Siikkent
Years ago

Goran Dragic tweets alleging Boomers fixed match

Goran Dragic @Goran_Dragic · 19m

Basketball is a beautiful sport, there is no room for fixing the game like today Australia vs Angola!! @FIBA should do something about that!

https://twitter.com/Goran_Dragic

Slovenian Assistant Coach:

Stefanos Dedas @StefanosDedas · 2h

Congratsulations for one of the most funny performance in history of basketball @AussieBoomers

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Anonymous  
Years ago

It was a classic case of point shaving.

I managed to get in Angola when they were paying $5 for the win. Hated watching the game, but happy it will be paying for my drinks this weekend.

Reply #492110 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Talk about sore, sweet dreams Goran.

Reply #492113 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Australians made Slovenians really angry, and Slovenia plays best when they are angry. Lithuania doesnt have a chance today.

Reply #492122 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

And also, yesterday when Slovenia played Angola, they could lose, and they would be in best position to secure first or third place, but they didnt lose, cuz they are not pussys like Australians.

Reply #492125 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

They actually played their bench for almost the entire second half in that game!

Reply #492128 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It doesnt matter if they played with bench, it matters HOW they played!

Reply #492129 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

And Slovenia played also with bench against Angola but they still won.

Reply #492130 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcqvIyiEn4I


The video is just 2 min long, but its enough to see everything lol If you cant see that you arent beeing objective

Reply #492134 | Report this post


paul  
Years ago

Slovenia played half the game with the bench and won by six, Australia played the whole game with their bench and lost by eight.

Reply #492135 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

just look at the video mate

Reply #492136 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Pathetic- so many uncontested trans baskets! Apologies if it's been said already (a lot to go through)- what was the benefit for aussies losing?

Reply #492140 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If Slovenia lose tonight against Lithuania, will Australia finish on third place and avoid the team Usa in quarter finals. So they can go all the way to the semis, if slovenia win Australia will finish second and probably play against the Usa. If Australia would win tonight against Angola, the only chance for them to finish third would be, if Lithuania would beat Slovenia between 9 and 13 Points. So we will see what happens between Slovenia and Lithuania.

Reply #492141 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

@Paul: bench or no bench, that was a clear, blatant dive by Australia. Their fourth quarter offense consisted of little more than throwing lazy, easily-interceptable alley oop and lob passes and contested threes.

Whether you agree with throwing the game or not, it's pretty hard to argue that they just let the bench play and lost it honest that way.

They let the bench play AND took a dive.

Reply #492152 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

The result was nothing new at a World Champs or Olympics. Been done before plenty of times by Euro teams.

Reply #492155 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Lithuania came from behind to defeat Slovenia and do exactly what the Boomers wanted!

Group D standings are like this:
1. Lithuania
2. Slovenia
3. Australia
4. Mexico

Reply #492156 | Report this post


Balla  
Years ago

The Tanking Worked !!!!

Reply #492158 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

Funny thing is that if Slovenia were in the same position, they would have done exactly the same thing.

Reply #492167 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Yep - Slovenia would have done the same thing. Any Euro team would have done the same thing.

Reply #492170 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

If Kiwi's can beat Lithuania and Australia can take care of Turkey, Australia and NZ scheduled to meet in the quarter finals!

Reply #492171 | Report this post


Michael  
Years ago

They were in the same spot last game vs angola

Reply #492172 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If Kiwi's can beat Lithuania... LOL

Heck, we've got to get past Turkey first.

Reply #492174 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"And Australia beat Turkey" LOL

Oh, we both failed English comprehension Anon.

Reply #492179 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

My apologies, that last post was by me and I chose to tank on that last post. I shouldn't have responded.

Reply #492180 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So disappointed that Paul comes up with the line we played our bench. It truly shows how bad our bench are. Nothing positive in that.
If they gave their best, pathetic. If they tanked, pathetic.

Reply #492181 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If Slovenia score 2 points in the last quarter, pathetic

Reply #492187 | Report this post


Fm  
Years ago

FIFA fixed this years ago by playing both games at the same time.

Even under 14's clubs does this.

Reply #492197 | Report this post


Johnnysack  
Years ago

No question basketball is a beautiful sport. But, a WC tournament a cutthroat business and for the teams with aspirations and designs on the KO stages the importance of group games is variable. Dragic and that coach need to grow/harden up. And watching the LIT VS SLV game, I could say that i have suspicions that Slovenia threw it on purpose - that final qtr looked VERY suspect to me.

Reply #492202 | Report this post


Annon  
Years ago

it is not match fixin !!??? unless someone in the team benefited financially by placing a bet and threw the game....

Title is inappropriate. Played bench who just played rubbish in last 1/4 to gain potential advantage in a draw where teams that shouldn't be in the finals run can sneak through… Europeans do it all the time and NBA and every other comp at some point will rest teams.

Reply #492208 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Didn`t LTU do the same thing a few years back and get absolutely smashed in a game to avoid the USA as well?

Reply #492214 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Basketball is a beautiful sport, there is no room for fixing the game like today Australia vs Angola!! @FIBA should do something about that!

Poor choice of words by someone who should know better than to stir the pot like this. Agree that Euro teams have done this plenty of times before, it isn't an Aussie invention like he pretends it to be and it isn't technically match fixing either, that is a slanderous comment really...

Reply #492219 | Report this post


Bo Hamburger  
Years ago

I'm applauding Slovenia's apparent last-quarter spitetank as retribution. Two points?

(Spitetank should totally be a word)

Reply #492222 | Report this post


Johnnysack  
Years ago

Spitetank! LOL!

Bo, That made my morning.

Reply #492227 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Game wasn't fixed, it was thrown. So be it.

Slovenia could've kept their desired top spot by, you know, scoring more than two points in the last quarter...

Reply #492230 | Report this post


Naph  
Years ago

Goran Dragic (paraphrase) - "I am frustrated that Lithuana will now play to win instead of tanking... sorry 'match fixing', against my team later today. This also means that I won't get an extra rest day like I was hoping for."

I'm against what Australia did, but seriously, Dragic is being an over-inflammatory tool.

Reply #492233 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Slovenia....here's an idea. Win your game against Lithuania and the Aussie game becomes irrelevant. But if you're not good enough to do that like Australia did, then stop whingeing and deal with the consequences. Do you think you are the first team in history this has happened to?

Reply #492234 | Report this post


Naph  
Years ago

Eurobasket 2013

http://www.eurobasket2013.org/en/default.asp?cid={221A6A0E-D8D6-4016-B84F-1CC6CF17A09F}&compID={D166E39E-2323-4863-B229-76357A926FA2}&season=2013&roundID=8722&gameID=8731-F-9-3

Slovenia, playing in a dead rubber (playing in the last game and had a losing tie-breaker against Croatia) against Finland are "shock" 16 point losers. One Goran Dragic plays just 5 minutes. The smaller Finnish team win the boards, and make 17 of 32 threes... they shot 54 of 194 (~28%) from deep for the rest of the tournament.

Reply #492245 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Inside word.

I placed a multibet on Angola/Lithuania to win.

I'm indirectly involved with the Boomers program as I'm a tax paying citzen of Australia and therefore help fund the team.

I'm hoping to avoid jail time for my part in this match fixing scandal although I'm expecting to be grilled by ASADA and other federal governing bodies for months to come.

Any good lawyers on this forum that can help me?

Reply #492249 | Report this post


Kent Brockman  
Years ago

Spitetank

Spithood

Reply #492251 | Report this post


Bo Hamburger  
Years ago

Ah, the good old days Kent. :)

Reply #492257 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Lucky BA aren't running this tournament. There would be a report and disciplinary action like 18 nationals this year.

Reply #492260 | Report this post


Kr  
Years ago

Slovenia were only pissed because they were forced to beat Lithuania instead of taking it easy and keeping first spot. They weren't good enough to beat Lithuania on the day like Australia were, so suck it I say!

Reply #492262 | Report this post


Hendo8888  
Years ago

Australia scored 41 in the second half to lose. Slovenia scored 20 to lose.
Who tanked? ;)

Reply #492265 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Oh well - it put Australia on the homage of ESPN basketball today.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=11465748

Funny to watch some of these close outs and interesting to see that the American population don't really care as they view it as 'strategy'.

Reply #492276 | Report this post


Bo Hamburger  
Years ago

This Sports Illustrated fellow took the trouble of breaking down the game tape and giffifying it:

http://www.si.com/nba/2014/09/04/australia-angola-tanking-goran-dragic-fiba-world-cup?xid=si_nba&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

(I need someone to teach me how to href properly - I can't seem to do it anymore!)

FWIW in his first line he calls Australia an 'also-ran' which I think is a bit harsh, particularly if they make it through to the medal round.

Reply #492278 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Interesting how much coverage this has received internationally.

I think it's gained more coverage than past tank-jobs because Australia did a really poor job of hiding it... they actually threw the game rather than just resting key guys and letting a depleted squad lose. Our bench would have ran through Angola if they wanted to (which I guess is the problem...our worst five guys would have beaten them, so you can't really throw this game without engaging in some foul play).

At the end of the day this is FIBA's fault for having such a stupid system that doesn't incentivise winning these games, so you can't really blame us .

Reply #492283 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

It appears Ben Golliver (SI journalist) hasn't seen a lot of Bubbles defense in the past.

Reply #492286 | Report this post


GWB  
Years ago

I don't see why its so reprehensible considering it was widely accepted Lithuania would tank against Slovenia otherwise. Gorans just pissed it meant the game would be real, rather than phoned in. Guess your top 4 hopes are done hey Slovenia?

Reply #492289 | Report this post


Harry Balls  
Years ago

The final line of the SI article is gold. After questioning if tanking tactics "stain the credibility of the entire event"

"Those questions will linger until the Round of 16 opens in Spain on Saturday"

Essentially admitting that this issue prompts short term outrage but...meh, what are you gonna do?

Reply #492291 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Goran made a layup in the fourth quarter, his teams only points in that quarter.

Tank.

Reply #492292 | Report this post


Naph  
Years ago

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/04/goran-dragic-calls-out-australia-for-fixing-game-against-angola-to-avoid-usa-down-line/

Probably the most balanced article I've seen. It opens and closes with the following two sections.

"Goran Dragic is right — Australia rested key guys to "fix" their game Thursday against Angola and lose. But really, Dragic is pissed because Australia just put his Slovenian team in a bind.

Welcome to FIBA, Goran."


"Dragic is right, Australia tanked.

Welcome to FIBA, where it is common and, by system, almost encouraged."

Reply #492304 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Are you questioning the players or the coaching staff? I agree with what Lemanis did by rotating the roster.

If you don't think the guys on the court wanted to win, simple, you're a fucking loser. You're basically questioning every players integrity?

I'm questioning why our second unit wasn't good enough to beat Angola, I think it's because they aren't that good to begin with.

Reply #492312 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

players don't tank

Reply #492314 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Just a thought, maybe it is a thread on its own, but what about the cause of all this being the draw and the system, not so much the teams who by default are by products or symptoms, if you will, of this cause.

Could the draw and the whole set up of the draw improve to alleviate this issue?

My proposal would be to look at the Soccer WC draw and how they pool 4 teams into groups where the top two go through to the knock out rounds.

Would something like this work for the hoops WC, I am sure it has been thought of but it now seems to be a bigger issue than it should, so perhaps this is a way out of the wilderness...

Reply #492317 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

If you don't think the guys on the court wanted to win, simple, you're a fucking loser. You're basically questioning every players integrity?

I'm questioning why our second unit wasn't good enough to beat Angola, I think it's because they aren't that good to begin with.
OK then, I'm a fucking loser. Those players weren't trying to win late in the game, they're better than that. Re-watch the highlights and some of the lack of effort on D is clearly on purpose. The second unit was good enough but didn't think they'd need to fail so blatantly. Instead they hit threes at 56% and had to help Angola get it over the line.

I think you're insane to think that the Boomers players were legitimately trying to win that game.


Bear, what if the crossover games were just randomised somehow so you didn't quite know who you were going to face?

Reply #492323 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

So you are questioning their integrity? Why are you still a fan?

Reply #492326 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I guess that's the difference between you and I, I can lose and still hold my head up high as a winner. Whereas it seems the opportunity to avoid the best is what dreams are made of for yourself.

Reply #492328 | Report this post


Playmakermo  
Years ago

Bear, Fiba is introducing a 32-team format at the 2019 World Cup: 8 pools of 4 teams where the top 2 teams from each pool advance, similar to the Fifa World Cup. Tanking should, if nothing else, become less prevalent in this instance.

http://espn.go.com/olympics/basketball/story/_/id/8619674/fiba-pushes-2020-olympic-qualifier-world-cup-basketball-back-2019

Reply #492331 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

re: anon 328. They're not trying to avoid the US - only delaying when. Inevitably we'll have to face them in the semis, all going well.

If you're smart, you'll pick your battles with the intent of getting your team as far as you strategically could in the tournament.

Reply #492333 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

So you are questioning their integrity? Why are you still a fan?
How am I questioning their integrity? I'm saying that they were trying to lose and they succeeded. And I'm saying that engineering results to maximise future success is part of the game given the way the draw works. Any sane person is acknowledging that.

I'm saying they did what they intended. You're saying that our second unit can't beat Angola. Wonder which one the players would take offence at?

Reply #492334 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

So much white noise here, yes well then we shall see how it goes at that tournament I guess?

@Isaac, I think there could be more options with a 4 team pool system, even if the top two go into a secondary pool against the cross pool bottom two for another round before deciding on an overall win/loss system prior to knock out games...

The more random and complex the initial pool games the less attractive it should be to even contemplate losing a game during the event.

I know it can't be totally avoided, but we seem to be upset at the symptoms, not the cause of the issue!

Reply #492342 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

I don't know if it's quite as simple as 'the Boomers never had any intention of winning.' They clearly made a 100% justifiable decision to rest Ingles, Baynes and Delly and while I don't rate Andersen's contribution such that I'd have bothered resting him, clearly the coaching staff feel differently.

As for the bench unit - they obviously played hard in the first half and for much of the 3rd quarter. However Jawai was clearly stuffed by half-time and the fact that Gibson also played minimally meant we were often running with tired guards and a less mobile front-court. I think as a player it would be really hard in that situation to play with 100% motivation, knowing that winning the game decreases your chances of getting to where you want to be. You're tired, you're unmotivated, does defence look like the Boomers did in the 4th quarter? Probably.

Dragic's comment is just sour grapes. Had Australia not been good enough to beat Lithuania, tanking the Angola game would have been pointless. Had Slovenia been good enough to beat Lithuania, they'd have ended up with 1st in the group anyway - and stuck Australia in 2nd. Take care of your own business and you don't have to worry about anyone else's.

Reply #492343 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

'343, have you re-watched the replay of the latter stages of the game?

Watch from the 50ish second mark especially. They are just letting them past:



Of course Lemanis is saying they were trying but that's not trying.

Reply #492347 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Man do you read what you write?

"I'm saying that they were trying to lose and they succeeded. "

That's integrity right there.

"I'm saying they did what they intended. You're saying that our second unit can't beat Angola. Wonder which one the players would take offence at?"

That is exactly what I'm saying, our second unit with their matador defense couldn't get it done. I'd love to see the points differentials comparison between starters and bench and see how abysmal it is for the tournament as whole. Extrapolate that over an entire game and you would see the deficiencies which were clearly apparent.

My point is I would rather question the level of ability of the players rather than their integrity. Are you guys really accepting of this losing mentality?

Reply #492348 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

"Are you guys really accepting of this losing mentality?"

Spain did it in 2012. Do you think they have a losing mentality?

Reply #492350 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Just about every team has done it at a major tournament before. It means nothing.

At least this way if we have to play the US it will be in the SF's and we would still go into the bronze medal game rather than getting beaten by them in the QF's and no possible chance of a medal and the possibility of a reduction in funding from our right-wing government.

Reply #492364 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago



Reply #492350
re: Goran Dragic tweets alleging Boomers fixed match
"Are you guys really accepting of this losing mentality?"

Spain did it in 2012. Do you think they have a losing mentality?


That's not an answer.

Do you really believe the Boomers are at a point where they can throw a game and look 2 games ahead at the world cup? Your arrogance is blinding, yet they aren't arrogant enough to take on the best anywhere/anytime? the hypocrisy in your argument does not make sense and it's very disrepectful to our opponents.

I myself am a hypocrite for doing things I'm not proud of, but I certianly don't justify my actions. If there's one place where integrity and respect should be held to a high regard it's in sport. Otherwise what are you but a cheat? It's usually done to get a positive result but do it to avoid the best? that's the mentality you support?

My arguments are in full support of the Boomers, criticizing abilities rather than heart. I find it hard to believe that the players on the court delibetately lost on purpose. If so, Dragic's arguments are justified and should be looked into.

Lemanis did everthing he could to lose the game, does that mean the players delibirately lost it?

Reply #492374 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Trying to understand such action may be easier if put into perspective. I have thought about these scenarios.

1. Aus lose and give Lith incentive to go top, Lith and Aus avoid US early in finals, Slov miss out ending up second.

2. Aus win and give Lith no incentive so they lose and go third with Slov first, they avoid US and we end up second.

Hmmm, given the choice it may in fact be that we just got in before Lith did, we took one for them if you like...

Just sayin'

Reply #492375 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

YES they did deliberately lose it, our bench was scoring in double digits ahead of Angola in the 3rd quarter. They could have easily won that match as they had the legs, the hunger to show off their talents, and awesome 3 point shooters. Angola was so hard to lose too that they had to slow down and not contest the ball too or put up a token effort in defending just to make it look a little bit discreet.

Reply #492416 | Report this post




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