Letdown in Spain
Sorry I wasn’t able to do this blog thing earlier, but things haven’t been going real well for us and I wasn’t feeling in the mood.
I’m so dissapointed right now. Yesterday we played Slovenia and we lost again. We’re losing to everybody. Yesterday, with Slovenia… I don’t even think they are better than us. I can’t accept that. But we lost. We have incredible players. We have Hedo, we have Okur, we have young talent… And still we lost. It can’t be worst, to tell you the truth.
The worst thing is we really have no idea what’s happening, but we can’t do anything well. We can’t play good defense and on the offensive end, it’s just not working. We scored 51 points yesterday. It’s just weird.
Myself, I haven’t had the chance to play much. I was stuck in the bench yesterday, but I feel just as bad as the guys who are playing. I’m especially sorry for our Turkish fans. They were very supportive last year when we were in Japan and this time I know they believed in us. But we’re letting them down. There’s still a chance we get to the quarter finals, although I’m pretty sure nobody is expecting a miracle. Even if we win the last couple of games, we’d have to wait and see what the other teams do.
I just can say that if I get some burn on the court, I’ll try my best. I’m not saying I will score 50 points or held Jasikevicius to five points. But I can say I will go out there, play defense and do my best.
This is one of the worst feelings I’ve had as a basketball player so I hope you understand I have to focus on the task ahead and forget about the blog for a while. I may be back here once the tournament is over.
Bye!
Tasos Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 11:02 am
it’s so bad for your team I liked alot your team at mundobasket but now that your team seems to have so much talent (hedo and Okur) you can’t play so good I think something is wrong mentally your team isn’t there even though I expected your team in top 5
Winger Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 11:21 am
I’ve seen some of your games in the pre-eliminary round and I think your team isn’t presenting itself like a real team should do. Especially in a big tournament like that. The blowout loss to the german team made it clear to me, that something has to be wrong with the team’s chemistry inside. Hedo and Okur should’ve carried the team without any problems, but as we see, they’re not able to compete anyway (what’s Okur shooting from the field??). The squad should look @ the french or the germans for example, how they present themselves as a team even with outstanding players like Parker, Diaw and Nowitzki.
pachero Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
Looks like the USA Team: they have the best players but lacks a basketball team. It’s everything but chemistry.
Nevertheless, I feel sorry for Turkey, I like your players and I thought you were one of the candidates to fight against the World Champions Spain for the championship.
Greetings and VIVA ESPAÑA!
laurynas Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
Dissapointing performance by Turkey. Lithuania is the better, but Germany and Slovenia are much worse teams than Turkey. The answer is bad coaching…
kevo Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
stop hatin on team usa. those foreign teams play tagetha from the ages of 15. most of these team usa guys dont play tagetha at all but on all star teams. dont hate congratulate!!
pachero Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
Who’s hating?? I just write what everyone can see. I’m a big big fan of NBA and I look forward to see my favourite players play as a team and be competitive again on international competition. USA players are, as individuals, the most talented in the world, and see them losing and losing, and going for the 6th place in a World Championship, it’s a disgrace! I’m Spanish, but even I feel ashamed of USA Team, because I have simpathy for them!
Anyway, some people prefer to feel hated more than face, learn and sort out their problems. USA Team could win every competition, so educate your players better and make them feel like they are representing their country, because in the past few years, they look pathetic. Thus, all the basketball world would win for having a great team back.
And all of this could very well be told to the Turkish team on this Eurobasket. Great players, disgracing performances. I’m a Utah Jazz and Okur fan, and I hate to see him and his teammates losing.
Don’t feel hated, face your problems to make everyone proud.
Greetings.
Frank_head Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 6:19 pm
Team USA can manage to make 30+ point win game boring.
Lebron is just too fruity for me also. I like my basketball players raw and mean.
And the guy who says their is no chemistry is right. I find it painful to watch. Worse than the Spurs! Lets go team USA (Borat voice)
Hedo is yesterdays news, been a disapointment for his NBA teams for how many years now? He sux. No wonder Turkey has been underperforming.
Frank_head Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
Spurs got amazing chemistry. But oh so painful. Just like team USA.
J_Ray Said,
September 9, 2007 @ 8:04 pm
As a Jazz fan, I know Okur sometimes goes into shooting funks where he is inconsistent. At the end of the season, that’s what he was in and it looks like he’s still in it. Also Turkey is kinda young, and IMO, Hedo & Memo aren’t the greatest leaders since they both take tons of inadvisedly shots.
serdar erken Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 8:04 am
it’s not bad coaching, i think our players didnt motivate themselves enough. tanjevic is an upper-class coach. our players get easily demoralized and are inconsistent . it is turkish people’s problem in any kind of sports or stuff.
sadni Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 8:15 am
I must say that the Turkish team shouldn’t look for excuses in their young age (avg. 25,1) because the Slovenian team is even younger (avg. 24,9) nor in the coaching staff, Bogdan Tanjević is one of the best coaches in Europe. I would say that the mentality is also OK, because I believe that everyone is doing a hundred percent for their national team.
I think there are two problems: Turkoglu and Okur.
They are hogging the ball, all plays are called for these two primadonnas whou should be scoring on average 25 points each giving the amount of shots they take each game. If the Turkish game wouldn’t revolve around these two playxers so much, I think they would have a better chance of winning some of the games they have lost so far.
Greetings from Slovenia
maslo Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 10:59 am
“Lithuania is the better, but Germany and Slovenia are much worse teams than Turkey.”
I just have to laugh on that… You say, that team who beat you for 30 points is worse than other team… ccccc.
I saw few pre-tournamet games of Turkey. You have played very well, like last year in China… but this now, this game, that you are playing right now, this is bullshit. Everybody depends on Hidayet and Mehmet… and both of them like this. Hidayet becomes very selfish player, he does not guard in defense… Okurs defense has never been strong enough to guard good “underbasket” players. And other players in team… they are hiding, they are playing like kids - pass it to Meho or Hedo.
What is missing in Turkey team - is teamspirit. Look other teams, Slovenia like. We do not have some star players in team (Udrih, Nachbar, Tušek…), but young ones are ready to bite the court and prove them selves.
Sometimes is team without real star much better, than team with star… and what I heard about Hedo, he is a STAR. They all should be like one, in Turkey team, there are 2 groups. Stars and nostars… But even nostars should be able to play, shoot and to guard… and leave heart on the court. Sometimes it happens, that better team doesnt win - but in many cases, the team with great teamspirit and team “one for all, all for one” will win.
I hope you saw game versus Slovenia… when we got the lead for 5 points, your game fall apart. Everyone were playing for stats, extremly Hedo. One guy can win the game, but tournamet can only win a team.
Johnny Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 11:00 am
You guys aren’t serious. Here in Spain there are currently five teams,who really play with great team spirit. Those are : Spain,Lithuania,Russia,
France and Slovenia.In this championship they have demonstrated the best basketball!!
I’m not saying for the past few years,but in 2007 here in Spain,Turkey plays very,very bad!!!!!!
That’s the truth!Too many individuals,who don’t know how to fit in the team.
Best regards from Croatia
Mr.European Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 11:57 am
it’s a right time to say: “didn’t I tell that?”
it was obvious for me before beginning of the eurobasket, that Turkey is not the team to watch out for… and Cenk’s way of writing is just not worth being blogged in an international website…
Johnny Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
I agree with Mr.European.Honestly said,Turkey didn’t show anything,we haven’t seen before.Germany won 30 points over Turkey,Slovenia won against Germany for 30 points.
So Cenk,with respect,do not under-estimate other countries.Turkey is going home,because it is the only right thing to do.Maybe next year….
Be well
GDragon Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 5:19 pm
a wonderful performance by the slovenian team to beat the germans. Laurynas you can’t be serious with the claim that slovenia or germany are worse teams than turkey. Perhaps with regards to individual stars, okur and turkoglu are probably better than any other slovenian player, but seeing those two in action or seing slovenian “nobody’s” leaving their heart out on the field is what counts. Turkey did well in pre-tournament and probably got cocky, felt they could do anything. And when the stars didn’t step-up, their game fell apart. Until they find a team spirit and a more balanced ratio of shots,they won’t achieve a big success.
Slovenija gre naprej!
Brian Boytono Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 6:33 pm
why do my honest comments get deleted. Hoopshype cant handle the truth. When you disagree with something. The word of hoopshype is the word of god?? I think not. Back when I was a world class figure skater Hoopshype writers were still suckling off there moms teets and I demand Some respect!
can Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 6:42 pm
türkiye sizinle geçen seneki gibi gurur duymaya devam ediyor. merak etmeyin. 2 gün sonra tüm bu malubiyetler unutulacak geriye herkes japonya’daki devleri hatırlayacak.geçen seneki mükemmel performansınızı sürdürseniz iyi olurdu, ama biz hep sizin arkanızda olacağız. şu anda ibrahim’in son saniye üçlüğü girse herkes farklı konuşuyor olurdu. önemli olan kalıcı başarıdır. ve türk bir genç oyuncu olarak bunu sağlayacak sen ve senin gibilerdir. bu nedenle moralinizi bozmayın, oyuna devam edin. bu arada italya maçındaki performansını da çok beğendim. defansta ve hücumda takıma ruh kattın. her şey için teşekkürler.
saygılar,
can
Johnny Said,
September 10, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
Yes,I forgot about Laurynas,thanks for reminding me….
Dude,go home,you don’t have a clue about basketball superiority…
There are five players on the field,not one or two…Your knowledge about basketball doesn’t seem to be in place…Just because Slovenia is a small country,that doesn’t mean it is automatically worse than Turkey…The results speak for themselves…
Lithuania,Spain,Slovenia…That is my choice (ceprav mislim,da lahko sezejo se visje,oziroma so za mene ze sedaj carji…:)))
Greetings
Hoopcity Said,
September 11, 2007 @ 5:07 am
I heard that Hedo and Memo where travelling with two benzes behind the team’s bus instead of being in the bus….that sounds like great team chemistry.
Spain vs. Slovenia in the finals whil Greece and Lithuania playing for the third.France is on and off depending on Tony’s outing in each game.
Germany fails in the quarters to Spain and should be happy if they can get to the Olympic qualifiying tournament.
Croatia….coddamn Marko Popovic, cant stand this guy….Kasun never learned to stay out of foul trouble and Ukic has some good and too many bad moments in Spain,
my boys cant get it done this time, Vujcic is clearly missing under the boards, Prkacin is just average.I like Barac, a talented kid.
Ararat Said,
September 12, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
Just As I Predicted, team Fat Turkey has another dissapointing performance. Maybe its time to retire basketball in the country, just stop embarrasing yourselves and an entire nation