Kobe Braients cer uz Brazīliju
Nacionālās Basketbola asociācijas (NBA) kluba Losandželosas "Lakers" līderis Kobe Braients devies uz Dienvidāfriku, lai klātienē vērotu šobrīd notiekošo Pasaules kausu futbolā un tiktos ar tās valsts bērniem.
Aizvadītās sezonas NBA čempions un finālspēļu vērtīgākais spēlētājs Kobe Braients Dienvidāfrikā ieradies pirms divām dienām, lai klātienē vērotu arī ASV izlases spēli pret Ganu, kurā gan afrikāņi bija pārāki ar 2:1. "Esmu lepns ar mūsu puišiem. Mums bija iespējas arī uzvarēt, bet tās netika izmantotas, savukārt Gana savas realizēja," sacīja Braients.
Braients arī atzina, ka ASV izlases izcilais starts grupu turnīrā ir izraisījis nebijušu interesi par futbolu amerikāņu vidū. "Gribu redzēt futbola augšupeju ASV. Futbols ir skaista spēle, un es domāju, ka pirmoreiz visi tiešām saprata mūsu izlases perspektīvas."
Par savu iecienītāko futbola spēlētāju basketbolists atzīst uzbrucēju Didjē Drogbā, kura pārstāvētā Kotdivuāra no turnīra jau izstājusies, savukārt komanda, par kuru jūsmo Braients, ir Brazīlija, kaut pirms čempionāta viņš prognozēja, ka turnīrā uzvarēs Vācija. "Brazīlijai ir tik daudz talanti, bet viņi tomēr spēlē kā viens vesels. Ir skaisti to skatīties," atzina Braients. "Ja Brazīlija triumfēs Pasaules kausā, viņiem tas būs sestais čempionu tituls, bet, ja mēs (Losandželosas "Lakers") uzvarēsim nākamgad, arī man tas būs sestais. Tad mums būtu kaut kas kopīgs."
Kobe Braients Johannesburgā apmeklēja sporta preču ražotāja "Nike" atvērtu futbola treniņu centru - Soveto akadēmiju, kur tikās ar jaunajiem Dienvidāfrikas futbolistiem, atbildēdams arī uz viņu uzdotiem jautājumiem. Tā bija iespēja talantīgajam basketbolistam atcerēties savu bērnību, jo pats viņš uzaudzis Itālijā, kur spēlējis arī futbolu: "Kad biju bērns, sapņoju kļūt par futbola spēlētāju. Vienu dienu es biju Van Bastens, citu dienu Maradona, bet vēl citu - Badžo. Ja man agrāk būtu tāda treniņu vietā, kāda tā ir šeit, es te pavadītu katru savu dienu, bez apstājas."
Šodien Pasaules kausā paredzētas divas astotdaļfināla spēles. Dienas pirmajā spēlē, pulksten 17:00, tiksies Slovākija ar Nīderlandi, bet 21:30 ceļi krustosies Brazīlijas un Čīles valstsvienībām.
Izmantotie resursi:
Associated Press
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Izmantotie resursi:
Associated Press
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g.sports.yahoo.com: How Kobe inspired a young Messi - International...
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While Ronaldinho may now play for AC Milan, he and Kobe struck up a friendship over a year ago through some mutual Nike contacts during his Barcelona days, and Kobe even says he wore #10 this past summer in the Beijing Olympic Games as a nod to his close friend and favorite soccer player.
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(By Luis Arroyave "Chicago Tribune")
CHICAGO - Many U.S. soccer fans have wondered what would happen if the nation's best athletes played soccer, especially after seeing the United States' disappointing performance during this summer's World Cup
One of the athletes U.S. soccer fans dream about most actually dreamed about playing the sport himself.
When Kobe Bryant's father moved his family to Italy where he was playing pro basketball, then 6-year-old Kobe was introduced to soccer and the culture that came with it. Bryant often went to the parks in Italy to play basketball and would jump in on a game of soccer before hitting the basketball court.
"I wasn't anything spectacular," Bryant said. "I would have moments of doing something crazy that really wasn't done on purpose. I'd pull off a nice move that was unintentional.
"I started out at goalkeeper because my arms were so long and I didn't really have a good feel at handling the ball. As I practiced and progressed, they moved me to midfield."
The Bryants moved back to the United States in 1991. With few kids playing soccer in his Philadelphia neighborhood, Bryant turned his sports attention strictly to basketball.
Bryant never played high school soccer, but he credits his playing days in Italy for helping his basketball game.
"I'm comfortable (with basketball) footwork because I played soccer," said Bryant. "From changing up rhythms to foot speed, to being comfortable with having my right foot as my pivot foot and my left foot as my pivot foot."
Bryant entered the NBA straight from high school and has won three titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.
What would have happened if he had stayed in Italy?
"I would have kept playing (soccer) - that's for sure," Bryant said. "I loved basketball so much, but I also wanted to play for AC Milan. That was my team growing up."
Following AC Milan these days has been a challenge for Bryant with his schedule, but he says it's getting easier with the increase in Internet coverage and soccer channels.
Bryant attended the Brazil vs. Japan World Cup match this summer in Germany with his wife. He now hopes to attend an AC Milan match.
"To this day, I've never seen my team, AC Milan, play in person," Bryant said. "My mother never let me go to games in Europe. She'd say, `No, it's too violent. What happens if the fans go crazy and (you get) squished up against the fence?'"
On Saturday, Bryant emceed Nike's pep rally for FC Barcelona in Los Angeles. Bryant was unable to participate in the event's soccer activities because of a recent knee surgery, but he insists he can "still put it in the net."
Bryant and Barcelona star Ronaldinho met for the first time on stage at the event and exchanged phone numbers.
Imagine if Bryant met Ronaldinho under different circumstances this summer. Not on a stage in Hollywood, but on the world's biggest soccer stage in Germany.
"If myself, Tracy McGrady, and LeBron James had a soccer ball at our feet instead of a basketball at 2 years old, with our size, it could have been something," Bryant said. "If we had played soccer all our lives, I think (the U.S. soccer team) would have been pretty potent."
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Nost ar Braziiliju!
P.S. Raksts ljoti labs. Plusi autoram.
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