HEADING TO DOMAŽLICE

Hello everyone.

Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. my team is taking off to a city called Domažlice, which is about 5 hours away by bus. We are going to stay there for the weekend in order to compete for the CZECH CUP!

Our first game is going to be tomorrow at 6.30pm against our hometown rival VALOSUN Brno. YEP.. right off the bus, baby!
In the other bracket are USK Prague and Karou Trutnov.

Depending on the outcomes of tomorrow's semifinal games, there's going to be a game for place 3 and the finals on Sunday. The final is going to be played at 1.30pm.

Crazily, none of the participants are actually from that city and it's really far away for all of us. But that's seems to be how they roll over here at times :)

It's okay though, as we spread the love for basketball, and give another city the opportunity to host some good women's basketball games!

As I've heard some of our fans are going to join us, too-- traveling to the site BY TRAIN for 7 hours! I just wanted to give a shout out and tell you that we appreciate your support!!! GO BRNO!

I am going to pack my bags now and make sure to recharge my Ipod and load up on some more episodes of Lost (Season 1)... yes, I just started watching that, and I must say: I like what I see. It's definitely not Brothers&Sisters or Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy, which is normally my cup of tea, BUT the people on the island are definitely keeping me entertained.

Finally, I am going to add a photo of me and my teammates in the "TUNNEL"... which is a long hallway in the basement of a building here in Brno, where we do our sprinting practices. It's padded with some weightroom foam, which doesn't really help to improve the impact of the cement below... but once again "When in Rome (Brno), do as the Romans (Brnonians) do!"

SURPRISE VISIT IN GERMANY

V-DAY SURPRISE

Little did I know that SOMEONE would send me these beautiful roses to the lockerroom... right before the game... now THAT'S ROMANTIC :)

VALENTINES DAY FROM THE ROOFTOP

Sorry about the squinched eyes... it was so windy... and also about the sudden blackouts while I am speaking... I was out on that freezing roof.... FOR A LONG TIIIIM...must have suffered some brain freezes!

A DAY OVERSEAS

This year in Brno, we are 7 foreigners on this team and only 5 are allowed to suit up for the games in the Czech League. So today it was my turn to sit out. It's always a bummer, because that's what I am here for... to play basketball... but at least I was spared to be on a bus for almost 8 hours...hehe.
So besides a special individual practice that was organized for Timi and me (the "other one" that had to stay at home) and some scouting, I used the time to play on my computer... and this is what came out of it!!! ENJOY!

EUROLEAGUE ALL STAR TEAM

I just want to thank everybody who has voted for me.
The polls are in. Unfortunately I didn't make it... but that's life!!
But here are the great players that have been voted in.
CONGRATS TO ALL OF YOU & ENJOY PARIS!!!!!

EUROPE:
Ann Wauters- CSKA Moscow
Agnieszka Bibrzycka-UMMC Ekaterinburg
Anna Vajda-MiZo Pécs 2010
Celine Dumerc-Bourges Basket
Shay Doron-Besiktas Cola Turka
Maria Stepanova-UMMC Ekaterinburg
Nevriye Yilmaz-Fenerbahce
Anastasiya Veremeenko-Nadezhda
Evanthia Maltsi-ZVVZ USK Prague
Jelena Milovanovic-MKB Euroleasing
Rebekka Hammon-CSKA Moscow
Geraldine Robert-ESB Lille Metropole
Catherine Melain-Bourges Basket

REST OF THE WORLD:
Alessandra Santos-Bourges Basket
Lauren Jackson-Spartak
Candice Dupree-Wisla Can-Pack
Diana Taurasi-Spartak
Dominique Canty-Wisla Can-Pack
Mudju Ngoyisa-Union Hainaut
Laura Ashley Harper-Besiktas Cola Turka
Crystal Langhorne-TEO Vilnius
Tamika Whitmore-Gambrinus
Lindsay Whalen-ZVVZ USK Prague
Alana Beard-LOTOS PKO BP
Sheana Mosch-Lattes Montpellier

BRNO INTERVIEW

Click on the photo below to watch my interview with Vera Sychrova for my team's website.
CZECH SUBTITLES ARE AVAILABLE... for all those who feared that they might not understand me ;)













Gambrinus Sika Brno website: www.bkzabiny.cz

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES

Just a week ago we were still in the race for the Euroleague Championship Title.
Just a week ago my apartment was still new for me. Now it has become a routine to be here.
Just a week ago I woke up on Sunday because the church bells were ringing. Now I am used to them and I sleep right through them.
Just a week ago I was packing my bags to leave for France. Now for the rest of our season none of our road games will be farther away than 3 hours on the bus.
Just a week ago I got to play 1,5 minutes. Today I played 20 minutes.
Just a week ago it was snowing. Today the sun shines and the sky is blue.
Just a week ago it was January, the month of New Year's Resolutions. Now it's February and Valentines Day is just around the corner.

Now for me a new era begins for the remainder of the season.
Now that our Euroleague season has ended our team is going to work at a different speed, and I will need to make sure to pick things up, so I can continue to get better each and every day.

It's going to be my February challenge.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE

As my team is making its way back to Bourges, France to fight for the entry into the Quarterfinals for the Euroleague, I wanted to remind you to keep voting for the upcoming Euroleague All Star Game in Paris. Just click on the logo below and it will take you right to the voting page. Thanks.