Author Topic: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread  (Read 6861 times)

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Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #15 on: August 03, 2008, 12:25:48 AM »

Offline timepiece33

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Like it or not, there is financial incentive going over to Europe and it is a fabulous experience. 

Speaking as someone who has worked in Europe, Tokyo, Canada, and Latin America as an expatriate, I can understand the reason why a Josh Childress would like to move over there.

Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #16 on: August 03, 2008, 12:45:04 AM »

Offline EJPLAYA

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I think this is exactly what Stern wants to see, so that these foreign teams can get enough talent and competition to start joining the NBA. We've got Toronto. Why not a Greek, Italian, German, even Chinese team, etc...?! This will translate into ridiculous revenue for the NBA. Hello global league! (WBA maybe, GBA, ...?!)

Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2008, 02:56:21 AM »

Offline Galiza Ceive

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Basketball is a major sport in just a few European countries (namely Lithuania, Greece, Serbia, Croatia), none of them having a powerful economy. In other countries such as Spain or Italy, basketball is relevant but football (what you call soccer) gets 90/100 of the media attention (and therefore the money).
The major European economies (Germany, United Kingdom and France)barely pay any attention to basket and have no relvant teams in their leagues.
So dont worry, Mr All-American, Lebron and other stars will no be playing in Europe any soon unless one crazy owner wants to spend his/her € in such a bad business. You will continue having the superior basketball league, among other things because Europeans rather prefer to watch Cristiano Ronaldo or Messi play than Kobe or Lebron.

Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2008, 04:31:17 AM »

Offline ACF

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I think the bigger issue here is that the world -- not just the NBA -- is changing in ways we can't necessarily predict as we are in the midst of an unprecendented phase of human existence.  When I was in college, the only way to call home was to call collect on the single pay-phone in the dorm.  We used actual typewriters, had no e-mail, no internet, no computers, no cell phones, cordless phones, or even pushbutton dials, no CDs, no VCRs, no DVDs, no cable tv -- heck, we had one TV in the whole dorm -- and it got 3 stations.  And this -- sorry to say -- was not 'the olden days' -- only 30 years ago.   I still consider myself a young person.

I bring this up only because no one would have predicted the changes in the world over the last 100 years (never mind just the last 20), and global communications and travel are so differnt now  -- we are headed into an era that has the potential to blur the lines of cultural and territorial boundaries that have existed for centuries (hopefully this will eventually mean greater peace than is currently the case).  The NBA began in the USA, but basketball is a global sport now and with wealth spread across the planet and communications and travel so easy, Americans choosing life in Europe, South America, Asia, etc, does not seem nearly as far-fetched or radical as it seemed not so long ago.

Frankly, I am excited to see what becomes of the world (if not a bit anxious as well), and the NBA is only a tiny piece of the big picture.   America is a great country with great people, but we are also part of a bigger community now and can choose to share ourselves with the world or try to hold desperately onto what we believe is 'ours'.  With caution, I think the world will contiue to get smaller as the saying goes and I think this is possibly a good thing for mankind in the long run. Sorry to make a bigger issue out of this, but I do think that the phenomenon of NBA calibur players going world-wide is an inevitable and positive move and is reflective of an evolution of sorts stemming largely from  the skyrocketing growth in communications and travel technolgical in the world in which we all live.  Josh Childress could be viewed as a pioneer or traitor (I say with marked overstatement) -- I prefer to see him as the former.

That's a TP.

As far as this thread goes
I'd rather be a "Neurotic Guy"
than a "screwedupmaniac"  ;)
No offense, it's just plain
silly. "Steal"? Hmmmm...
Like Shots said, it's a free
market and why deny a guy like
Childress the opportunity to
experience Europe for a few years?

Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #19 on: August 03, 2008, 07:33:27 AM »

Offline asterix

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I have to say that this thread actualy angers me slightly, being from europe and being a proud member of this blog, i cannot understand why this kind of european bashing is allowed on here.

I understand its an importent topic, but whats been said by a certain person has in my opinon gone beyond that to allmost racial hatred (i know europe is not a race, but i cant find a more fitting word) or the thread being political.

That on one hand you are allright with europen/asian/south american players comming to the NBA but not allright with american players moving to other leagues i find.. perplexing to say the least.
And that you justify it by saying the players moving to the NBA are doing so because they chase a dream and the ones moving away are doing it for the money is also very odd way of taking a stab at people playing in europe for being somehow less worth as human beings.

That you continue this trend by implying that the european teams are only allowed to aim at certain non american players, i again find to be such an extrme case of double moraility that its allmost sickening to read.

I personaly dont find any problem with Josh going to the euroleague, i dont watch the league, never have and even if lebron should go to the euroleague i never will. But i find it funny that your allmost describing a seperation to an "all american" vs "all european" league by implying the euroleague should not be allowed to spend money on anyone else but people from outside the US, it seems like ive taken a time machine back to the 1920/1930's and watched one of the all black baseball leagues.. whats being hated on might have changed but i thought we as human beings were past such non sensible things, as hating just for the sake of hating something.

./end rant

edit: my point is, that i dont have a problem with feeling sad about seeing a guy like josh leave a league your watching, what i do have a problem with, is the fact the OP is ignoring the fact the problem isnt the euroleague, its how the NBA is run.. and continues to do small stabs at everything living outside the US boarders. In my mind its hate, at the very core of it and should not have any place on this blog or modern society
I fully agree. Is good basketball only allowed in the NBA? I think the moderators should say something about this.

Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #20 on: August 03, 2008, 07:41:53 AM »

Offline boscel33

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C'mon, tired of seeing our players go over seas?  What about the oversees players coming here?

This is been going on for years and it's not a big deal.  The C's lost a player, Brian Shaw, to overseas back in the 80's.  I would think, just like you and I, it's the duty of the ball player to make as much money in his job as he can.  If going over seas gets it done, so be it.  If they can get what they feel they are worth, then good luck to them. 
"There's sharks and minnows in this world. If you don't know which you are, you ain't a shark."

Re: The "Tired of Watching Teams Overseas Steal Our Players" Thread
« Reply #21 on: August 03, 2008, 07:23:48 PM »

Offline guava_wrench

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I originally though the OP was a tongue-in-cheek, but his follow up post seemed to be serious.

If you are working at Google in a high level position, and a start-up offers you a higher position with double the salary, would you take the job offer and move to a less prestigious company?

You are talking about the livelihoods of these players. Why should Childress go to a booming city with history for much more money, and with taxes covered and housing included? Most players aren't from the cities they play in. Who knows - in a few years we might see him on the Olympic team for another country. This is a great opportunity for him.

If he would have returned to the NBA, he wasn't going to be an all star and he wasn't going to win a championship with the Hawks, so why not take a year or two to get a lot of money tax free?

It is time to face reality. Basketball is too appealing to expect it to remain ignored by other countries. Baseball is sufficiently boring and football sufficiently confusing for other countries to ignore these sports. Basketball is simple and exciting, and is loved throughout the world. Other leagues will continue to become more and more profitable, and we may eventually see the kind of movement we see in soccer.

Why should we even expect cities like charlotte, atlanta, or milwaukee to complete financially with Moscow long term?