesto Rafael Guevara de la Serna (June 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, El Che or just Che was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary, political figure, and leader of Cuban and internationalist guerrillas.







As a young man studying medicine, Guevara traveled roughrough throughout South America, bringing him into direct contact with the impoverished conditions in which many people lived. His experiences and observations during these trips led him to the conclusion that the region's socio-economic inequalities could only be remedied by revolution, prompting him to intensify his study of Marxism and travel to Guatemala to learn about the reforms being implemented there by President Jacobo Arbenz Guzman.







While in Mexico in 1956, Guevara joined Fidel Castro's revolutionary 26th of July Movement, which seized power in Cuba in 1959. After serving in various important posts in the new government and writing a number of articles and books on the theory and practice of guerrilla warfare, Guevara left Cuba in 1965 with the intention of fomenting revolutions first in Congo-Kinshasa, and then in Bolivia, where he was captured in a military operation supported by the CIA and the U.S. Army Special Forces. Guevara was summarily executed by the Bolivian Army in the town of La Higuera near Vallegrande on October 9, 1967.







After his death, Guevara became an icon of socialist revolutionary movements and a key figure of modern pop culture worldwide. An Alberto Korda photo of him has received wide distribution and modification, appearing on t-shirts, protest banners, and in many other formats. The Maryland Institute College of Art called this picture "the most famous photograph in the world and a symbol of the 20th century."


WWW.WIKIPEDIA.COM

četvrtak, 12.07.2007.

TOP GUN ZG-HAKLERA: Crkva na Knežiji...

LEGENDE OSTAJU LEGENDE: MLADEN, KNEŽIJA...


Prošle godine je Šveđo na Knežiji incognito odigrao svoj posljednji europski pre-draft hakl..

Ove godine kod Crkve su viđeni Puljko (Cedevita), Milardović (ex-Zrinjevac), Ucović (Gorica), Kežman (Zrinjevac), Škrinjarić (Jastrebarsko), Blajić (Air Alert/HAKL)...

Prije koji dan totalno je "zagustilo" na glavnom košu, pa su dečki složili tri petorke i bacili hakl preko cijelog..














Photoes by Marijan Hlupić
KK Sveti Petar

utorak, 10.07.2007.

NEVER EDITED BEFORE: Jordan vs. Bird Trilogy...

ROOKIE JORDAN vs. LARRY BIRD, FEBRUARY 22nd, 1985..



The G.M. Rules


His stature as the sport's forever transcendent star – never mind his flawed history as a basketball executive –easily transformed Michael Jordan into the sport's most crudely judged executive. Around the league, people get a perverse pleasure when his decisions go awry, when he's humbled in a suit the way he never was in shorts.

Now, Jordan, the Charlotte Bobcats' part-owner and full emperor, has his executive legacy on the line. As it turned out, he was afforded the ability to trade the Bobcats' lottery pick for Golden State's Jason Richardson on draft day and, on Wednesday, re-sign burgeoning star Gerald Wallace.

As much as anything, this had hinged on owner Robert Johnson's willingness to stop treating Charlotte like a D-League franchise. He has had the league's lowest payroll and gutted the administrative staff and, ultimately, this summer promised to be an acid test for tenure.

Whatever minimal interest there's been in the NBA's return to Charlotte, staying on the cheap would've been a doomsday scenario for the franchise's future. Still, Jordan made a terrific draft-day deal for Richardson, because keeping North Carolina's Brandan Wright, or taking another teeny bopper, would've been crippling to the organization's credibility.

"In 10 years, maybe that's the wrong move," one Eastern Conference executive said, "but that's absolutely the right thing for Charlotte now. They couldn't add another young piece there, especially with a young coach (Sam Vincent) coming in."

Together, Wallace ($57 million) and Richardson ($51 million) give the Bobcats reason to believe that they're now playoff contenders in the East. They had to keep Matt Carroll, a shooter they developed, and did so for six years at $27 million. Bernie Bickerstaff did an underrated job constructing a formidable core through the expansion years, and now, Jordan gets the chance to make pro basketball relevant again in Charlotte.


MICHAEL JORDAN vs. LARRY BIRD 1988: 1988 was an incredible year for Michael Jordan. He won his first MVP, Defensive Player of the year, All Star MVP, the Slam Dunk Contest, his second straight scoring title and led the Bulls to 50 wins. But at that time the best team in the East was still Larry Bird's Boston Celtics. I've done something a little different this time. Instead of just showing Jordan's highlights, I've shown Birds as well because this was a classic shoot out.

"I thought we could've been a playoff team last year," Emeka Okafor told me recently from the NBA Players Association high school basketball camp. Now, management wants to talk to Okafor about a contract extension and the prospects of a trio with Wallace and Richardson has staying power. They're all in their mid-20's, all developing players.

They'd better hope that Jordan is still a developing executive, too. Drafting Kwame Brown with Washington's No. 1 pick six years ago, one of the worst picks ever, deserves to stain him forever. For Jordan, it was a window into how little preparation, how little research, went into his work. Drafting Adam Morrison was a lousy start to his ownership tenure a year ago (How in the world is he still on the Team USA trials roster?), but it's too early to declare him a bust.

Nevertheless, it appears Jordan's presence has, if nothing else, pressured Johnson into spending on his team. Jordan didn't want the embarrassment. Vincent could turn out to be the next Red Auerbach, but it was lost on no one that the Bobcats made him the lowest-paid coach in the league this summer. To be fair, Vincent has paid his dues what with several seasons in South Africa and Nigeria before returning to the States in the D-League and on Avery Johnson's Mavericks staff. Still, he was the kind of hire the Charlotte budget demanded the team make, a faceless assistant so thrilled to get the offer that he wouldn't haggle over his salary.


MICHAEL JORDAN 1988: 50 PTS vs. BOSTON CELTICS..

Jordan has surrounded himself with his usual cast of cronies, including Rod Higgins and Buzz Peterson. As much as competency, Jordan values loyalty around him. That's true with most league executives, but it wouldn't hurt him to have some original thinkers surrounding him. Nevertheless, Jordan was smart enough to keep Bickerstaff in the front office, even if he didn't want him as coach anymore.

For now, Michael Jordan has survived the scrutiny of the summer with something the Bobcats didn't have prior to his arrival: a playoff team. For Jordan's tattered front office legacy, it's a start.


Adrian Wojnarowski
Yahoo! Sports

ponedjeljak, 09.07.2007.

VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS: Rudy Gay DUNKS on Jianlian + Marco Bellineli DROPS 37 on Hornets...

DUNK OF THE MONTH: RUDY GAY ON YI JIANLIAN...


Više o pobjedi Kine nad summer-izdanjem finalista NBA, kao i sve ostalo vezano za ljetnu ligu u Las Vegasu možete pronaći OVDJE



BELLINELI HIGHLIGHTS - WARRIORS vs HORNETS: Gli Highilights di Marco Belinelli, nella sua prima partita all'NBA Summer League 2007. Per lui 37 punti con 14/20 dal campo di cui 5/7 da tre...


BTW, koliko se sjećam, jedan od rijetkih euro-ballera koji su uspjeli zaustaviti Bellinelija zvao se, i još se zove - Aleksandar Ugrinoski.


Youtube.com

nedjelja, 08.07.2007.

20 GODINA OD UNIVERZIJADE U ZAGREBU, KOŠARKAŠKOG ZLATA...

UNIVERZIJADA U ZAGREBU 1987. - KOŠARKAŠKI TURNIR..


Nažalost, snimku košarkaškog Finala Univerzijade u Zagrebu dobiti ću tek oko 19/7. Moj nepresušni video source je na zasluženom odmoru u Šibeniku..

Vrijedno je spomenuti koja su imena činila američku selekciju koja je u finalu uvjerljivo poražena od domaćina vođenog on-the-rise trenerskim tandemom Ivković & Drvarić, u netom dovršenom Ciboninom kompleksu..



VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE - T-BLAZERS vs. CELTICS: Greg Oden scores 4, makes 10 personal fouls in 20 minutes of action..


Dakle, dok sam se ja 12-godišnjak znojio brišući odbojkaške parkete na Mladosti, naši su studenti (bez navodnika) dominirali Turnirom i u Finalu savladali uvijek jaku američku studentsku selekciju u sljedećem sastavu:




B.J. ARMSTRONG, Iowa



Mark BRYANT, Seton Hall

Matt BULLARD, Colorado



Sean ELLIOT, Arizona



Danny FERRY, Duke

Billy KING, Duke

Eric LECKNER, Wyoming

Troy LEWIS, Purdue

Perry McDONALD, Georgetown



Mitch RICHMOND, Kansas State

Anthony TAYLOR, Oregon

Curtis WILSON, Ohio State


Kao što vidite, od navednih je jedino Mitch Richmond dogurao do All-star tekme (MVP, 1995.) & 2 nastupa na Olimpijskim igrama (Seoul 1988., Atlanta 1996.). Od ostalih su vrlo zapažene NBA karijere ostvarili B.J. Armstrong u Bullsima i Sean Elliot u Spursima. Danny Ferry je svoju 13-godišnju NBA karijeru proveo u relativnoj kibernaciji (7.0p/2.8s), makar je tih godina, rušeći studentske scoring rekorde, na svojem kontu imao mnoge usporedbe s legendarnim Larryem Birdom. Danas je GM LeBronovih Cavsa..



VEGAS SUMMER LEAGUE - SONICS vs. MAVS: Durant scores 18, shots just 5 out of 17. NAME TO REMEMBER SO FAR: BRANDON HEATH..




Billy King je dogurao najviše u hijerarhijskoj ljestvici NBA, te je danas kao Predsjednik & GM Philadelphia 76ersa, šef našem euro-scoutu Danku Cvjetičaninu..

Siguran sam da je te '87 na ZG-parketu Šef bio naš Danko..


Muraya
NBA.BLOG.HR

subota, 07.07.2007.

TONY PARKER & EVA LONGORIA WEDDING DAY...

EVINO SUDBONOSNO "DA" TONYU
Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Make It Legal


Eva Longoria and Tony Parker made it legal at Paris's city hall on Friday, with a big church wedding and lavish reception still to come.

The basketball star, 25, and the actress, 32, became man and wife at a civil ceremony – as required by French law – at the Mairie (city hall for the 4th Arrondissement) in Place Baudoyer, not far from Notre Dame.

"They are married. They were married here by the Mayor of Paris, Monsieur Bertrand Delanoë," a spokesperson for the 4th Arrondissement district confirms.

Delanoë told PEOPLE of the couple he'd just married, "Their international reputations cannot escape me – but for me they are just Eva and Tony – two young people, very appealing, who love each other and who are at a very important moment in their life."

Just before 4:30 p.m. Paris time, wedding guests filtered out of the building and entered limousines. A large, white floral bouquet was placed in the rear of the stretch limo. The crowd, which had swelled to about 1,000, cheered loudly.

Only a few friends and family members attended the low-key ceremony, pals confirm to PEOPLE.



MALO FRANCUSKOG NEĆE ŠKODITI: Tony Parker & Eva Longoria Wedding in Paris..


Earlier, Parker hosted a lunch for friends, who were ferried to the restaurant in three white stretch limos – including one Hummer – before returning to his hotel to dress for the ceremony.

Longoria and her family, meanwhile, visited the Chanel atelier for a final fitting. Clutching gift bags from the design house and wearing the Chanel ribbons and rosettes around their wrists, the group was then ferried to city hall, where hundreds of fans and dozens of reporters and photographers waited outside.

The bride's guests arrived in a Hummer with California plates around 2:45 p.m. Exactly four minutes later, Longoria stepped out of one of the other limos wearing a rose empire-waist minidress. (For the ceremony, she would wear a white tulle and sequin embroidered dress and tulle jacket by Chanel haute couture.)

She waved to cheering fans on her way into the building. The groom appeared just before 3, greeting officials amid a chorus of cheers and calls of "To-nee!"

With the civil service complete, the newlyweds will cement their union with a ceremony at the Church of Saint Germain l'Auxerriois on Saturday.

Invited guests – about 250 of them – include Desperate Housewives pals Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Nicollette Sheridan, James Denton, Ricardo Chavira and the show's creator Marc Cherry (Marcia Cross sent her regrets because she couldn't leave her twin babies).

Also expected are Parker's San Antonio Spurs teammates, coaches and friends, as well as Michael Douglas and wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jessica Alba and boyfriend Cash Warren.

Longoria and Parker got engaged in November and immediately made plans to have what her rep called a "big, happy ceremony with lots of family and friends" in Parker's native France.

Saturday's guests can look forward to a lavish reception at the Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte just outside Paris, where "the big color theme is red," says a source. "It's going to be a fairy-tale wedding."



PRIPREME: GLE ŠTO BLISTA!! DAJ MI I ONAJ KOMAD, TAMO DOLJE, LIJEVO. CIJENA?? PRAVA SITNICA..

Friday's ceremony capped off a week of partying, shopping and socializing, including a his-and-her bachelor party in St. Tropez. The newlyweds have been staying in an $11,000-a-night suite at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome hotel.

"Paris is such a romantic city," says a source close to the couple. "They are so excited to get married there."


Sara Hammel
People.com

petak, 06.07.2007.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH: David Stern feat. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls...

SOURCE: CNN.COM via TOMISLAV PAKRAC, MAGAZIN SUPERKOŠARKA



NEKA MURAYA MISLI ŠTO HOĆE, ALI ŠPORTSKA JAVNOST RAZMIŠLJA OVAKO:
Športaši trebaju dati Sve za Hrvatsku


Zadnjih dana stalno čitam o otkazima hrvatskih reprezentativaca, ili barem onih koji su to mogli bit da su htjeli...

Svi imaju svoja opravdanja - umor, neslaganje, NBA...

Sve su to shvatljivi izgovori i naravno da niti jedan kosarkaš na svijetu nije u stanju odigrati cijelu sezonu + reprezentaciju 100% spreman.

Ali, postavlja se pitanje shvaćaju li naši najbolji košarkaši reprezentaciju kao nagradu za dobre igre ili kao obavezu.

Vujčić je naveo niz razloga zbog svojeg neigranja...

Slažem se da tretman u reprezentaciji nije bio dobar (barem po njegovim riječima), ali igra li on za trenere i stručni stožer ili za sebe i Hrvatsku? Igra li možda za Brunu Kovačevića i HRT?



HRVATSKA 1992. vs. MAX BEARS CROATIA (5MIN/80MEGABAJTA): promakle su mi gotovo sve bolje akcije, sorry...


Mislim da bi Vujčić i ostali igrači koji su otkazali nastup trebali shvatiti da je igrati za reprezentaciju nagrada, šlag na torti jedne odlične sezone, i da bi se svaki igrač trebao time ponositi. Vujo spominje svojih 5 nastupa. Iz njegovih rečenica daje se naslutiti da se on brani i da ne želi ispasti kao negativac...

Ako tako loše misli o čelnicima hrvatske košarke, njega ne bi trebalo biti briga što oni misle o njemu...On bi se trebao odazvati na poziv i odraditi pripreme i turnir, jer bi to trebao učiniti zbog sebe, a ne zbog nekog drugog...

I ponovo reprezentacija dolazi u drugi plan, jer mu ona nije dovoljno pružila...

Treba li reprezentacija uopce pružiti košarkašu išta u profesionalnoj karijeri? Igrač treba pružati reprezentaciji, a ne obrnuto!

To je glavni problem, što od reprezentacije svi traže nekakvu korist, koja se prije nije tražila...

Stoga smatram da su postupci naših već više puta navedenih i prozivanih igrača neopravdani i da time samo pridonose propasti hrvatske košarke...


Petar Jelušić,
Rijeka, Croatia

četvrtak, 05.07.2007.

POTENTIAL COMEBACK @ 40??? Dino Rađa, Centar, Split...

DINO RAĐA MIX by ZVIZDO: ENJOY IT!!!


Say it ain't so Dino..

Nakon veteranskih ST & ZG egzibicija jednoglasna je ocjena i stručnjaka i publike da bi se prema prikazanome na parketu, aktivnom igranju mogao vratiti naš proslavljeni reprezentativni centar - Dino Rađa. Imaginarna Petorka Splita s Ayusom na playu (why not, ako ne dovedu FA Vladovića):

Naravno da je sve ovo za sada samo u mojoj mašti, iako vjerujem da Slobodan Subotić ne bi imao ništa protiv gore iznesenog scenarija i malo više veterean-presencea u svojoj mladoj & talentiranoj ekipi.

Nikola Vujčić sigurno ne bi imao ništa protiv da ponovno vidi svojeg mentora na djelu, kao niti potencijalni (mnogo)brojni navijači splitskih žutih..



Ako je mogao 40+ Jordan u Washingtonu, mogao bi i Rađa u Splitu, zar ne?? Da ne spominjem Rađinog suigrača "Chiefa" Parisha, koji je imao 40 kada se Dino iskrcao u Bostonu 1993...

...i obukao dres s brojem svojeg draft picka 1989.



NBA.BLOG.HR

srijeda, 04.07.2007.

INDEPENDENCE DAY: Billups produžio na 2 godine, Vladović Free Agent..

CHAUNCEY BILLUPS - MANY MEN WISH DEATH UPON ME


I created the mix on Pinnacle Studio, then used WMM to edit a few things.

The is by far my best mix. I timed every shot/lay up/dunk to the beat, the mix is very clean and I hope you all like it.

Comments Please.


PFortyy

utorak, 03.07.2007.

CRO BASKETBALL GOES RETRO, PART II: Generacija '92 Barcelona vs. "Max Bears Croatia"...

Saznajemo da karata uskoro više neće biti, osim za VIP seatings (100kn). Tko voli, nek' izvoli!

Možda neće biti nekog pretjeranog Skywalkinga, ali i jedan djelić demonstriranog u Splitu (PART1 & PART2) trebao bi biti dovoljan da zapali širo..visoke košarkaške mase.













Neslužbeno saznajemo da su čelnici HKS-a zainteresirani da odigraju utakmicu s pobjednikom ovog elitnog dvoboja. Samo se još ne zna u kojem sportu. Predlažemo Paintball!!

Živi bili pa vidjeli!!


NBA.BLOG.HR

ponedjeljak, 02.07.2007.

DAN SPORTSKIH NOVINARA: Bruno Kovačević održao lekciju Dezerterstvu...

BRUNO KOVAČEVIĆ & CRO-KOŠARKAŠKA REPKA: kada nema snijega, skijanja i skijašica, a nogometom vladaju huliganstvo i korupcija, košarci nenaklonjeni mediji su prisiljeni nedjeljni hljeb zaraditi (cheap) šutom s košarkaškog centra. Istog onog centra koji je prije 2 tjedna prigodom ključne utakmice finala domaćeg prvenstva na domaćoj TV bio pregažen Formulom 1. Naravno da odluke Vujčića i Giričeka nisu jednostrane i jednostavne, čak bi se usudio reći da su donesene za dobrobit svojih reprezentativnih kolega. Tko želi neka igra, tko ne želi neka ne igra, to je igračka demokracija, da slučajno ne presuši motivacija. Cjelina će uvijek biti veća nego zbroj djelova, pogotovo ako je trener Repeša, if you get my point..

MARKET WATCH
Top free agents


Three hundred and sixty five days away, there waits the most intriguing months of free agency in the history of the NBA. From Kevin Garnett to Gilbert Arenas to Shawn Marion to Paul Pierce to Jermaine O'Neal, a staggering list of the sport's stars are eligible to opt out of contracts and declare themselves free agents.

For this free agency cycle, which begins Sunday, there is a far more modest crop of candidates. While the top two players, Vince Carter and Chauncey Billups, have opted out of contracts, they are still expected to re-sign with the New Jersey Nets and Detroit Pistons, respectively. According to sources, the Nets are close to agreeing to a four-year, $60 million extension for Carter. Billups won't get a max-out deal with the Pistons, but he should count on a contract in the $10 million to $11 million a year range.

Without a lot of memorable signings on tap, this free agency cycle is more about facilitating blockbuster trades -- including the Minnesota Timberwolves' Garnett, the Indiana Pacers' O'Neal and the Phoenix Suns' Marion.

Here's a sprinkling of 10 free agents -- restricted and unrestricted -- who'll help shape the free agency period.

1. Rashard Lewis, Seattle SuperSonics (small forward, 27 years old, unrestricted). Ray Allen insists that Lewis probably won't want to stay now that he's been traded to the Boston Celtics, but the unloading of Allen's contract gives new general manager Sam Presti some flexibility with Lewis. Now, it's easier for the Sonics to take back a contract in a sign-and-trade deal for him. With cap space, the Orlando Magic is a serious contender to sign Lewis.

2. Gerald Wallace, Charlotte Bobcats (small forward, 24, unrestricted). Here is the test for Charlotte owner Bob Johnson: Is he willing to spend money to make the Bobcats elevate into Eastern Conference playoff contention? Michael Jordan and he keep saying so, but this is the test.



GERALD WALLACE G-FORCE MIX...


3. Darko Milicic, Orlando Magic (power forward, 22, restricted). Milicic's worth on the market will be interesting to gauge. Orlando would like to re-sign him, but it'll only go so far on matching an offer for him. If the Magic get into the game for Lewis, they'll have to make a hard choice on what Milicic is worth to them.

4. Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers (power forward, 24, restricted). If a team is willing to overpay for him (perhaps the Memphis Grizzlies with their cap space), there's a chance the cap-strapped Cavaliers will balk at matching an offer to keep him.

5. Grant Hill, Orlando Magic (small forward, 34, unrestricted). Hill keeps saying that staying with the Magic is still a priority for him, but increasingly around the league there's a belief that he'll leave to chase a championship contender. The Suns are hot on his case, and the Pistons and San Antonio Spurs are expected to be strong suitors, too.

6. Mo Williams, Milwaukee Bucks (point guard, 24, unrestricted). The Bucks are determined to re-sign him, but Williams could turn out to be the best point guard prospect on market. This could be an expensive proposition for the Bucks, who can't afford to lose a burgeoning young talent that they developed.

7. Andres Nocioni, Chicago Bulls (small forward, 27, restricted). He's a Scott Skiles and fan favorite in Chicago, but a poor postseason didn't help his value. He plays relentlessly, and his offensive skills are often under-valued. He'll probably re-sign with Bulls, but he'll be pursued hard.

8. Luke Walton, Los Angeles Lakers (small forward, 27, unrestricted). Walton has long been perfect for Phil Jackson's triangle offense, but his value in sign-and-trade scenarios will be tempting to the Lakers. He's a SoCal kid, and his preference is to stay in L.A.

9. Jason Kapono, Miami Heat (shooting guard-small forward, 26, unrestricted). Kapono turned into one of the league's most accurate three-point shooters last season and proved he could make shots even with Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade off the floor. The Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets are possible spots, but the Heat will work hard to keep him.

10. Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards (power forward, 20, restricted). The Wizards believe Blatche, a preps-to-the-pros draft pick two years ago, is on the cusp of contributing on their front line. Other teams agree, and he could command a full mid-level exception.


Adrian Wojnarowski
Yahoo! Sports

nedjelja, 01.07.2007.

CANADA DAY: Nakon Jednoglasnosti u Vodicama, Vrijeme je za Višeglasnost...

Nakon jučerašnje jednoglasnosti, vrijeme je za Višeglasnost, jer bez nje nema Demokracije..

Uključeni su apsolutno svi raspoloživi uključujući i Gorana Vrbanca. Ako imate još kojeg trezvenog kandidata slobodno javite, anketa će potrajati iduća 2 mjeseca, i biti će konstantno dostupna na ovoj blog naslovnici.

Popis uključuje i neka ne-košarkaška imena, ali koja bi mogla najozbiljnije konkurirati za repku (Ivano Balić). Aha, nisam (još) uključio Antu Đapića i ministra Šukera..

Zbog tehničkih problema s anketom, moram notirati da su neki kandidati zaprimili subvencije u sljedećim rasponima: Andrić 24.3%, Bagarić 5,4%, Balić 9,3%, Banić 16,6%, Lalić 3,8%, Pašalić 4,5%, Petrović 3,5%, Stojić 4,5%, Tomas 1,9%, Vrsaljko 5,1% od 308 unaprijed raspoređenih glasova. Računati ćemo kasnije, poričem bilo kakvu povezanost s njihovim managerima.

Repešin popis je prilično čvrst, ali bez Stipčevića/Vrbanca/Rudeža/Stipanovića/Šundova, a ipak ćete se svi složiti da bi čak i ta petorka mogla reprezentativno zastupati Hrvatsku na EP u Španjolskoj...

Pozivam(o) Izbornika da naknadno proširi popis...


Muraya
NBA.BLOG.HR