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From the monthly archives:

August 2006

FIBA Observations

August 30, 2006

Saitama, Japan — Greetings on Day 10 of the FIBA World Championship (whew, only four more to go!). Things are now getting serious after a few weeks of watching blowouts and skipping around Nippon. It has become very clear that this tournament is all about three teams: USA, Spain and Argentina. I [...]

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The real competition

August 27, 2006

    Saitama, Japan — Now, I get it.  I spent long hours at the Saitama Super Arena the last few days watching the round of 16 in the FIBA World Championship.  It reminds me of the NCAA Tournament, non-stop games with small pockets of fans pulling for their team with their own special traditions [...]

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Leaving Sapporo

August 25, 2006

Tokyo — In harried comings and goings of life, there is rarely time for reflective thought unless it is peering into the past. But this morning as I rode in a stuffed train from downtown Sapporo, Japan, to the New Chitose Airport, I realized I was leaving a place I’ll never return to [...]

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Checking nationalism at the door

August 23, 2006

Sapporo, Japan — Journalists are trained to be coldly objective, a trait that sometimes can make it seem to fans like we actually are rooting against the teams we cover.  But it is a bit of a different challenge, and a new challenge for me, at an event like the FIBA World Championships.
Above all else, [...]

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Look out for Yi

August 20, 2006

Sapporo, Japan — It was a little bit of a ho hum night here, all expected the US to dominate China and they did, 121-90.  Also, LeBron’s postgame interview audio is available here.
Even with Yao, who isn’t in shape at all after being off since the spring after foot surgery, there was no way the [...]

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Bizzaro ball

August 19, 2006

Sapporo, Japan — There is a word I keep repeating to myself over an over as I encounter new things at these world championships…bizarre. It is just so different from what I am used to with the NBA and in so many unexpected ways. I can totally understand why it is challenging for [...]

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Greetings from the land of the rising sun

August 18, 2006

Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan — Konnichiwa.  First, it appears the Cavs are close to a deal with Scot Pollard. Also, I am told they are in talks to make a trade in the near future, but I don’t yet have the details.  My guess that one of the shooting guards will be offloaded perhaps for nothing [...]

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Wild Thing is fine

August 15, 2006

I’ve gotten several e-mails about a blip in an AP story today about a foot injury Anderson Varejao suffered in a game against France.  I’ve spoken with the Cavs, who have spoken with Andy from Korea and they report that it isn’t serious and he’ll just need a few days rest.  He is expected to [...]

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Gooden has a deal

August 14, 2006

I’ve spoken to people with the Cavs and in Gooden’s camp, there is a verbal agreement on a contract.  Not everything has been settled but things appear to be positive.  His agent Calvin Andrews told me the total package was for three years and $23 million fully guaranteed with no team or player options.
This came [...]

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Back in the USA…for now

August 8, 2006

Spokane, Wash. — Sorry for the absence, I’ve been bounding around Western Canada for the last week with two high school friends on a long-planned road trip.  Been in beautiful places like Vancouver, Revelstoke, Radium Hot Springs, Banff and Canmore.  Been offroading on an ATV, whitewater rafting, in a hail storm at the top of [...]

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