By Craig Kwasniewski
The NBA is in Europe this October.
3 1/2 NBA teams are opening their training camps all over Europe playing exhibitions against some of the better European clubs. The Spurs, Suns, Clippers and Sixers are bouncing all over Europe preparing for the upcoming season and pimping the NBA.
BTW - The Sixers don't really count as a whole team. Just how bad are they? Well, the Sixers just got beat by FC Barcelona 104-99 on Thursday. Granted, Barca is one of Europe's premier basketball clubs, they still shouldn't beat any NBA team. The FC stands for Futbol Club, winners of the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League in soccer. That's like the Yankees having a soccer team that beat Tottenham Hotspur. Believe me, it should not happen.
As an NBA fan, the tour is a good idea for spreading the NBA product. But it's a bad idea to play exhibition games under international rules. Didn't we already learn from the World Championships? No trapezoidal lanes, dammit!!! Hey, if the Euros want to test their skills against the NBA, then play by our rules!
As a Laker fan, I'm all for sending these teams on a potentially exhausting two week trip through Europe. With the Lakers recovering from surgeries and personal problems, any chance of slowing down the top Western Conference teams is a good thing.
Anyway, I caught a few minutes of the San Antonio Spurs - Asvel Villeurbanne game, which the Spurs won 115-90. During the game, I noticed something strange about the Spurs jerseys. They had the French Tricolours running down the sides. It actually looked pretty cool... I mean for a Spurs uniform.
Well the NBA has made some minor Euro-friendly changes to the touring teams jerseys. You can find the jerseys for 2 1/2 of the squads here (sorry Clipper fans but the NBA still is not confident enough to market your gear internationally):
NBA Europe live Spurs jersey ltd edition (black) - 60,00 €
NBA Europe live Sixers jersey ltd edition (black) - 60,00 €
NBA Europe live Suns jersey ltd edition (purple) - 60,00 €
Yet just when I was liking the Euro edition jerseys, the NBA went overboard with the ugliest jersey ever! Who in their right mind would ever wear this? I know it's geared for women and I've seen the outlandish clothing that Eastern European women tend to wear, but COME ON!!!
Spurs Parker replica pink - 49,00 €
Actually, it just proves that Philadelphia sucks. I mean, the Spurs owned the French team, as the Suns probably will the Italian team. But I think it's a good idea for these teams anyway, win or lose.
Posted by: Jack | October 06, 2006 at 09:52 AM
Wait, I figured they didn't send the Lakers because it would be difficult to get visas for all the sex offenders.
Posted by: John R | October 06, 2006 at 04:44 PM
I think those should be the standard uniforms for the Spurs...
...or at least Tony Parker. heh heh
Posted by: Jack | October 06, 2006 at 05:12 PM
that is truly embarassing. the spurs finally get rid of the taco cabana colors on the floor, and now i have to tolerate pink argyle tony parker jerseys? why must spurs fans always suffer such humiliations? oh well, atleast we don't have a fat, shirtless male dance team.
Posted by: dave | October 06, 2006 at 08:04 PM