Team Greece, European Basketball Champions!

[retroborg]

Team Greece, European Basketball Champions!
http://www.eurobasket2005.com/en/default.asp



Poor Germans & French.
They didn’t know what hit them!
Nowitzki & Tony Parker can go home now.

All Europe bows to their New Champions!

A tribute to Greece.

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), Greek Macedonian conqueror of the Persian Empire, Egypt & India.



Alexander defeats King Darius and his Persian army at the battle of Issus. (333 BC)



Alexander in the battle against Porus, one of the most powerful Indian leaders, at the river Hydaspes (India 326 BC).



Imperator Constantinus XIII Dragases-Palaeologus, fallen in defence of the Christian Faith and the Fatherland, against the barbaric hordes of the East, on the 29th of May, 1453, in Constantinople.



State Flag of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire)



Coat of Arms of the Palaeologus Dynasty.



The Heroic Exit of the Besieged Warriors at the Mesologi Fortress, against the combined Turko-Egyptian forces (Greek Revolution 1826)



Modern State and Army Flag (Old Navy Flag)

[Alex_BGD]

I’m from Belgrade, and here was the championship. I can tell you that atmosphere was great after the final match. There were thousands of Greeks celebrating all over the city. All I can say is: CONGRATULATIONS! Euro champs in football and basketball. What else can I say.

[anitract]

Is basketball very popular in Europe?

[e404pnf]

Not really, most "American" sports (ie basket ball, base ball, American Football) don't have a huge following. Obviously there are some die hard fans for all sports - even golf .

Across most of Europe football (or soccer for those across the Atlantic) is the most popular sport (and if you believe the stereotype, cycling in France )

Here in the UK both rugby union and league are very popular (kinda like America football but without the girly padding and constant breaks for team changes). Cricket has also had a bit of a revival now we've won the ashes (can't get too cocky - in 18 months the Aussies are likely to win it back ). But don't forget that for 2 weeks in summer everyone becomes a tennis fan.

- e404pnf

PS Nice review of Greek history

[retroborg]

I’m from Belgrade, and here was the championship. I can tell you that atmosphere was great after the final match. There were thousands of Greeks celebrating all over the city. All I can say is: CONGRATULATIONS! Euro champs in football and basketball. What else can I say.

Greetings to our good friends from Serbia!

[Alex_BGD]

Not really, most "American" sports (ie basket ball, base ball, American Football) don't have a huge following. Obviously there are some die hard fans for all sports - even golf .

Across most of Europe football (or soccer for those across the Atlantic) is the most popular sport (and if you believe the stereotype, cycling in France )

I don't agree with you on that. Basketball is the second most popular team sport in Europe (after football, off course). Basketball is very popular in most of European countries except in UK and Scandinavia. For example: in my country (Serbia, we are the World Champions right now), Greece (they are European champs), Spain and Italy (two strongest leagues in Europe), Croatia, Slovenia, Russia, Lithuania etc.

[retroborg]

I'm with Alex_BGD on that even though Basketball isn't that popular in Greece anymore as it used to be. 1994-98 were the sport's 4 most popular years in Greece.

[e404pnf]

Then I stand corrected ...
From my experiences (in the UK, Ireland, France and Germany) basketball hasn't seemed popular at all. So I guess I am guilty of judging the whole of Europe with an "Anglo-French" bias.

I always hate it in American movies when people refer to "visiting Europe" neglecting to take in to account that we are very different countries with very different personalities and cultures - Quiet ashamed to have done the same so please consider my wrists duly slapped

[retroborg]

Hell, when ever a Greek basketball team (National or Club) would win a major European title, there would be a horde of 1 million fans on the streets & in the central capital square in Athens, cheering, using flares & fire works till morning.
Thousands of people would also go to the airport to greet their "Heros" at their arrival, & there would be glorious welcome events similar to the parades you would see in Rome or Constantinople in ancient times, when the Emperors would return victorious from the campaigns against the barbarians.
(Last years Euro2004 Champs were welcomed in such way at the Kalimarmaron stadium, where 1 million people participated (large ancient stadium in Athens where 1896 Olympics took place)

Yeah people here know how to greet their champions.

I've been in quite a few of these "social" events in the past.

Now most people care about football though.

But our strongest sport is Water Polo by far (Which I happen to play). Greek club teams & national team, both men & women are very strong, as they have dominated in the past years in Europe.

Volleyball is also very popular too due to some European cups they've won recently, but I'm more of a Beach Volleyball fan, primarily for the nice female athletes them selves.

The Women Olympic Beach Volleyball events were awesome!
Even though I know jack-shit about beach volleyball, I watched more than 16 games of the Women events & I must say that was a fantastic show!
The incredibly cheerful crowd, the cool club remixes, the beach party-on atmosphere, NBA themes played by the DJ in the stadium, the hot cheerleader dancer bitches & the female athletes them selves with their nice tight asses, bouncing boobies, & their hot athletic bikinis, was definitely one hell of a cool sight to watch, resulting in a shocking experience indeed!
Wonderfull, Wonderfull!

Best Athens 2004 sport event by far!

The chicks from the USA, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria & Sweden rocked!

Articles:

http://www.newspress.com/olympics/greeksdig0820.htm

http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/articles/2004/08/17/1092508467853.html?from=top5



The Stadium:






The Cheer-leaders:










The Athletes:






















http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:4b1IwjKN5z4J:www.lobowalk.com/images/volleyball.jpg

[anitract]

^_~;

...

I wish my butt was that hard.