Saying goodbye, with some predictions

February 09, 2012

Hello, Euroleague fans! I'd like to begin my last blog on Euroleague.net by saying thank you to a lot of people: starting with the guys at the official site of the Euroleague, who chose me, making me feel even more involved in this wonderful adventure that is the Euroleague and living a great new experience. Then I would like to thank all the fans who have had the patience and the desire to read my blog. I hope you had fun. I would like to thank Matteo Mantica, Armani Jeans Milano's media director, who followed me, step by step, on this adventure.

Having said thank you to everybody, unfortunately, I have to switch to an apology. In particular, I offer apologies to all those who came to Mediolanum Forum to see our last game of the Top 16 against Prokom Sopot last week, to those who saw that game on television and to those who announced it on TV. It was not a beautiful way to close our adventure in the Euroleague. We should have played the game with another state of mind. Our team this year has made of its unique state of mind our great strength, our winning weapon in order to get results that even on paper might have seemed really impossible. We always fought, we did so until the penultimate game in Piraeus against Olympiacos, but we completely missed the last game against Prokom. I'm the captain of the team, so it's up to me to apologize to everyone from all of us.

Will I miss not being in the playoffs? Absolutely, yes, very much. I'll miss the excitement you get from the atmosphere you feel when you play such important games at so high a level within just a few days. I'll also miss a lot not having David Hawkins in my hotel room playing with the Nintendo DS against Mason Rocca. They did it during all our Euroleague trips this season and seemed quite crazy as they blew at the console to in order to inflate the balloons in the game. CJ Wallace of Benetton said that the great strength of their group, which was even more cemented during the course of the season, also came from the fact that they were always playing MarioKart on Nintendo DS. The console for Nintendo DS has been important also for us, but the difference is that all the Benetton teammates played, and they reached the Eurocup Final Eight, while just two guys on our team played and we stopped in the Top 16. Draw your own conclusions, but next year, as the captain, I promise we'll all play together. This is the target for the next season!...

In addition to the playoffs, I have to say goodbye also to the idea of reaching Berlin to play the Final Four. I am sorry for several reasons. First of all, Berlin is a fascinating city for what they have been able to do from the cultural and architectural points of view in the last 20 years. It could almost be considered the capital of Europe and I really liked the idea of going to play in such an important city. I am also sorry we could not play in the new arena they built, o2 World: everybody said me that it's wonderful. The thing that makes me feel worst, though, is that I won't get a ball from the Final Four. It is the third time I am so close and I cannot stand it. This means that I will have to ask someone to get a ball for me! Who? Well, I would say to Nikos Zisis of CSKA, a great friend, or Drew Nicholas of Panathinaikos, another. I am sure that in early May both will play with their teams in Berlin for the European title, which leads me to my predictions...but remember, I will get that Final Four ball!

So, who do I think will be in Berlin from May 1 to 3 to play in the Euroleague Final Four? Let's go by playoff series. CSKA Moscow vs. Partizan Belgrade: CSKA, because they are a great team, and soon I will tell you also why. Panathinaikos vs. Siena: it will be a great playoff series, but I believe that ultimately the key will be the homecourt advantage the Greek team has. It is a euphemism, but to win in OAKA is not so easy. Barcelona vs. Tau Vitoria: Barcelona, because until now they are one of the teams that has showed the best basketball in Europe and I think that also in this case the homecourt advantage will be very important, although Tau is a very good team and has already won in Barcelona in the Spanish League. The last series, Olympiacos Piraeus vs. Real Madrid: here again, I go with the home team, a really talented one!

Who will win the European title? First of all, I have to say that thinking about the two semifinals I have predicted, Barcelona vs. CSKA Moscow and Panathinaikos vs. Olympiacos (what a derby, guys!), is thrilling already: four great teams battling to bring home the most coveted title of European basketball. Amazing! For the final victory, however, I must choose CSKA Moscow. Ettore Messina is a great coach, everybody knows it: I really cannot understand how this man can always get something extra from his players, from his team. This is one of his great strengths, the one that could mark the difference. Again.

So there: I have made my predictions. Now let's see what the court will say: the playoff races to reach Berlin will certainly be fun, and I invite all of you to watch this grand finale; you will not regret it. I certainly will not miss even one game! Guys, have fun. We look forward to next year, for me it would be a real pleasure to come back. Thanks again!

POSTED BY

MARCO MORDENTE - MILAN, ITALY

DATE:

Tuesday, March 17, 2009