Pre-season.
Throughout a professional sports season, the most romantic stage is the pre-season.
This is the time for the great hopes that have not yet faded, with the inherent potential that is bubbling and wanting to erupt, the promises that have not yet been fulfilled and the dreams that have not yet been shattered.
As before the first date, when the flaws and discrepancies had not yet been discovered.
Coaches treat these weeks with reverence, because for their perception only in this short period can they collect their butterflies, which fly freely in the field of dreams, and connect them into one tight and disciplined unit.
In their minds there is no other time, and the gaps that will not be enough to close at first, will be dragged deep into the season.
The corona is still here.
And now, the first final of the season has reached two teams whose pre-season was badly affected by the epidemic.
Maccabi Tel Aviv gave up all the preparatory tournaments, and hardly trained until a week ago, due to the illness of five players.
Eilat released two foreigners (and fined three) for isolation violations, and the entire rotation was dismantled and reassembled in a hurry.
But both passed teams that started earlier and trained more together, such as Rishon LeZion and Holon.
Patton (right), Photo: Alan Schieber,
Quality of management.
So what does this mean?
Not much, but maybe coaches attach a little too much importance to professional pre-season application, and that freshness and freshness have a positive effect that is worth preserving.
And there are more important things - the rigid and uncompromising managerial decisions, together with the concern for the players' health, create trust and a strong connection between the players and the club and among themselves, and build a commitment and framework that is expressed in game quality, beyond any tactical element.
And yes, the continuity from the previous season (in both teams the coach and five rotation players) creates a familiar infrastructure, and a base to which the new players can fit.
This essay was reflected in the semi-finals victories over teams that on paper were superior and more prepared.
High expectations.
I have no idea how Justin Patton grew in Israel to a height of 2.16 m, because in the NBA documents and Wikipedia his documented height is 2.11 m (11 '6'). , Light and playful even with the face to the basket.
For Patton to fulfill his promise, he must get credit from the judges.
Big players like him are in the ball area all the time, there is contact around them, and in the semi-finals they rushed to catch up with offenses just because he was around.
Let him play.
Graduation chord.
The spirit of the late Arik Alfasi will dominate the hall tonight. Yiftach Ziv moved to a significant station in Nahariya, where he improved his decision-making and intelligent approach to the game.
His untimely passing reminds us how fragile we are, how much we love the game, and how much we loved it, the coach Eric, and especially Eric the man.
Have peace, friend, and thanks for the baskets.
The late Arik Alfasi, Photo: Maor Elkelsi,
