1) There is quite a battle going on in this league for playoff spots 2-8 and three decent teams are going to miss the playoffs. I just hope Turow is not the 8th seed (7th is fine) because the bus ride to Zgorzelec on these fine Polish roads is harder on one's body than Andzrej Urlep's three-a-day preseason practices at Rogla.
2) Speaking of Wloclawek. Despite a horrible start and several surprising losses - and about 7 million player changes throughout the season -Anwil will finish the regular season in 2nd place.
3) March is upon us, which brings more snow to Poland and the most exciting time of year for hoops's fans in America - MARCH MADNESS! I know basketball fans in Europe are not real familiar with College Hoops – over here the stars of the NBA get the TV time, along with some Euroleague action. But, in my mind - and the minds of most Americans - College Basketball's March Madness, culminating with the Final Four in early April, is the most exciting basketball on the planet. There are two big reasons why College Basketball rates so high with me: The intensity and energy level is very high from tip-off to the buzzer. Unlike the NBA players who only play hard in the last half of the 4th quarter and playoffs. There is also alot more pressure defense and movement on offense in college ball than you see at any level of International basketball. The system of conference tournaments which give smaller schools the chance to knock off the big schools in the lose-one-and-you're-done "Big Dance" make for intriguing storylines and heart-stopping action. From a field of 65 teams anything can happen - in fact, in 1994 my team, Wisconsin Green-Bay, upset Jason Kidd, Lamond Murray and the rest of the California team in round 1!!! I recommend College Hoops to every Basketball fan. To me - and most Americans - Euroleague, Olympics and even the NBA do not compare.
4) I love being an American, but George W. Bush has done a good job of almost making me embarassed to say I'm American. When I first started playing in europe Bill Clinton was in office and I usually got a good response from people when I told them I was American. Ok, Clinton wasn't perfect - I'm sure there are plenty of Serbians that didn't like him bombing them and he did get himself in trouble with a few young ladies - but, I think most foreigners liked him and Americans in general. I know we can be loud and obnoxious, a bit overweight, and think we are the best country on earth - based mostly on the fact that we (some of us excluded) don't know much about any other country on earth. But even with all those drawbacks it took W.Bush to make most countries hate us. Some of my friends in America think he is the right man to lead the US and keep it safe from terror. However, these people don't have to leave the States, so they don't get the chance to feel embarassed when introducing oneself as an American to people from other lands. Thanks alot W!!! Sure there are many leaders - both US and abroad - whose policies (domestic and foreign) I disagree with, but what really bothers me the most about George W. Bush is that he is not an intelligent man! Don't get me wrong, I am no Einstein,I know - and like – many unintelligent people, but they are not President of the most powerful country in the history of mankind! It is ok to be a bit slow in the head, but it is nearly unthinkable to elect someone like that President...DWA RAZI!!! Anyways, I hope I am judged as a person, not based on the policies of the government of my home country.
5) Enough about politics - let's have a beer! I think all Polish beer tastes the same. Don't get me wrong, Polish beer tastes good...it just all tastes the same. Tyskie, Lech, EB, Okocim, and Zywiec - the same. I didn't drink my first beer until I was 19 years-old, but since then I have aquired a taste for it. It is hard to say which is my favorite of the Polish beers - maybe I will have to have a taste-test. Nazdrowie!