Guys Pissinng In Underwears

Among influences and incessant rain, the race rests. Time of first place in the basketball season, and luckily there Sportitalia ... two years from the Euroleague can follow without having to subscribe to Sky, which, moreover, I never did. 16 teams have been playing the Champions League basketball. One of my comment.

Group A

That no Italian, so the less transmitted to me the least seen, known more on paper than on video. Dominated by Maccabi (9 wins - 1 loss), strong team and well coached, encouraged to get to the bottom. In Vitoria, Zalgiris and Partizan (all 5-5), the Basques expected more, but remain strong. Fine Lithuanian and Serbian, Loose Cannons to read. Outside the surprise of the rich Russian Khimki (and resignation of coach Scariolo Italian), a debacle for them, outside of the Polish Prokom after becoming the last year, but there was be expected.

Group B

The group with the most logical classification. Before the armored Olympiacos (7-3) finalists last year and now perhaps even stronger. Some fall from power loss, but really solid. Then the English Real Madrid (6-4) and Malaga (5-5). Never brilliant, but present to finish the homework. The same can be said for Roma (5-5), in the championship very badly but survived in the Euroleague, in the end thanks to a truly monstrous basket of Charles Smith, played in a clear downward trend, but one of the few to feature class pure class for Rino Tommasi, is the ability to play the most crucial points. Exactly, Charles Smith. Out of Bamberg (4-6) and Chaleroi (3-7): German and Belgian honored with the participation of prestigious victories, but needed to go through a little more.

Group C

Great Siena (8-2), beyond all expectation team but not too Italian champions Italy who played very well, along with the best Euroleague Maccabi up here. Squiibrato round with the first three clearly strongest: Fenerbache (7-3) and samples of Barcelona (7-3) ahead peacefully. From Barcelona it was expected more: I think not so much accidents, as the crisis of Rubio has put them in difficulty. Difficult, however, not continue to believe them favorites, with the Final Four at home. Comeback and the final step of the shift from one of the best teams to see, the Lithuanian Lietuvos (4-6), talented young and old, able to surprise in the future. Outside Cholet (4-6) and, sadly, Cibona: lost all, not at risk of failure and performance for one of the teams that made the history of basketball. Good luck!

Group D

Here surprises, both positive and negative. Normal is just the first place Panathinaikos (7-3), the first team to success in Athens, to which nothing is missing, as usual, to aspire to win. Resounding and happy second place dell'Olimpija Ljubljana (6-4), capable of giving more than the maximum of their ability to win difficult games in the sprint and recovery (signal in the presence of a bench coach with the flakes against ... ). To them I extend my supporters: I was born and grew up too close to the Slovenian basketball in order to stay fascinated. Then Efes Pilsen (5-5), without infamy and without praise, still need to go forward more. Same comment for Valencia (5-5), good at aprofittare horrible psychological vulnerabilities of Milan (4-6), team fall like a ripe fruit at the time of reckoning. It had all the good cards in hand. Almost with shame, from the bottom of my experience to the bench, but with the desire to say I say openly: the coach of Milan, Bucchi, is not worthy of this competition. The players, at least most of them, yes, and would have been sufficient a less neurotic and more decisive in choosing who to "entrust the car keys" to move at least this round. The super-surprise is the last place of CSKA Moscow (3-7), parties to win the Euroleague, the Russians are already out before the end of the round. Why? Hard to say, they do not miss anything: great coach (resigned in defeat occurred) and very good team, well, maybe a bit 'old and tired, but not enough to collapse like that.

Now we await the draw of the Top 16. Depend on the group and the crossings, but I feel six names for the Final Four: Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Siena, Maccabi, Barcelona and, of course, Ljubljana.