Second, 21 August (day-off for all the teams of c and d' group and moments for preparation for confrontation with Australia) They was certain that Monday would be different from the two previous days. This is reasonable because today we did not have a match, but the occasion for preparation in view the difficult tasks ahead. You will remember that I said yesterday that if we lost to Lithuania, the things would be very difficult today and we would be consumed with trying to find what precisely was to blame for the defeat. We won, however and in particular with 20 missed free throws and 17 less something?, therefore you understand that this team finds ways to win even when it does not play at best level or when happen misfortunes. We woke up the morning, we made certain walks in the rooms of other players, we spoke little for the yesterday's fight with Lithuania, but mainly we tried we clean our brain in order so we can be prepared for confrontation with the Australians. Today, because of day-off, I thought of coming out for little in the shops. I wanted a digital photographic machine, but with so much heat I think not. It is not only the heat, because from what I hear and in Greece they have melted from heat, but the humidity that makes difficult the things. For this reason, the only thing that we have seen from the city is the ground and the hotel! Again it is good we have brought certain films from Athens and we watch in the dvd with Zissis. I am sincere we have bought one entire video club with us. Before match with Lithuania we saw a adventure, "Hunt for Red October" and we saw also the "6th sense", that I liked very much. As I hope this sixth sense helps us and also opposite helps for Australians, which have good team and fight all matches up to the end. Greece, however, is stronger and we have more solutions, consequently if we maintain concentration and if we play to the level that we know, we can go for three in three and then for the group champion. The team has now acquired mentality of victor! Generally... calm, therefore we continue also. Tomorrow after match I see you...
I can translate the other entries for those who are interested. Btw his email is spanoulis@sport24.gr and Stuart, if you wanted me to translate, you could have asked me at interbasket buddy Anyway, here are the other entries: Sunday, August 20 We really wanted to win. And when I say really, I mean really, really! All morning we were talking about Lithuania and from the atmosphere at the hotel you could tell how much we wanted to win. We had faith and confidence and our desire to win was obvious in the morning practice that we always have before a game. You could see it in all the guys' faces how much we wanted this crucial for the group standings game. If we had lost things would be bad. It wouldn't have been a disaster but if we lost we would be thinking about it for hours because we didn't have a game on Monday. We would be anxious and worried rather than happy and relaxed. We are all very good friends, which was the team's secret weapon last summer in Belgrad. Without emotional bonds between the players, it is impossible to play like a team. A team doesn't exist if it isn't really a team and we have proven we play like one and stand by eachother when things get tough. If that wasn't true, what we have been trying to do for some years now would have collapsed. The game vs. Lithuania was very difficult. We knew it, but we were confident that if we followed the game plan, we could make our record 2-0. The fact that we almost broke the baskets with all those missed free throw shots, but still won, shows that we can overcome any difficulties. In a big game you can miss 3s but still win. That can happen in the upcoming games. We shouldn't forget our defense though, that improved in the second half and allowed us to decrease the point deficit and control the game again. When I had the ball for the last free throws I was sure I wouldn't miss. I had such faith we wouldn't lose that the ball left my hands mechanically. I was very concentrated and knew there was no chance I would miss them. All the guys deserve congratulations for their incredible effort. Everyone must know that Lithuania is a very good team and not many teams would come back from a -10 in the second half and win. But we just wanted this win and we fought till the end. Tomorrow's a new day. Rest, music, some talking and relaxation. We need to reload our batteries for the rest of the WC that is equally difficult and remain concentrated on our mission. I hope people enjoyed the game but you should know that there's a long way ahead of us and we will have more results like these in the future. As long as we're healthy... Vasilis
Saturday, August 19 We have just put the first brick (what he means is that a win is like a brick and many bricks can build a house, something like that)! The game was harder than expected. Qatar is supposedly the weakest team in the group but in the WC everyone has ambitions and overcome themselves. And we know that very well and do it too. The fact that this was the first game, affected us. We were somewhat nervous, I would say lethargic, giving Qatar the chance to believe in themselves. But we couldn't lose this game. Not 1 in a million chances! We have learnt to win even when we don't play well. After the first quarter, you could see that we were very serious, we improved our defense, which is our main weapon, we stopped our opponents from penetrating, their outside shots and we tried to play with our brains at the offensive end to break down their defense. I don't think we overachieved to get this result. I can't say that we played too well but we reacted the right way and from the first game we keep the win and nothing more. Only results matter and we got what we wanted. Now we have to concentrate on Lithuania, a stronger and more experienced team. I don't know how the group will turn out but I wouldn't be surprised if this was the game that determines who wins first place. It's of course very early to think of that, since there are 4 more games, but that's the feeling I have. That the game vs. Lithuania is crucial and we should give everything we have. The good thing is that the first game is over and we have 1 win. In a WC that's all that matters. You saw what happened to Serbia. They lost to Nigeria, a team that on paper was weaker than Serbia. They had nothing to lose and they surprised. You should know that the underdog always has more of a motive than the favorite. Against Lithuania, who we had some bad results the last few years you will see that we will show up with our best game. Right now, the game against Qatar has ended a few hours ago and we are trying to relax. Everyone has their own way of preparing themselves for the next game. That's what I'm doing too. We have a difficult mission and we must be ready. We will talk with the guys like we always do, my roomate Zisis and I will analyze the game like we always do, and we will wait for tomorrow which is a different but very important day. Talk to you again, Vasilis
basketballman ... Old Man Rock ... thank you for translating the entries for us. It's very much appreciated.
Friday, August 18, 15:45 Every minute that goes by we feel more ready. This is the start of a big bet and I am aware that all the guys will give everything for success. We are the European Champions and we are aware that we must play like ones. Last summer's victory in Belgrad has created many expectations and has given us an extra motive. We are coming to Japan to defend our title and we know that everyone wants to beat us. But we will do everything to prevent that. This morning wasn't different than any other here in Hamamatsu, with the exception of the rain which was a surprise for us, the weather is exactly the same. A lot of heat, the temerature has reached 35 degrees C (approximately 95 degrees F), the humidity is unbearable reaching 80% during the day, making it impossible even to breathe when you leave the hotel. That's way the only route is hotel-bus-arena and then back to the hotel which is the tallest in Hamamatsu. It has a weird shape, it looks like a bottle and the opening on top reaches the sky. The hotel has 45 floors and we're staying at the 33rd, seeing everything from up high. The Hamammatsu arena, which we were told can host a little more than 5,000 people, is very nice. I liked it from the first practice, but now we should play well too, to get the wins we need, to qualify for the next round! We should aim for the best place possible! We have worked hard and we should have big goals. An athlete's or a team's goals are a reflection of their ambitions. If you have mediocre goals, you remain mediocre. That's what happened with me and the NBA. That's what happened last summer when Mihalis said we would win gold medal. Now, I don't want to say too much, but we will do our duty. The competition is very high but we will return to Greece with our head up high. Our opponents are saying the best about us and we want to prove them right! We practiced again today, we studied Qatar carefully and we are waiting for the game. That's all for now! We have time ahead of us and we will talk more. Everything will be fine... Vasilis
No problem dude. I'm pretty sure Old Man Rock used an online translator but he did a pretty good job (usually those online translations come out pretty f'ed up).
Sunday of 27 August (few hours after a sweeping victory of China and Yao and the advancement to the final 8... I do not wish to say I told you say but as per what I said yesterday, we are the stronger team and if we play with high concentration the China team will not have a chance and we will be victorious. And this is precisely what happened in the "Saitama Super Arena". Before the fight our team had enormous self-confidence and this element appeared evident in the hotel, as well as soon as we reached in the arena. We knew that if we lose it would erase all that we accomplished in Hamamatsu. We are now assembled in a new circle of games, much more difficult than first five confrontations of preliminary phase. From today and now on whoever wins remains in the tournament and whoever loses goes to the house and we do not have an appetite to go to the house in Greece just yet. Once again our defense is what supported our victory. We caused a lot of errors in the opponents, and we achieved easy baskets in the suddenness of these turnovers. This is the game of finals and with each advancement the degree of defense will advance and then strangulation and maturity in the attack of opposing team. And of course in the case of our own team we must also intensify something else. It was a good match with China. They are a team focused around Yao Ming and it is hard to win with such a team of just one. After the end of the game I spoke with Yao, we did not say a lot of things. We greeted each other and I wished he had a good eve in the Saj!ta'ma and he wished for my good success in the rest of tournament and he made a later appointment in Houston, where he and I will speak on a daily basis with the difference that there we will function for a common goal, while here in Japan his team of one has been excluded as our team continues. It was proved that the champions of Europe are better than the champions of Asia and we rightly advanced in order now to face France. As with China, and with France on Wednesday we will play for Nikos. Each victory gives him joy and we want him to know that now that is found in the hospital it even is near us and we play for him. His place exists in our hearts and while he heals in the hospital and we wait for the day he returns. After he is wounded and the way he was wounded I can only imagine what he endured and how much pain he went through and it for this but I also suffer for him and will be overjoyed when he returns. He knows this but again I say we play for and each victory is pa'rti his! The next days we will have the occasion to discuss for strategy for France. But this moment I will take for some needed rest and relaxation. The team will be ready Wednesday, this is I can assure you of... Vasilis.
This is from an interview Spanoulis gave to a Greek site today, I kept the NBA/Rockets related stuff: After the game with China Yao Ming waited for you so you could talk. What did he say to you? He congratulated me for our win and wished me good luck for the rest of the tournament. He asked me when I'll go to Houston. I'll be there on the 15th of September, I have to go to New York for a rookie seminar. If you don't attend it, you get fined and miss some games. I'll stay for 8-9 days in Greece and then I'll pack and move to USA. Yao is a basketball genius, it's phenomenal for a player his size to be so athletic and fluid, I believe that we'll do great things together. What do you think about a potential semifinal against USA? Will you take it more personally in order to prove your worth? I don't see it personally. Besides, the basketball that is played in a world cup tournament is different than what is played in a whole NBA season. But let's be honest... it's a good opportunity for me to test my powers. When will you return to Greece? (they mean, how long do you plan to play in the NBA) I'm going there in order to play and stay many years and not just to add to my resume the fact that I've been to the NBA. I've said it many times. The people at Houston believe in me and that's why they acquired me. If you have a succesfull career in the NBA, will you ever consider turning your back to the National team, like many of the Serbs who play in the NBA do? This will never happen. Dirk Nowitzki is my role-model and his love for his country and his attitude towards it is the best example for me. It's an honor and a priviledge wearing your national team's jersey. If you had Varejao in front of you, what would you do? Varejao doesn't deserve any more of our time or attention. Even if we were to hurt him now, what difference would it make? He's just an idiot, nothing more.
Thanks for the translation. I really like the guy. His toughness will be a good addition to the team. And, it seems to me, his game has improved a lot, compared to what he did in the 2004 Olympic games.
If you had Varejao in front of you, what would you do? Varejao doesn't deserve any more of our time or attention. Even if we were to hurt him now, what difference would it make? He's just an idiot, nothing more.[/QUOTE] Sorry to ask this question, but who/what's the deal with Varejao?
Sorry to ask this question, but who/what's the deal with Varejao?[/QUOTE] Varejao elbowed Zisis intentionally and broke 3 bones around his eye. Because of that he will miss the rest of the World Championship.
Thanks, basketballman. Folks, is clutchfans not the **** or what? We got our China peeps of course and now we got the GREEK connection!
And here is the link for the Varejao/Zisis incident: GRE - Facial injury knocks Zisis out of FIBA World Championship Hope this was not as bad as what Rudy Tomjanovich got, which ruined his career. Now KillBill will play like monstor when Rockets is against Cav.
Before the WBC, I knew little about this guy and felt doubtful if he could be a useful addition to ROX. But after watching his performance in the WBC, i began to like him more and more. Now i believe that he will be a very good addition to Rox and will help Yao&tmac a lot next season. Cannot wait to see his performance next season!
