|||... Peja this summer...|||

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LjuboDaMan

LjuboDaMan

Bench
#1
#1
I read this on this serbian site (b92) and it kind of made me mad.

Peja said he doesn't want to play this summer for his national team.
This is the second time he did this. ( Olympic games last summer he also cancelled )
Sometimes i wish he just plays for Greece and forget all of this. GOSHHHH.
He is a young player, and it's not like he's gonna play 82 games over there.
O well. Peja is wierd. Bodiroga is most loyal of them all. I love that guy's passion for basketball.

Maybe he is working on his game this summer? you know ... post moves and such.

what do you all think about this ?
 
Bricklayer

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#2
#2
If he is working on his post moves I of course love it -- its what we hoped/expected he would do last year, and you just can't develop your game like that in actual competition. Need hundreds and thousands of boring reps every day.

But if this is like last summer where he just decided to take 4 months entirely off from basketball...well, obviously does not bother me he is not playing for his NT, but if he gives a damn about his professional career or the game in general he'd damn well better be playing basketball SOMEWHERE.

Just without knowing his motivations for skipping it makes it tough to judge. Could be for the sake of his professional career which would be good for us. Could be a sign of lack of passion for the game, which would be a bad sign. So I guess I don't feel much at all one way or ther other until I see what he has in trainging camp...for whichever team he shows up for. Cautiously optimistic I suspose only in that at least there's a chance he's putting in offseason work.
 
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ParniValjak

ParniValjak

All-Star
#3
#3
:mad: :mad: :mad:

I guess just like last year, Obradovic wanted him there at the start of the preparations and Peja couldn't do it because of his camp.

This is really starting to pee me off. I wasn't overly disappointed last year when he opted out of the olympics but I am filthy about this. This is tournament is held in his home country, in front of his people and he doesn't want to represent his country in a tournament where the expectations are really high.

Now that Peja has decided not to play and Vujanic out with snapped ACL we are truely screwed. Bodiroga ain't what he used to be (although still a class act), god knows if Jaric will play considering he is a FA and has injury history. I guess we would have to rely on Radmanovic, Krstic, Bodiroga and Rakocevic.

I had high hopes for this summer but I guess they are gone now.

From Kings perspective I also find this to be bad news. Peja rocked up to the camp last year badly out of shape and if Djordjevic's charity game was anything to go by he sure needed some serious preparation. I just don't think Peja will work on his game over the summer. He said it himself its impossible to find someone who wants to play basketball in summer. Everyone is on the beach.

Or you could take another spin on it. Peja has hired someone who will work with him and develop his post game. Its his contract year and he also has more responisbility this year to step up to the plate and be one of the leaders of the Kings. Maybe, just maybe he has decided to work on his game for real and be the type of player that he can be :confused:
 
DocHolliday

DocHolliday

Starter
#6
#6
I'm glad he is taking the break. He didn't look like he ran out of gas towards the end of the season and the playoffs this last year, like he usually has. He's a professional and they pay him lots of money to be there. If his body can't take doing both then his obligation by contract is to the Sacramento Kings, NOT the Serbian national team.
 
LjuboDaMan

LjuboDaMan

Bench
#7
#7
DocHolliday said:
I'm glad he is taking the break. He didn't look like he ran out of gas towards the end of the season and the playoffs this last year, like he usually has. He's a professional and they pay him lots of money to be there. If his body can't take doing both then his obligation by contract is to the Sacramento Kings, NOT the Serbian national team.
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whatever

it's all about money, isnt it?

so he leans towards $$$? who cares about his national team?

the 10 mil people in serbia would rather watch him play for his national team than play for $$$ over here. the people over there care a lotttttt ... about these things. in this kind of business where the $$$ is everything, he should not forget where he comes from.

I think gassed out Divac has more will to play for his national team than this guy.
 
Vlad

Vlad

Bench
#12
#12
piksi said:
I agree but we have to suffer because of that
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Why do people hate Obradovic? And if a lot of people hate him, why is he the coach?

BTW, KKsloga: it is confirmed that Pedja is sitting out (b92 and jadransport)
 
DocHolliday

DocHolliday

Starter
#13
#13
LjuboDaMan said:
whatever

it's all about money, isnt it?

so he leans towards $$$? who cares about his national team?

the 10 mil people in serbia would rather watch him play for his national team than play for $$$ over here. the people over there care a lotttttt ... about these things. in this kind of business where the $$$ is everything, he should not forget where he comes from.

I think gassed out Divac has more will to play for his national team than this guy.
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How is playing or not playing for the national team about money. He's under contract, he's getting money ( for one more year at least) from the Kings either way. And though this is a contract year playing or not playing for the national team would not lower his stock. That's great and all that the people over there want to see him play, but if he is tired and feels he needs to rest, his obligation is for the team that he is under contract with. They are paying him to come in to camp as fresh as possible and be ready come the start of the season. Whatever you have to do, or not do to accomplish that.
 
piksi

piksi

Hall of Famer
#14
#14
Vlad said:
Why do people hate Obradovic? And if a lot of people hate him, why is he the coach?

BTW, KKsloga: it is confirmed that Pedja is sitting out (b92 and jadransport)
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Because he is a control freak, has a bad temper amongst many other things. Pedja is not the only one that will cancel. He was just the first one. NOBODY wants to spend 6 weeks of training camp in the mountains with Obradovic.

For all of You who hope tha Pedja canceled because of "working on his game" - just remember - Pedja does not do Basketball at home
 
F

FordPerfekt

Prospect
#15
#15
Vlad said:
BTW, KKsloga: it is confirmed that Pedja is sitting out (b92 and jadransport)
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What a reliable source(x2)!!! I went to blic and Sportska centrala and didn't find anything about that. Every year same stuff. BTW Obradovic is the worst possible coach we could have.
 
K

KKSloga

G-League
#16
#16
Vlad said:
Why do people hate Obradovic? And if a lot of people hate him, why is he the coach?

BTW, KKsloga: it is confirmed that Pedja is sitting out (b92 and jadransport)
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B92 is just reporting what VList is saying.
 
LjuboDaMan

LjuboDaMan

Bench
#17
#17
DocHolliday said:
How is playing or not playing for the national team about money. He's under contract, he's getting money ( for one more year at least) from the Kings either way. And though this is a contract year playing or not playing for the national team would not lower his stock. That's great and all that the people over there want to see him play, but if he is tired and feels he needs to rest, his obligation is for the team that he is under contract with. They are paying him to come in to camp as fresh as possible and be ready come the start of the season. Whatever you have to do, or not do to accomplish that.
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it looks like he chose money over the loyalty to the national team
he's gonna rest so he can be ready and play for an NBA team (and if hes 100% he'll get the MAX ? maybe ?) thats giving up on something but it's a plus for him, not us the fans tho.

he's always tired ... he's never gonna play for the national team ever again then.

playing for a national team and winning gold was a dream for many players, not as much now, some give up on things like that and do whatever they feel is better for them, leaving a country with some sense of anger towards those kind of people.

i migh be overreacting, and probably am

i don't wanna make a big deal out of this but im bit hurt hehe
 
BibityBobtyBoom

BibityBobtyBoom

Bench
#20
#20
didn't the kings draft, or sign dejean bodriga? On real gm, they have him on their roster. even though his age is going up, i seen him in the olympics and he can still play with the best of them.
 
Bricklayer

Bricklayer

Don't Make Me Use The Bat
#22
#22
BibityBobtyBoom said:
didn't the kings draft, or sign dejean bodriga? On real gm, they have him on their roster. even though his age is going up, i seen him in the olympics and he can still play with the best of them.
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Years and years ago we did, but he has repeatedly declined to come over, and now with his age its probably too late.
 
LjuboDaMan

LjuboDaMan

Bench
#23
#23
Bricklayer said:
Years and years ago we did, but he has repeatedly declined to come over, and now with his age its probably too late.
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yup. he's done. one of the greatest players outside the NBA. and the most clutch that's for sure.
 
Purple Reign

Purple Reign

Starter
#24
#24
From Jadransport.org

Predrag Stojakovic cancels his appearance on EuroBasket 2005


15.07.2005
by Damir Jovanovic


Currently the best Serbian player in NBA, Predrag Stojakovic (Predrag Stojaković) has notified the national coach Zeljko Obradovic (Željko Obradović) and team manager Zarko Paspalj (Žarko Paspalj) that he wont play for Serbia & Montenegro on European Championship this fall in Belgrade.

This news came as a shock to first the nation itself, then to the press but probably it was already expected by Zeljko Obradovic, although any coach would hope to have a experienced three point shooter in his squad like Stojakovic is.

As a reason for making this decision Stojakovic said that he needs to rest of from the NBA season that wore him out (I don’t remember Sacramento Kings reaching the Final???). But hey if he says he’s tired then that’s ok, just what are we suppose to say about legends like Aleksandar Sasa Djordjevic (Aleksandar Đorđević), Predrag Danilovic (Predrag Danilović), Zarko Paspalj (Žarko Paspalj) and many more who played with bondages and still won gold and silver.

What’s more important, they given the Serbian nation something to be proud of, something that we all appreciated and always say that we must build a monument in their honor. Unfortunately seems like Stojakovic doesn’t wants to be a part of that monument, of the history of our great nations basketball that’s after all more than a game.

Overall, we have to have the understanding for him as a individual, who has his own family and his own concerns, he has to go Thailand for a vacation and therefore he cant get to Zeljko Obradovic call up at August 1st when the training of the “selected ones” will start. And like the old saying says, better quit than get ruled out.

We salute Stojakovic’s work with children in basketball camps, humanitarian actions for the churches… although that something that fulfills him as a person, while we still don’t understand why doesn’t playing in the national jersey and being cheered on by millions of your own people does the same trick…

Who will replace Stojakovic, is a million dollar question. It’s known that Serbia have a lot of great players, but no one that is in a somewhat constant good form in NBA. Some say Vladimir Radmanovic of Seattle might do the trick…

For now, four fairy great players wont appear on Zeljko Obradovic’s list… Vlade Divac for who we know from Indianapolis 2002 that we wont play but hoped he will change his mind, same goes for Aleksandar Djordjevic who just played his farewell match in Belgrade on which the fans filled the Pionir dome of Basketball to pay their thanks to one of the greatest players of Yugoslavia and Serbia of all times, then Milos Vujanic because of an injury and now Predrag Stojakovic…
 
acisking

acisking

Bench
#25
#25
i would assume that charitable events are moe honorable than playing for a team you have played for in the past...but thats my personal take on it at least
 
V

vj9999

Starter
#26
#26
Is that JadranSport article newsreporting or an editorial!? If Peja never played for his country I would understand, but for Gods sake, NBA season can take a toll on ones body. Why is that so hard to grasp. If he feels tired and doesn't want to play it is his choice. PEja had a tough and unusual season. He was injured more then usual and he played alot of minutes.

European games are shorter and games are played less frequent. I think Peja has every right to claim that he needs rest.
 
LjuboDaMan

LjuboDaMan

Bench
#27
#27
if you all say "He was injured more then usual and he played alot of minutes." why some people say you want him out of here, that he is no good for KINGS.
 
Yoda

Yoda

Bench
#28
#28
LjuboDaMan said:
if you all say "He was injured more then usual and he played alot of minutes." why some people say you want him out of here, that he is no good for KINGS.
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Because he is as Brick says, Charmin soft.
 
K

KKSloga

G-League
#29
#29
Jadransport is a site run by a couple of monkeys who write up their own opinions. Sportska Centrala and Blic have nothing about him not playing. Hold on until anything is confirmed to make stupid comments.
 
Londonking

Londonking

Believer
#30
#30
This thread makes for depressing reading....I do understand how the potential absence of Peja from the national team would be a disappointment for the Serbian based fans who post here. However, I think some of the comments appear to have been written out of frustration rather than considered opinion.

In my view, a key element missing from all I read here, which might justify some of the harsher comments is any word from Peja himself. I would hope that upon reflection fans will respect whatever decision he makes. Whilst in all sports there are athletes who arent good citizens and probably deserve a degree of scorn, from what I know of Peja he isnt one of them.

I have little doubt that in arriving at his decision (either to play or not to play...there does seem to be an element of dispute) Peja will have taken into consideration the potential benefits and possible downside for :-
1)him as an individual
2)the Kings
3)his home nation team and fans in Serbia

I would encourage you to put your personal feelings aside and trust his judgement.
 
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