Israeli Cavs/Blatt fans meetup?

[TLV]

Sorry for the slightly off topic post, but this is where all us crazy irrational Israeli David Blatt obsessives hang out.

Fellow Israelites, would anyone fancy doing a bit of a TLV get together for Game 2 (Friday night Sat morning: 3.30am)? Could be pretty fun. I have a projector which we screen the games onto the wall with and would gladly host.

Entry fee: Hummus and Goldstar.

Apologies to all board members that followed Cleveland before June 2014. I'll send you artsy instagram pictures of pita bread in the foreground and Mozgov dunking int he background in the live game feed.

 

[Freilauf]

Are you guys cavs fans now just because Blatt have coached in Israel?

 

[TLV]

Are you guys cavs fans now just because Blatt have coached in Israel?

Blatt hasn't just coached in Israel, he's also Israeli; and truthfully, at least for me, the answer it mainly "yes".

That being said, though it comes with a stigma when someone follows your team for this reason, I'd say you should have an open mind. I did my undergraduate degree at Manchester in the UK, and sometimes I went to Manchester United games. THOUSANDS of fans there were Asians that came over just to watch Utd's Korean player. They were going crazy and loving it and it was all quite funny.

I'm not a Utd fan (Glasgow Rangers - for my sins), but those that were had two ways to take that. To think ,bah, fuck these fake BS fans, they'll disappear as soon as their player goes. OR to enjoy the fact that suddenly these nutty foreigners are following our team and getting invested in their successes and failures.

So yeah, if Blatt has signed as Kerr's assistant in Golden State, we'd probably be cheering them. But cheering for a guy from your homeland that's gone and made it is pretty natural and what's FAR more important than that is that we all want the same thing.

I'm sure some Cleveland fans became invested because their parents were, some because they got inspired watching LeBron play when he first drafted... There are a host of reasons.

But for now we're 'all in' on the same cause, and that's what matters.

Yalla Cavs!

 

[MaccabiCavs]

If I wasnt living in the far north I would gladly come haha

 

[MirORich]

No worries guys and no need for apologies.

For a while we thought we'd be more popular in Canada than the Raptors due to a roster that at one point had Tristan Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and Dwight Powell.

On top of that over the years we(as I imagine many teams do) have picked up international fans from guys like Sasha Pavlovic(Serbia), Z(Lithuania), Anderson Vareajo(Brazil).

Of course with Delly(and to a smaller extent Kyrie) has come a wave of Aussie fans.

Basketball is an international game and the NBA has had a big international flavor for decades now. Its usually been on the playing side of things, but Blatt will unlikely be the only coach to come from overseas to be a head coach in the NBA.

What is unique though is that he has never been an assistant or head coach before in the US(whether in the NBA or in college) I do wonder if any other coach will ever come to the NBA without first at least being an assistant on an NBA team or head coach at a college in the US.

 

[gigabyte056]

Entry fee: Hummus and Goldstar.

Being Pentecost (Shavuot) maybe the entry fee should be cheese and wine...
3:30 in the morning is challenging, will do my best to attend.

Send pm with details?

 

[Freilauf]

Blatt hasn't just coached in Israel, he's also Israeli; and truthfully, at least for me, the answer it mainly "yes".

That being said, though it comes with a stigma when someone follows your team for this reason, I'd say you should have an open mind. I did my undergraduate degree at Manchester in the UK, and sometimes I went to Manchester United games. THOUSANDS of fans there were Asians that came over just to watch Utd's Korean player. They were going crazy and loving it and it was all quite funny.

I'm not a Utd fan (Glasgow Rangers - for my sins), but those that were had two ways to take that. To think ,bah, fuck these fake BS fans, they'll disappear as soon as their player goes. OR to enjoy the fact that suddenly these nutty foreigners are following our team and getting invested in their successes and failures.

So yeah, if Blatt has signed as Kerr's assistant in Golden State, we'd probably be cheering them. But cheering for a guy from your homeland that's gone and made it is pretty natural and what's FAR more important than that is that we all want the same thing.

I'm sure some Cleveland fans became invested because their parents were, some because they got inspired watching LeBron play when he first drafted... There are a host of reasons.

But for now we're 'all in' on the same cause, and that's what matters.

Yalla Cavs!

Don't get me wrong, I’m not criticizing here. I am truly trying to understand. I consider Israel my second home as I lived there for many years and still have friends and family down there. I have always had the feeling that people in Israel are way too emotional when it comes to how they are being perceived overseas. Kind of "everybody is against us" approach, but lets not get too pseudo-psychological here. We could probably discuss this forever.

I support the cavs ever since I remember myself and I will continue to support the team, regardless of winning or losing. You on the other hand, as you have honestly admitted, support the team in which Blatt is currently coaching. This is why your comparison to other cavs fans and how they started to follow the team, is ultimately wrong.

But again, nothing is wrong with that. What I don't like so much is the biased tendency the whole Blatt discussion has taken. It seems like no matter what happens, the Israeli Blatt fans feel like they need to defend their coach (doing Hasbara) as if their national pride is on the line. It just shallows the discussion and make it not fun to read. Some old cavs fans have some legit doubts about Blatt (maybe merely cause they didn’t get to know him yet) and instead of having a real discussion it gets so predictable from Blatt fans.

As I see it, from this season and also from the years I spent in Israel, Blatt is a very good coach. I don't think he's the best European coach since Obradovic and Messina's are Basketball legends in Europe. However, he's more suitable than them to coach in the NBA as he's a Native American. I think he struggled a bit this season because people (media and players too) are skeptical about the guy they didn't know before and now he's coaching the best player in the world. They give him hard time and wait for him to earn the respect rather than just give it to him. Its fair though. Under these difficult circumstances, he's doing great and he will soon get his respect he deserves. Nevertheless, he's not Popovic and he still has room for improvement but I have no doubt that can lead this team to championship. If not this season so next season.


Yalla cavs!

 

[gigabyte056]

Seeing that you have been in Israel, you do know we usually tend to lessen the man that made it, explain how he was lucky and no talent is involved, see Grant for references...

I agree some are quite overly protective, but they do give insight as to the the past capabilities of Blatt and his tendency to nurture and grow players he sees as having talent and then having them follow him and "return the favor".

This year is still a rookie year for him, no matter how adamant he is that he is no rookie.

 

[TLV]

What is unique though is that he has never been an assistant or head coach before in the US(whether in the NBA or in college) I do wonder if any other coach will ever come to the NBA without first at least being an assistant on an NBA team or head coach at a college in the US.

I think a lot of that will depend on Blatt. He said so in his first overproduction as coach, that he feels he's carrying a torch. It will never become the norm, but if it works out then there's no reason that European coaching experience won't be seen as a legitimate pool of talent from which to tap coaches, just like having been a college coach. Of course being a college coach is more appropriate experience for a host of reason, but I think going forward the Euro coaching 'stars' will likely get their shot.

I have always had the feeling that people in Israel are way too emotional when it comes to how they are being perceived overseas.

Small country syndrome. When I was 19 my sister had a Guatemalan friend. I said something completely tame, jokingly, about her home country; and she burst out crying. Personally, I'm a pragmatist and don't care too much, but people do get like that. Speak to a Macedonian, Maltese etc in your community, you'll see they feel equally emotional about how they're perceived.

This is why your comparison to other cavs fans and how they started to follow the team, is ultimately wrong.

Like I said, I do think we're not in exactly the same category as fans. We're more flakey, you're right, it's likely we'll move on when he leaves. But when we stay up until 5 am to watch, we're cheering on Kyrie, Mozgov, Lebron.... like the rest of you. We're not watching Blatt for his every movement. Best to accept the reality of the kind of fans we are than fight it!

It seems like no matter what happens, the Israeli Blatt fans feel like they need to defend their coach (doing Hasbara)

I hate the word Hasbara. We're not an army of trolls trying to defend Blatt at all costs. I can't speak for anyone else, but I only want him to get a fair shake. Even the old Cavs fans that have been members here since 2005 recognize he gets criticism when not due and fails to get praise when due. Blatt has made plenty of fuck ups too of course. I think he's somewhere around the top third of coaches this year in the NBA. No better. He'd get a B- overall but an A for doing it as a rookie IMO.

I don't think he's the best European coach since Obradovic and Messina's are Basketball legends in Europe.

A lot of European basketballs fans with no Israeli or Maccabi connection would disagree. He's done it at national, Euro and international levels with such a variety of teams. He at a minimum belongs in that company.

 

[Freilauf]

Seeing that you have been in Israel, you do know we usually tend to lessen the man that made it, explain how he was lucky and no talent is involved, see Grant for references...

oh C'mon, Avram Grant actually did not belong to this level. He got there only because he is close with Abramovich. With Blatt its obviously not the case.

 

[TLV]

Avram Grant is a very very good coach. Look at what he did in African Cup of Nations. But that's correct. He did not deserve that Chelsea job. A mid-table chance in the Premier League, maybe.

 

[gigabyte056]

oh C'mon, Avram Grant actually did not belong to this level. He got there only because he is close with Abramovich. With Blatt its obviously not the case.

It is exactly what I meant to say, if someone is unworthy, Israelis are the first to point it out, vocally if I might say.
Blatt gets our respect because he is a very good coach, worthy of this position and the "Hasbara" he gets is based on merit and our familiarity with him being a coach here for many years that also got some bad breaks in the local media and sporting association (the certificate debacle)

 

[tocov]

The Cavs had some Israeli connections throughout the last decade with Anthony Parker, Jeremy Pargo and Omri Casspi (assfingers) playing for them.

 

[Freilauf]

Small country syndrome. When I was 19 my sister had a Guatemalan friend. I said something completely tame, jokingly, about her home country; and she burst out crying. Personally, I'm a pragmatist and don't care too much, but people do get like that. Speak to a Macedonian, Maltese etc in your community, you'll see they feel equally emotional about how they're perceived.

agree

I hate the word Hasbara. We're not an army of trolls trying to defend Blatt at all costs. I can't speak for anyone else, but I only want him to get a fair shake.

Of course the vast majority of you are not trolls. definitely not you personally. But one or two were damn trolling till it got to the point where I told myself "wonder if the Anti-semetic card would be pulled" and guess what, it did. that was uncalled for.

Even the old Cavs fans that have been members here since 2005 recognize he gets criticism when not due and fails to get praise when due. Blatt has made plenty of fuck ups too of course. I think he's somewhere around the top third of coaches this year in the NBA. No better. He'd get a B- overall but an A for doing it as a rookie IMO.

Blatt totally gets unfair treatment from the media. But thats due to the combination of him being unknown and coaching Lebron James. If the team wins its because of Lebron, if they lose blatt is the one to blame. it comes with the privilege of coaching the best player in the world. However I am positive that Blatt wouldn't change anything. he's tough, he doesn't care what people say. If you would ask him whether he would rather to go back to the initial state when he signed for the job and was suppose to lead a young team with no expectations, I believe he would much rather to have the challenge of coaching this roster with all the pressure and having the chance to win it all. Because he's a winner, no doubt about it.

A lot of European basketballs fans with no Israeli or Maccabi connection would disagree. He's done it at national, Euro and international levels with such a variety of teams. He at a minimum belongs in that company.

well he's maybe in the conversation but Messina and Obradovic have much more overall european achievements. With all Blatt has achieved he's not even close. Obradovic and Messina have 12 Euroleague trophies together. with all due respect.

 

[MaccabiCavs]

agree



Of course the vast majority of you are not trolls. definitely not you personally. But one or two were damn trolling till it got to the point where I told myself "wonder if the Anti-semetic card would be pulled" and guess what, it did. that was uncalled for.

Blatt totally gets unfair treatment from the media. But thats due to the combination of him being unknown and coaching Lebron James. If the team wins its because of Lebron, if they lose blatt is the one to blame. it comes with the privilege of coaching the best player in the world. However I am positive that Blatt wouldn't change anything. he's tough, he doesn't care what people say. If you would ask him whether he would rather to go back to the initial state when he signed for the job and was suppose to lead a young team with no expectations, I believe he would much rather to have the challenge of coaching this roster with all the pressure and having the chance to win it all. Because he's a winner, no doubt about it.



well he's maybe in the conversation but Messina and Obradovic have much more overall european achievements. With all Blatt has achieved he's not even close. Obradovic and Messina have 12 Euroleague trophies together. with all due respect.

Neither of them has any interbational(countries) trophies...

Obradovich is with no doubt the best coach in europian basketball... probably in history... Blatt never gotten the upper-hand over him.

But I think Messina and Blatt are nust about equel in tactival abillity and Blatt is a far superior coach in terms of ego management and player handling. That's something the CSKA club has problems with even without Messina and that is why they are always falling to far inferior teams(budget and talent wise) in the semi-finals of finals. CSKA has been the reachest club in europe for years under Messina and he sidnt get a europian title with them since 2006