It's true,I envy . Not talking about women (perhaps in the future) or relationships. I am talking about one of the things I envy the Americans. Overall, I am not such a fan of American culture, but when it comes to basketball , then I envy the NBA . I apologize to Ψύλλος for intruding in his field of expertise.
First, i want to say that the article was written Friday afternoon by a tired Halias who slept at 7.30 in the morning (it's weird to write in the third person) since that's the time the fourth game of the finals ended (with Lakers achieving, in overtime, the 3-1 against Magic).
On the one side, I am lucky that my schedule allows this slip every two days and yet very unlucky to live in a country with so many hours difference from America. Mostly i feel very unlucky that I live in a country we tend to copy the worst not the best . OK, there are things that can not be changed (at least not soon). Maybe a star like Childress can come here (and for those who remember the even greater Dominique Wilkins), but it's not enough in comparison with the stars of those two teams: Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard. Also for the sums in advertising and TV rights there is no comparison.
A large market and the complex and specifically designed advertising campaigns can not be done here. I may envy, but I understand that that wont change. But there are many things that can change . First of all the work and development a player. The amount of games and the careful preparation and training of players is the biggest difference between NBA teams from European or other teams. When I remember Mickael Pietrus of Magic when he was drafted, I wondered why he even played in the NBA let alone be in the staritng line-up. He was not bad but I certainly could think of many Greek players who were not drafted and were better when they were starting their basketball career. But the change within a few years was so great that yesterday he was not only a starter for the Magic, but he was their best player in the critical fourth quarter and he's the player who has limited Kobe
from the second game onwards. For a player like "the Black Mamba" to have for the last three games 30 points (two of those with overtime) and the percentage of his shots yesterday dropping to 35% it's something. Similarly to the change to Pietrus (to a lesser degree of change) can be said for the other two major European stars of the final: Pau Gasol and Hedo Turkoglu who incidentally are the biggest scorers of the finals after Kobe. Of cource they are bigger stars and from the start they were good players, but to manage 20 points on average in the finals isn't a little thing, especially for the likable Turkish player who is biggest scorer in the finals for the Magic (and the player who does a little bit of everything) and scoring more than the superstar Howard. 
These players are not the exception when it comes to improvement, but the rule for players in the NBA.
And it's not only that the players improve. It is the steps taken by the sport authority for the show. Regulations and guidelines , which have clear and objective targets, change even in the course of the finals. The three point line is further to "create space" (Europe hasn't learned that lesson yet), some slips are allowed for the spectacle and the most important: the referees let the game go on without whistling for each contact. Even the stadiums are build with that in mind (not bigger than the Greek ones) and the huge and extremely useful scoreboard in the middle of the stadium is certainly a big difference for the audience from Europe, especially Greece, where many of the simple scoreboards barely work.
And finally we come το atmosphere . Followers cheer the players without cursing for every error or lost shot let alone chasing after them outside the stadium or ambushing them. The spectators don't even think of threatening their opponents' players, to use laser markers or to throw things . Win or lose they don't think of coming inbounds, not flee en mass before the end and definitely not to try to stop the game . No cursing en mass referees, not attacking executives not fighting each other or with any rival fans.
Very boring right? Who wants to go with the family to the game? Who wants peace? No swearing? How quaint! Why would I envy all those things that could (and relatively easily) change;
These players are not the exception when it comes to improvement, but the rule for players in the NBA. And it's not only that the players improve. It is the steps taken by the sport authority for the show. Regulations and guidelines , which have clear and objective targets, change even in the course of the finals. The three point line is further to "create space" (Europe hasn't learned that lesson yet), some slips are allowed for the spectacle and the most important: the referees let the game go on without whistling for each contact. Even the stadiums are build with that in mind (not bigger than the Greek ones) and the huge and extremely useful scoreboard in the middle of the stadium is certainly a big difference for the audience from Europe, especially Greece, where many of the simple scoreboards barely work.
And finally we come το atmosphere . Followers cheer the players without cursing for every error or lost shot let alone chasing after them outside the stadium or ambushing them. The spectators don't even think of threatening their opponents' players, to use laser markers or to throw things . Win or lose they don't think of coming inbounds, not flee en mass before the end and definitely not to try to stop the game . No cursing en mass referees, not attacking executives not fighting each other or with any rival fans. Very boring right? Who wants to go with the family to the game? Who wants peace? No swearing? How quaint! Why would I envy all those things that could (and relatively easily) change;
For the quiz: Mylopotas is a famous beach of Ios and even more famous is Manganari in the south of the island. Now since I am leaving next week, I do not know when i'll write again an article so I wont put another quiz, so consider this my summer vacation. I propose putting the collection of Reggae from highfidelityshow (in RE!nvent) on play and have fun. Ciao (with a few highlights from the game and a song from the celebrity the sportscasters of ET1 failed to recognize )
Relevant article