In the name of CJ sanitation …

May 23, 2013

Que tal Euroleague nation? CJ Wallace here with a brief blog update just three weeks away from the Euroleague Final Four. Hopefully I can write a nice long one after the conclusion of our weekend in Istanbul, but that remains to be seen...

CSKA Moscow, Panathinaikos, Olympiacos, and FC Barcelona Regal. The four survivors of the quarterfinals. Each of the different series were battles in their own right. For us, we were able to advance to the Final Four by winning three very hard-fought games against a difficult Unics Kazan team. I definitely want to say congratulations to that organization for a great Euroleague season. As they have been throughout the season, road wins are crucial for advancing squads. And for me personally, Game 3 of the series in Russia was a must win.

Why? Good question. Due to some mix-ups, my travel bag was unable to make the trip along with the rest of our gear. As a result, I found myself in nearly arctic temperatures with one pair of underwear, sweatpants, a sweatshirt and two t-shirts. Furthermore, the one pair of laceless Chuck Taylor's I was wearing have survived so much in their lifetime, but even they were not super prepared for a full week in Russia. I never really wear socks, so my feet were looking at some cold days ahead. Maybe most worrisome was the matter of being without deodorant and body wash for the entire week. I take great pride in smelling fresh and clean at all times; and in order to achieve this perpetual goodness a combination of frequent soapy showers, great smelling body washes, Old Spice deodorant, and the occasional waft of cologne must be applied without falter. Underwear must also be changed on a daily basis. As you can see, my routine was being threatened by this baggage disaster. And my roommate Marcelinho Huertas wasn't super pumped about the whole thing either. There was no other option. Our team knew what misery I was going through, and thankfully, we were able to focus and execute in the name of CJ sanitation for a crucial Game 3 road win.

There are four great teams in the Final Four and everyone has a legitimate chance to win. I won't even try to make predictions. Great coaches, great players, and great fans will all come together in Istanbul. It should be a fun time. Hopefully, the trophy will be on our flight back to Barcelona. But it's up to us now. A sincere thanks to everyone for a great Euroleague season thus far and I hope to see you all in Istanbul.... But don’t fret, there will be one more blog post before then.

WAIT. I won't leave without the standard suggestions for being totally hip....

Country song to Download: Jake Owen, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night."
This was my choice for our pre-game warmup mix this year and along with Joe Ingles's selection of Men At Work "(Land) Down Under," it receives the least airplay during warm ups of all our songs. If, however, you do happen to come to the gym two hours before the game, you will hear this amazing country tune and you will feel good and awesome for the duration of the tune (because it just puts you in a great mood.) You will probably also hear Joe's song directly before or after it as well, which is a nice catchy 80s tune that you probably haven't heard in a while...or ever.

Other song to Download: Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe."
I'm legitimately a little uncomfortable admitting that I have listened to this song. Multiple times. And that I like it. This is the kind of song that barely teenage girls jumping around their bedroom at slumber parties sing to each other. There is probably something illegal about the sentence I just typed, but regardless of that, take a listen to this song; and if you are a girl, sing it loud and love it. If you are a guy, wait to turn the volume up until you are in the car by yourself and not stopped at any traffic lights.

Person to Follow on Twitter: Xavi Rabaseda at @xavirabaseda22
22 years old, good looking guy, and may be the most exciting dresser on our team. He has several bright futures in front of him on the basketball court and in the G-Star Raw dressing room.

Alright dudes. Not a super long blog this time around, but some good information in here. You just have to reread it several times to soak in the knowledge. Have enjoyed hanging out with y'all all season. Som-hi Barça!!!!!!!!!!!

POSTED BY

CJ WALLACE - BARCELONA, SPAIN

DATE:

Friday, April 20, 2012