How can Europeans beat Americans in basketball

[Yakov]

How in the hell does this happen. I thought you people thought basketball was a stupid game and you people would rather play soccer (football). Is i bet you guys point shave and do all those other nasty stuff to beat the United states of America

(sorry if you found this offendeing in some way)

[Carach]

England invented football, cricket and rugby..how often do u see us winning world cups and so forth (we won rugby a few years back, then went crap.., won cricket last year then went dodgey again, and we have gotten close so many times in world cup which tbh i think we always get cheated out of - last world cup was a cheatathon not a world cup..)

basically. **** happens.

[Hansa]

Well, I have no idea. Football is apart from in a few small countries (Lithuania for instance),much bigger than Basketball in Europe. Basketball isn't that big, though its popularity varies across the continent. Its way bigger in the USA, so I can't understand why Europeans are doing so well in it.

[Ghoulem]

Vikings loves the basketball. We taught it to the Native Americans you see. James Naismith just stole it from the Natives (He wasn't satisfied with only taking their land). Originally played with severed heads and wicker baskets placed in the top of two trees. Usually the players would be equipped with stilts and axes.

Ah, yes. Good ol' norse basketball.

I love basketball and was actually pretty decent at it too. There was even talk of a team once, but we were too few.
By that time everyone played soccer and handball, so parents were pretty pumped for cash already. Basketball was still a popular game in the schoolyard and P.E. though. And I'd choose basketball over soccer anytime.

[Mr Tuna]

Or Europeans are just better In everything whe do.



But seriously I have no Idea.

[.Shadows.]

How in the hell does this happen. I thought you people thought basketball was a stupid game and you people would rather play soccer (football). Is i bet you guys point shave and do all those other nasty stuff to beat the United states of America

(sorry if you found this offendeing in some way)

*yawn*

I think we got the orange ball in the elevated ring a few more times then America, it happens.

Point shave?

[Silver Guard]

It may due to the fact Europe has a far larger population then the US overall so has a wider area of expertise in most areas to draw upon, resulting in things like the recent ryder cup victory. A united Europe has far stronger manpower then the US

[Carach]

It may due to the fact Europe has a far larger population then the US overall so has a wider area of expertise in most areas to draw upon, resulting in things like the recent ryder cup victory. A united Europe has far stronger manpower then the US

individual countries, europe isnt one big one.

and like people said, basketball is an insignificant sport in europe, not many bother playing it to a professional level.

[Erik]

How in the hell does this happen.

What happened exactly?
Was there a world championship or something? (I don't watch basketball)

I thought you people thought basketball was a stupid game

No, that's baseball (and "full-body-armor egg-hands").

Basketball is fairly popular here.
We have basketball courts all over the country, both indoors and outdoors, and I think it's like that all over Europe.

In a way it's surprising we don't beat America more often.

It may due to the fact Europe has a far larger population then the US overall so has a wider area of expertise in most areas to draw upon, resulting in things like the recent ryder cup victory. A united Europe has far stronger manpower then the US

But Europe isn't united (and never will be).

[Carach]

more often? america already gets beaten around with a giant fish when it comes to basketball... lol.

dont worry america! you still got the world(lol?) series baseball and the super bowl... for all thats worth.. rofl...(dont take it offensively guys! its a joke..)

[LoZz]

i take it yakov's rant is due to some EU team beating some USA team?

[Sammur-amat]

I thought you people thought basketball was a stupid game and you people would rather play soccer (football).

"You" stands for ..? :hmmm:

[Garbarsardar]

Last World Championship IIRC, Greece gave them a good show ( 101 - 95)...and before that Argentina, oh and Serbia had its way with them people a couple of times...

So what's new?

NBA has the most spectacular game in the world but when it comes to teamwork US is just amongst the great national teams, judging by the results since NBAers were allowed in FIBA world championship...

You can see more here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIBA_World_Championship

[Bwaho]

it's usually eastern europeans that play good basketball. It's almost like there's a basketball belt stretching from greece to estonia.

[Soulghast]

Well,Greece defeated America in the world cup.

[Carach]

Well,Greece defeated America in the world cup.

Lithuania in the olympics (against that 'allstar' team - yes the americans have allstars every time)

[JP226]

most if not all our players could really give a rats ass about the world stage and basket ball. I'd like to see team greece play a real basketball team like the spurs or the heat, it'd be no contest.

[Niles Crane]

While feigning their dislike for basketball they were holding secret practice matches.

[crazyhorse]

The main problem is that we put out an All-Star team that has absolutely no idea how to play as a unit. They're picked from all different teams with all different types of play and coaching strategies and given about a month to get their act together. The European teams play together for years and therefore have an edge. I second the fact that if European teams had to play an NBA team that has a good sense of teamwork they would likely lose. But I've got to hand it to the European teams, they've improved drastically since the early 90's and are producing world class athletes in a sport that was traditionally American.

[Carach]

most if not all our players could really give a rats ass about the world stage and basket ball. I'd like to see team greece play a real basketball team like the spurs or the heat, it'd be no contest.

of course

Players who get paid too much = bad. (saw that with the england team at football in world cup)