1. Joined
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    07 Nov '08 21:23
    Finally! Greg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has remarked publically on the silliness of the term "World Champions" in the NBA. Did anyone else have a giggle while watching the Celtics raise that banner that proudly proclaimed them the WORLD CHAMPIONS? When is the NBA going to step into the modern era and change the title to LEAGUE CHAMPIONS or something similar? Will this ever happen? If not then how come?
  2. Standard memberleisurelysloth
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    07 Nov '08 22:291 edit
    Originally posted by darvlay
    Finally! Greg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has remarked publically on the silliness of the term "World Champions" in the NBA. Did anyone else have a giggle while watching the Celtics raise that banner that proudly proclaimed them the WORLD CHAMPIONS? When is the NBA going to step into the modern era and change the title to LEAGUE CHAMPIONS or something similar?
    When there's a team from a different league that can make them eat those words.
  3. Standard memberGalaxyShield
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    08 Nov '08 00:06
    Originally posted by darvlay
    Finally! Greg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has remarked publically on the silliness of the term "World Champions" in the NBA. Did anyone else have a giggle while watching the Celtics raise that banner that proudly proclaimed them the WORLD CHAMPIONS? When is the NBA going to step into the modern era and change the title to LEAGUE CHAMPIONS or something similar? Will this ever happen? If not then how come?
    Because Toronto is in Canada.
  4. Standard memberTirau Dan
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    08 Nov '08 07:56
    I'm no great fan of the game but I'm pretty sure Boston didn't have any players in the starting line up of the Olympic Champion Team. Having watched some of the final against Spain I struggle to imagine Boston as a world champ.

    In NZ our Canturbury Rugby Union team is probably one of the best teams in the world but not in a million years would anyone in NZ say or even think they are world champions.

    I think it must be something in the patriotism hormones ;P or imaginitis
  5. 6yd box
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    08 Nov '08 11:21
    Originally posted by darvlay
    Finally! Greg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, has remarked publically on the silliness of the term "World Champions" in the NBA. Did anyone else have a giggle while watching the Celtics raise that banner that proudly proclaimed them the WORLD CHAMPIONS? When is the NBA going to step into the modern era and change the title to LEAGUE CHAMPIONS or something similar? Will this ever happen? If not then how come?
    just a throught...but World Champions..... means that you are the best in the world..RIGHT?

    Well did they beat any teams from the other parts of the world...NO!

    Why o..why to you americans insist oN calling your domestic league/cup winners WORLD CHAMPIONS?
  6. Standard memberno1marauder
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    08 Nov '08 12:03
    Originally posted by Tirau Dan
    I'm no great fan of the game but I'm pretty sure Boston didn't have any players in the starting line up of the Olympic Champion Team. Having watched some of the final against Spain I struggle to imagine Boston as a world champ.

    In NZ our Canturbury Rugby Union team is probably one of the best teams in the world but not in a million years would anyone in ...[text shortened]... world champions.

    I think it must be something in the patriotism hormones ;P or imaginitis
    The Celtics would have kicked the s**t out of ANY team in ANY league in the world. The All Star teams cobbled together for international competition don't count.

    All the other Celtic championship banners say "World Champions"; why should they change such a tradition because it offends some Canuck (they can't play ball anyway)? Go play with a puck, Darv.
  7. SubscriberHelder Octavio Borges
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    08 Nov '08 21:16
    http://www.playtheimmortalgame.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=84938&page=2#post_1632747
  8. Standard memberRagnorak
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    09 Nov '08 12:22
    Originally posted by no1marauder
    The Celtics would have kicked the s**t out of ANY team in ANY league in the world. The All Star teams cobbled together for international competition don't count.

    All the other Celtic championship banners say "World Champions"; why should they change such a tradition because it offends some Canuck (they can't play ball anyway)? Go play with a puck, Darv.
    I reckon in future we should abolish all sporting competition in favour of a loud mouth declaring who the World Champion should be.

    ; D
  9. Standard memberno1marauder
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    09 Nov '08 13:371 edit
    Originally posted by Ragnorak
    I reckon in future we should abolish all sporting competition in favour of a loud mouth declaring who the World Champion should be.

    ; D
    I suppose Tiger Woods wasn't the best golfer in the world in 2007 because he failed to compete on the Mongolian circuit and therefore, who knows?, maybe some guy there could have beat him on a consistent basis.

    I wasn't aware that any serious sports fan anywhere in the world disputes that the teams in the NBA are superior to the teams that play in ANY European, South American, Asian or anywhere else league.

    A "loudmouth" is someone like you who doesn't have any facts to support your position, but states it as if it should be taking seriously just on your say so.
  10. Standard memberRagnorak
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    09 Nov '08 14:03
    Originally posted by no1marauder
    I suppose Tiger Woods wasn't the best golfer in the world in 2007 because he failed to compete on the Mongolian circuit and therefore, who knows?, maybe some guy there could have beat him on a consistent basis.

    I wasn't aware that any serious sports fan anywhere in the world disputes that the teams in the NBA are superior to the teams th ...[text shortened]... pport your position, but states it as if it should be taking seriously just on your say so.
    Didn't Tiger compete against the best players from around the world to be name best golfer in the world?

    In Ireland, we have a sport called Gaelic Football (and another called Hurling). While there are a few teams in the US, England and Australia for ex-pats, our champions are called "All Ireland Champions".

    I don't see the need for the self congratulatory habit of calling a team which only competes against teams from it's own nation to be entitled "World Champions", although I suppose it fits the insularity of some Americans to believe that the US = the World.

    I wasn't aware that any serious sports fan anywhere in the world disputes that the teams in the NBA are superior to the teams that play in ANY European, South American, Asian or anywhere else league.

    In Britain, they have a trophy called the FA cup, where every team in the land is allowed to play. Your amateur Sunday League teams are included, although they have to win about 7 or 8 matches before they're in the FA Cup proper. While I can't expect you to know anything about this competition, the greatest joy for the neutral fans of the sports are the "Giant Killings", whereby a lowly team knocks out a team from the top echelon of the sport. You seem to believe that this is impossible with the quoted statement above... An American team would ALWAYS, without fail beat a Non-American team.

    Why do you believe that competition is unnecessary to make absurd claims of World sporting supremacy?

    D
  11. Joined
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    09 Nov '08 14:11
    Originally posted by no1marauder
    I suppose Tiger Woods wasn't the best golfer in the world in 2007 because he failed to compete on the Mongolian circuit and therefore, who knows?, maybe some guy there could have beat him on a consistent basis.

    I wasn't aware that any serious sports fan anywhere in the world disputes that the teams in the NBA are superior to the teams th ...[text shortened]... pport your position, but states it as if it should be taking seriously just on your say so.
    a world champion is a team who plays and beats teams of their sport from around the world, regardless if the nba is better than any other league in the world doesn't give them the right to declare themselves the champions of the world of basketball.

    how many sports outside of the u.s is a team called world champions when hey don't actually play teams from outside their own country....none. even in soccer, the champions league is pretty much well known for being the biggest and best club competition in the world, with the best players and the best teams in the world playing but is the winner declared the world champions? no, we have a bit of respect for teams outside our on continent.

    look at baseball and the 'world series' how have the u.s done in international baseball competitions in the last few years? enough said.
  12. Standard memberno1marauder
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    09 Nov '08 14:523 edits
    Originally posted by Ragnorak
    Didn't Tiger compete against the best players from around the world to be name best golfer in the world?

    In Ireland, we have a sport called Gaelic Football (and another called Hurling). While there are a few teams in the US, England and Australia for ex-pats, our champions are called "All Ireland Champions".

    I don't see the need for the self congra t competition is unnecessary to make absurd claims of World sporting supremacy?

    D
    It fits the reality that the teams in the NBA ARE the best in the world and all basketball fans know this. As Will Sonnett said, "No brag, just fact."
  13. Standard memberRagnorak
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    09 Nov '08 15:03
    Originally posted by no1marauder
    It fits the reality that the teams in the NBA ARE the best in the world and all basketball fans know this. As Will Sonnett said, "No brag, just fact."
    A. N. Other RightWinger: "the US is THE Greatest Country in the World"

    Fits the theme, eh?

    D
  14. Standard memberno1marauder
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    09 Nov '08 15:081 edit
    Originally posted by Ragnorak
    A. N. Other RightWinger: "the US is THE Greatest Country in the World"

    Fits the theme, eh?

    D
    No it doesn't; your post is a complete non sequitur.
  15. Joined
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    09 Nov '08 15:121 edit
    Originally posted by no1marauder
    It fits the reality that the teams in the NBA ARE the best in the world and all basketball fans know this.
    Indeed. But does that mean that they are "the World Champions"? You - quite rightly, I feel, and more often than not, tellingly - hold other posters to a higher standard of accuracy and justification, day after day here.

    Ragnorak asked you pointedly: "Why do you believe that competition is unnecessary to make absurd claims of World sporting supremacy?" That's a question you ought to answer. Why, in the USA - and only in the USA, mind - is international competition unnecessary to decide the best competitor in the world?
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