Canada Pre-World Cup "friendlies" thread: news, gossip and speculation.

[Unnamed Trialist]

10 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I clearly stated I was talking about best on best, which again, you are free to make the argument that any of those 5-7 teams better than us can beat the lineup I presented, but there really isn't one. With Embiid committing to france earlier this week, I guess you can argue they'd be a challenger, however their two best players play the same position and the roster is a pretty sharp fall off shortly thereafter. You can also very much make the argument that the nets last year had the best roster on paper. You'd be wrong, but it's an argument you can make, just like the (correct) one I'm making right now. 

Not sure why you're bringing up the U-17 tournament, those are nowhere near as relevant as their soccer counterparts are and don't really indicate any sort of future success at the senior level. Taking a look at the 2016 gold medal winning US roster, since it's the soonest one where the players should be in the league by now, I count 7 NBA players, including Kevin Knox who by many metrics is the worst player in the league (might've not signed with anyone this year), and aside from JJJ, the only relevant NBA player is Colin Sexton who a grand total of zero teams are currently interested in trading for.

Also not sure why you're bringing up Pau Gasol who's like 45, but if you're referring to Spain's 2019 win, let's look at some of their opponents. Poland in the quarters, led by some guy named AJ Slaughter who apparently plays in Kuwait now, and a bunch of random guys I've never heard of. Australia in the semis with Patty Mills, solid bench player that shows out on the international stage, you have Andrew Bogut who was semi retired, you have Joe Ingles, another solid bench player, Matthew Dellavedova who straight up sucks, and Aron Baynes who is a meme. Moving on to the finals against Argentina, you have a team lead by Luis Scola who's a million years old, Gabriel Deck who had just washed out of the NBA and Campazzo who probably washed out of the league because he was straight cheeks in the playoffs last season. Frankly, it would've been humiliating for Spain not to win. They also didn't even face the US whose roster was basically the boston celtics + Donovan Mitchell, AKA their D team. 

Cool that Spain won, but that was not a best on best tournament. Fully confident that a full roster Canada can beat Argentina, Spain, Serbia, etc. unless you think guys like Facundo Campazzo and Ricky Rubio can take down a team comprised (nearly) entirely of NBA players. If you don't wanna discuss hypotheticals, that's fine, but the reality of international basketball as it is is that these competitions are not best on best and as a result, people generally don't care much about them. 

Also Argentina won the olympic gold in 2004 which is extremely irrelevant now considering that was 18 years ago. Even in their case, sure make the argument they were missing players, but the argument falls flat when you realize that the US was missing Shaq and Kobe and a bunch of other guys, had two NBA allstars on their team and relied on 19 year old Melo & lebron, and the US men's team was going through a transitional period that is very much still talked about to today. 

I bring up the last case of international competition, u-17s, and you discount it, then you argue Argentina winning 18 years ago is too long ago so you discount it. You should listen to yourself.

For you everyone else winning is irrelevant, because Canada losing is equally irrelevant.

So it is a bit hard to have an intelligent discussion with a deluded fan who believes everyone else's success doesn't count and his team's failures never do either.

This is, of course, a fundamentally loser mentality, which is something that has conditioned Canadian basketball even more than Canadian soccer (men's). The only answer is to do well and win in an actual competition, not inside someone's brain currently located in someone's basement.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[JamboAl]

1 hour ago, Kadenge said:

let's keep it going. Are they better at basketball or soccer?

Venezuela: basketball

Panama: diving

[InglewoodJack]

4 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I bring up the last case of international competition, u-17s, and you discount it, then you argue Argentina winning 18 years ago is too long ago so you discount it. You should listen to yourself.

For you everyone else winning is irrelevant, because Canada losing is equally irrelevant.

So it is a bit hard to have an intelligent discussion with a deluded fan who believes everyone else's success doesn't count and his team's failures never do either.

This is, of course, a fundamentally loser mentality, which is something that has conditioned Canadian basketball even more than Canadian soccer (men's). The only answer is to do well and win in an actual competition, not inside someone's brain currently located in someone's basement.

You have to be trolling at this point, right? You're talking about a youth tournament and olympic games that happened two decades ago. Neither are relevant. I have repeated multiple times i'm talking about rosters on paper. An intelligent discussion isn't arguing "spain beat a bunch of plumbers therefore they have better players in canada- they were even missing the semi retired pau gasol!". not sure where you're getting the loser mentality thing from. No one cares about international basketball, and the reality is that our player pool is better than any country bar the US. I don't believe a single person in this thread is arguing that Canada has gotten results on the international stage, brother you are having that argument with yourself. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

19 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

You have to be trolling at this point, right? You're talking about a youth tournament and olympic games that happened two decades ago. Neither are relevant. I have repeated multiple times i'm talking about rosters on paper. An intelligent discussion isn't arguing "spain beat a bunch of plumbers therefore they have better players in canada- they were even missing the semi retired pau gasol!". not sure where you're getting the loser mentality thing from. No one cares about international basketball, and the reality is that our player pool is better than any country bar the US. I don't believe a single person in this thread is arguing that Canada has gotten results on the international stage, brother you are having that argument with yourself. 

Trolling is taking every single tournament result and discouting it, like you are doing. Recent, past, adult, youth, everything. 

Except the one tournament you are an uninformed fanboy of (not a fan, because you are clearly not a fan; I'm an NBA fan, have been since Robert Parish was one of my favourite players).

If you are excited about Wiggins finally being used properly and meeting his promise, I am happy for you. But that cannot be the basis for a serious argument about international basketball.

By the way, Spain is the second best basketball team in the world, has the 2nd best league, and that league is the 2nd best producer of world basketball talent. Those are the facts and have been for a couple decades.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Unnamed Trialist

[InglewoodJack]

3 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Trolling is taking every single tournament result and discouting it, like you are doing. Recent, past, adult, youth, everything. 

Except the one tournament you are an uninformed fanboy of (not a fan, because you are clearly not a fan; I'm an NBA fan, have been since Robert Parish was one of my favourite players).

If you are excited about Wiggins finally being used properly and meeting his promise, I am happy for you. But that cannot be the basis for a serious argument about international basketball.

By the way, Spain is the second best basketball team in the world, has the 2nd best league, and that league is the 2nd best producer of world basketball talent. Those are the facts and have been for a couple decades.

You didn't have to write this many words to deflect the actual thing I'm arguing which is best v best, canada is better than any of these teams you're mentioning. unless you truly believe a team who is led by notable bench player ricky rubio has the second best players in the world, not exactly sure what you're still going on about. cool that spain was able to punk facundo campazzo, patty mills and some polish guys on their way to a world cup victory, me and all the basketball fans that put any stock into that, who are all hanging out with me right off camera are very impressed. 

[red card]

21 hours ago, gigi riva said:

Most of the hate comes from some members of the Soccer media in both the States and Mexico, For the most part I believe the fans are enjoying seeing Canada doing well. 

Most American fans like the men's team ex Canada Soccer calling themselves Concacaf champs. It is a bit more mixed for Mexicans. I don't think there is hate from either from the American or Mexican media but they're much more skeptical than the Canadian media and fans.

Most American fans hate the women's team. Mexicans don't care.

On the fan side, both American & Mexican now hate Canadian supporters - largely due to the reaction of Canadian fans on social media. Before 2022, they didn't care.

[Razcal]

Can we move the Basketball talk out of this thread please and thank you.

[Razcal]

Is the Qatar game being held in Austria? The way the press release was worded is unclear.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Back to the topic: Uruguayans have no animosity towards Canada. Neither do Argentines in fact. And not in football. But they'd be ashamed to lose to us in an official match. 

What tees people off is big talk and little substance, as we are seeing with the BB fans here. Bombast or ridiculous overestimating of this or that player. Or having rivals who are real shit disturbers, like Chile, a great country of great players but one of the most underhanded national teams out there. Imagine them taking out Argentina in Copa América twice in Messi's prime. 

Uruguay has aged attackers who are still good, and the a tough defence. They have pace too. Great rival but not explicitly good for our group. 

Qatar is actually not a bad prep for a Euro team, the coach is from the Barça academy structure, they try to play a clean style, they are technical. 

[SthMelbRed]

3 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

You are right, the last results in u-19 are promising.

But the repeated mantras about Canada being second in talent are just delusional. There is no evidence for it. Spain teams with half the players NOT in the NBA have won worlds and medalled at the Olympics. You can't just make NBA lists and conclude that is the talent, because every team other than the US that has ever medalled in the World's or Olympics has done so with half the players (and a few starters) and often more than that NOT in the NBA. 

Look, I've been following Canada in international basketball since the Jay Triano days, when we probably deserved to medal in Los Angeles '84. True, the Soviet Union did not participate. But still, that was our best team ever in international basketball. And it was not replete with NBA talent.

Eli Pasquale was better than the current NBA guys who never turn up for Canada...discuss.*

 

*It should be noted that I know very little about basketball, nor do I care much for it.

[Mattd97]

I'm also going to get this thread back on track by keeping on topic and then immediately take a shot at the people I was just arguing with.  Because then I can say that it's them in their retort getting things off track. And you should believe me because i liked this very old thing and therefore have credibility that others dont

[An Observer]

12 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

I bring up the last case of international competition, u-17s, and you discount it, then you argue Argentina winning 18 years ago is too long ago so you discount it. You should listen to yourself.

For you everyone else winning is irrelevant, because Canada losing is equally irrelevant.

So it is a bit hard to have an intelligent discussion with a deluded fan who believes everyone else's success doesn't count and his team's failures never do either.

This is, of course, a fundamentally loser mentality, which is something that has conditioned Canadian basketball even more than Canadian soccer (men's). The only answer is to do well and win in an actual competition, not inside someone's brain currently located in someone's basement.

Using your metrics, If you want to bring up international youth completion, I would say that if you average the results over the last 4 or 5 U17 and U20 world basketball championships, we would be the number 2 side in the world after the US.  And this is also born out by the number of Canadian players drafted into the NBA during that period.  We definitely have the second best pool of players in the world after the US now. Others have pointed out to you in this thread why that has not translated into success on the world stage. 
 

for all your useful observations on this site, sometimes you just dig yourself into an indefensible position and just keep digging. I pity your close family members and colleagues. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 hours ago, An Observer said:

Using your metrics, If you want to bring up international youth completion, I would say that if you average the results over the last 4 or 5 U17 and U20 world basketball championships, we would be the number 2 side in the world after the US.  And this is also born out by the number of Canadian players drafted into the NBA during that period.  We definitely have the second best pool of players in the world after the US now. Others have pointed out to you in this thread why that has not translated into success on the world stage. 
 

for all your useful observations on this site, sometimes you just dig yourself into an indefensible position and just keep digging. I pity your close family members and colleagues. 

@InglewoodJacksays u 17 doesn't count. He also insults every team medalling in the last World Championship. And he's the one I am disagreeing with.

Seems you do too from what you've posted. 

I just find it silly, you're like kids arguing that daddy  has big arms without caring if he can lift weight. 

[InglewoodJack]

29 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

@InglewoodJacksays u 17 doesn't count. He also insults every team medalling in the last World Championship. And he's the one I am disagreeing with.

Seems you do too from what you've posted. 

I just find it silly, you're like kids arguing that daddy  has big arms without caring if he can lift weight. 

He’s still on about this a day later! Brother just make the argument that facundo campazzo and Gabriel deck are better basketball players than Canada’s best and keep it moving. This weird multi day fit about basketball on a soccer forum is weird man

@an observer next time please DM me before you make posts so we can align our message, since apparently I’ve got to answer for the things you say too, for some reason 

Edited July 15, 2022 by InglewoodJack

[Free kick]

18 hours ago, Kadenge said:

So are we playing a basketball team in Nov?

Yes 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Free kick

[Soro17]

8 minutes ago, Free kick said:

Yes

I'd feel pretty good about getting out of our group in basketball. Although Belgium did just beat Serbia....

[scullion44]

Morocco to play vs Chile and Paraguay in september

[Club Linesman]

Our guay is better than their guay. Allez Les Rouges.

[narduch]

One Soccer confirmed will broadcast the September friendlies 

[Unnamed Trialist]

2 hours ago, narduch said:

One Soccer confirmed will broadcast the September friendlies 

I'm keen to know where they'll be played, ie what stadium. 

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

On 7/27/2022 at 1:41 AM, Unnamed Trialist said:

I'm keen to know where they'll be played, ie what stadium. 

The best guess right now would be the Franz Horr Stadium where FK Austria Wien plays:

http://www.espn.com.uy/futbol/mundial/nota/_/id/10744627/seleccion-chilena-amistosos-fecha-fifa-marruecos-qatar

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

The best guess right now would be the Franz Horr Stadium where FK Austria Wien plays:

http://www.espn.com.uy/futbol/mundial/nota/_/id/10744627/seleccion-chilena-amistosos-fecha-fifa-marruecos-qatar

Great work, thanks. We could be there on the Friday vs. Qatar.

But there is a question. If we are playing Uruguay that Tuesday also in Vienna, we can't be in that stadium. 

Which is why I think they'll pick another, possibly the Admira Wacker stadium. Just on the basis of the size, it is also in the south of Vienna, though further out.

[scullion44]

Morocco on the verge of firing their manager which likely means Ziyech + Mazraoui will be back in the team 🥲

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

14 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

If we are playing Uruguay that Tuesday also in Vienna, we can't be in that stadium. 

Why not a double-header? That particular Tuesday match is at 8pm Vienna time.

We could play at 5:30pm local right?

[Unnamed Trialist]

14 minutes ago, Olympique_de_Marseille said:

Why not a double-header? That particular Tuesday match is at 8pm Vienna time.

We could play at 5:30pm local right?

Where do you see double headers outside North America? 

Except, maybe, youth tournaments 

Anyways, there are security factors, field quality, ticketing, that discourage them. No sure but I think FIFA discourages them.