ChannelDescription http://admin.euroleague.net/rssfeed/1419/5138.xml en Sun, 08 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT Just hours before the tip-off of the 2011 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four title game between Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv and Panathinaikos Athens, Euroleague.TV commentators Johnny Rogers and Jiri Zidek got together with Euroleague.net editor-in-chief and play-by-play man Frank Lawlor to talk about the matchup. After the trio of experts called the semifinals up close from Palau Sant Jordi, there is no one better to voice opinions on the final. Rogers, who has been working the Euroleague.TV Game of the Week for most of the season, is a two-time Euroleague champ with one of this season’s contenders, Panathinaikos. Rogers also reached the Final Four five times with three different clubs. Zidik won the Euroleague in his first try with Zalgiris Kaunas in 1999, which made him one of just three players to have ever won both the NCAA and Euroleague titles. Both Rogers and Zidek were on the broadcasting team at last season’s Final Four too. http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/85483/5136/podcast-30-jiri-zidek-johnny-rogers http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/85483/5136/podcast-30-jiri-zidek-johnny-rogers Sun, 08 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT You won’t anyone with more experience or better credentials to talk about the 2011 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four than the Euroleague.TV commentators Johnny Rogers and Jiri Zidek, so Euroleague.net editor-in-chief and play-by-play man Frank Lawlor sat down with them early Friday at Palau Sant Jordi to discuss the semifinals matchups. Rogers, who has been working the Euroleague.TV Game of the Week for most of the season, is a two-time Euroleague champ with one of this season’s contenders, Panathinaikos. Rogers also suited up for Real Madrid for a season during a 15-season Euroleague career that saw him reach the Final Four five times with three different clubs. Since retiring, he has worked as club executive in Spain before turning to commentating where he brings his expertise to millions of fans on a regular basis. Zidik won the Euroleague in his first try with Zalgiris Kaunas in 1999, which made him one of just three players to have ever won both the NCAA and Euroleague titles. The Czech big man’s playing days ended in 2005 and he currently works with his country’s champion and Eurocup participant CEZ Basketball Nymburk. Both Rogers and Zidek were on the broadcasting team at last season’s Final Four too. http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/85280/5136/podcast-29-johnny-rogers-jiri-zidek http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/85280/5136/podcast-29-johnny-rogers-jiri-zidek Fri, 06 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT The unique position of "swingman" applies to no player headed for the 2011 Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four as much as Chuck Eidson of Maccabi Electra. Eidson, 30, meets the classic definition of "swingman" because he can and has played point guard, shooting guard and small forward during this and other seasons. And he has done so in starring roles on both ends of the floor. Eidson led the Euroleague in steals with 2.5 per game this season, he ranked in the top 10 with 3.8 assists on average and was Maccabi’s leading scorer in numerous games. Moreover, he has shown that he can win under pressure, having led Lietuvos Rytas to the Eurocup crown two years ago. In his first season with Maccabi last year, the team entered the Playoffs with home-court advantage, but lost to Partizan and missed the Final Four. This year, Maccabi reversed that process, beating Caja Laboral in the playoffs without homecourt advantage, as Eidson reached his first Final Four. Now, with the loss of guard Doron Perkins due to injury, Eidson's versatility will be more important than ever to Maccabi, which is one of the subjects he talked about with Euroleague.net editor Frank Lawlor in this special Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four edition of the Euroleague.net Podcast! http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/85026/5136/podcast-28-chuck-eidson-maccabi-electra http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/85026/5136/podcast-28-chuck-eidson-maccabi-electra Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT Despite many ups and downs, this has already been a debut Turkish Airlines Euroleague season to remember for Montepaschi Siena forward Malik Hairston. The first-year forward missed part of the preseason with an injury and played briefly on opening night before needing surgery that kept him out six more weeks. Even after his return, it took Hairston time to adjust. He first flashed signs of his true form with 17 points in 19 minutes against Real Madrid in the Top 16 finale. Then, when his team needed Hairston most, he took charge following Siena's record-setting loss in Game 1 of the playoffs against Olympiacos. Hairston dominated with a double-double in Game 2 as Siena evened the series. Then he helped knock out the Reds with a season-high 25 point outburst in a Game 4 victory that clinched Siena's spot in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four. Having struggled until the month of March, Hairston averaged 14.6 points and 5.2 rebounds since then and became the first Euroleague player ever to win two Sportingbet MVP of the night honors during the same playoff round. Now, Hairston will try to be a difference-maker in the semifinals as Siena faces Panathinaikos while attempting reach a Euroleague title game for the first time, one of the subjects he talked about with Euroleague.net editor Frank Lawlor in this special Turkish Airlines Euroleague Final Four edition of the Euroleague.net Podcast! http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/84999/5136/podcast-27-malik-hairston-montepaschi-siena http://admin.euroleague.net/euroleaguenews/podcasts/main-page/2010-2011/i/84999/5136/podcast-27-malik-hairston-montepaschi-siena Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT