Yes, it sounded very familiar. Seems like all the powerhouse national teams begin to fall apart when their players become big pro stars with big NBA-style egos. Argentina is probably due for the same thing.

From 24sec.net:

Don't know whats really going on with nba players in FIBA competitions.I remember reading articles about euro's finding it hard to re-adjusting to euro rules all over again.Also iv'e noticed that FIBA rules alows much more phisycal contact.Thats prolly why Krstic is exelling in nba but finding all the no-call rulls hard to adjust to.Notice most of the euro games are low scoring,thats from teams treating every posetion like nba playoff game.To me Darko looks to preffer the rougher euro game under the boards,because in nba he usually would get called for fouls on agressive plays.

I really don't feel it is fair to attack Kristic just because of Darko's situation. Reminds me of a certain poster on another board relentless abusing Darvin Ham, for basically just being on the roster.

There is a guy who should not have played, and his name is Zelly. The coach is the other guy to be upset with for sure.

Kristic has done nothing but play and play well for his country. It does him a disservice to knock his playing in front of Darko (like he can control the lineups). Any rook who can average 18PPG against Shaq in the playoffs is ok by me.

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Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao

Microwave i'm not attacking Krstic,infact i think he's a future nba all star.I'm just saying he didn't play as good in this tournament,maybe he didn't know his role well.I agree with you regarding the coach,he's a moron & this is his 3rd strait failure with the national team (2000 olympics,2004 olympics & now).I read another article where Darko said he & Krstic will form the the twin towers on the serbian team for many years to come.Looks like he & Krstic are friends after all.

WOW! That is the enthusiasm and energy I've been looking for. I don't even care if he makes mistakes, in preseason or in any regular season minutes he gets, as long as he shows that kind of excitement for the game when he is playing.

That's a long way from the slumped shouldered Darko we are used to.

I can't wait for the preseason to start! Go Darko!

When a major news organization actually bothers to cover something usually limited to fans, it's amazing how much more info is revealed. This is an AP story running in today's Washington Post.

*removed*

Wow. That Free Press article today on Darko's performance in the EBC's was terribly misleading . Just horrible!

Relatively few people come to this site as compared to those that read the Free Press. So most of the country is going to believe that bunk in the Free Press. I know I would have swallowed it hook,line, and sinker if I didn't get to see the whole picture here.

Thank you pf.com and posters for giving us the opportunity to see the whole story. We could actually watch for ourselves and also read what different people had to say (good and bad) in order to help us make an informed opinion/analysis. We weren't limited to excerpts of one writer's opinion which slanted it in a certain (negative) way.

Yeesh!!!!!

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"Quite simply captain, I examined the problem from all angles, and it was plainly hopeless. Logic informed me that under the circumstances, the only logical action would have to be one of desperation. Logical decision, logically arrived at." -- Spock

I know summer's a slow period, when reporters are on vacation using up the "comp time" that newspapers give them for working nights and weekends. But this kind of thing is just BS. Zero effort would be required to learn more, just as we do. And when I think how much easier it is with Pistons contacts and press credentials, I get really pissed off.

What we need is a third paper to kick these clowns' butts.

Or a Pistons fan based community that presents a professional image and becomes a legitimate sports news source for the team.

It's all about the credentials...

__________________
Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao