アルビレック新潟BB

アルビレックスといってもサッカーチームじゃないよ。バスケットボールチームの話。

アンドレ・スミス（Andre Smith）って男が明日、日本に発ちます。

こちらの新聞にも小さく記事が載っていましたので（英文ですが）掲載します。

Smith traveling the globe in search of work
Kevin Schnepf,
Published Sunday, December 23, 2007

Andre Smith was back in Fargo last week. And one of his first orders of business was seeking advice from Hidefusa Okamatsu, the student athletic trainer (graduate assistant), North Dakota State basketball players simply call George.
George is from Japan. That’s where Smith will be heading Christmas Eve to continue his short and nomadic professional career.
“I was asking George to teach me some cuss words so I can use them on the refs over there,” said Smith, well-known not only for his basketball talent during his two years at NDSU – but for his showmanship as well.
Since leaving NDSU last spring, the 22-year-old Smith has made professional stops in Germany, Poland and Switzerland.
The 6-foot-8 Smith played in seven exhibition games for Trier Basketball in Germany before Rob Jackson of Marquette was picked over him to make the team.
So Smith’s agent got him a gig in Poland.
“I spent one night there,” Smith said. “I hated that place. I was looking out my hotel window and it looked like World War II out there. I called my agent and told him we got to get out of here.”
His next stop was playing for the Sion Herens basketball club in Switzerland. In 10 games, he averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds. Then he suffered a hamstring injury and team officials replaced him with a healthy player.
“I’ve never really had a injury that kept me from playing,” Smith said. “It has been driving me crazy.”
Smith returns to the court the day after Christmas in his Japanese debut with the Niigata Albirex basketball club.
“It’s not that strong of a league, but they pay crazy money,” said Smith, who led the Bison in scoring and rebounding last season.
With the agreement he made with the Switzerland team and the contract he signed in Japan, Smith estimates he will make anywhere from $120,000 to $170,000 by next spring.
“Not bad for a 22-year-old kid,” Smith said with a grin.

日本のバスケットボールのレベルがどの程度なのか把握しきれていないのですが、彼のパフォーマンスは観客を魅了してくれることでしょう。ペイント内での強さは魅力です。

それでも気になるのが、日本の環境に適応できるかどうか。外国人選手の活躍はプレーする国の環境に慣れるかどうかで大きく左右されるのは間違いないわけで。。。
是非日本で長くプレーしてもらいたいものです。

年明けのアパッチ東京戦には出場してくれるのでは・・・と期待しています。

皆様、是非アンドレを応援してやってください。もしアルビレックス新潟戦を観戦する機会があれば、アンドレに声をかけてやってください。”ノースダコタに知り合いがいてる”と。それだけでもきっと喜ぶと思います。

＊新聞記事には、僕に関してもチョビッと載ってます！←ポイント！


*******動画をアップしました*********
ファーゴで見つけたクリスマスツリー。バケットクレーンの上に飾られた（？）モミの木なんですが・・・。
この動画、最近購入したビデオカメラならぬNetwork Sharing Cameraで撮影しました。なんでも録画した動画をボタン一発でネットにUpできるというのが売りらしい。ビデオカメラほど高価でもないけど、ネット生活をする人にはそれなりに使い勝手がいいんじゃないかと。
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/NEWS/20070723/136513/
日本ではいつ発売になるんだろう・・・。