Sep 7, 2008 | 7:49 PM | We Don't Roll on Shomer Shabbos | Maccabi TA

by: Paul Miles

Maccabi T.A. | photo: maccabi.co.il
I'm a little light on news this Sunday night, so instead here's another installment of the insanely random features on teams and leagues from somewhere outside the +1 country code.

Maccabi "Electra" Tel Aviv B.C. is the New York Yankees of the Ligat ha'Al (Basketball Super League of Israel). Maccabi TA has 47 domestic league and 36 domestic cup championships, including a league title runs from 1970 thru 1992 and 1994 thru 2007. The dominant Israeli side is also the defending 2008 European Finals champions and EuroLeague runners-up.

Those accolades come with a cost and the comparison to Stienbrenner's Evil Empire runs a bit deeper. BSL fans not flying the yellow & blue accuse the Maccabians of some underhanded techniques, including overpaying and underplaying local talent, and importing international talent that other teams in the league can't afford. But, what some call underhanded, others call doing what it takes to win. (Hear that, Ed Stephanski? Do what it takes to win.)

And just as the Yankees have the RedSox, AS Roma has Lazio, and just as Anakin had Luke, the David to Maccabi's Goliath is Hapoel Tel Aviv. Hapoel is Hebrew for "The Worker", and after a decade in the blue collar sector, and a long standing fan of the underdog, I have instantly become a moral supporter of Hapoel TA. Hapoel TA have 5 Ligat ha'Al championships and 20 runners-up finishes.

During the offseason, Maccabi made more moves that would earn them Darth Vader's approval. They signed Carlos Arroyo to a one year deal, and locked up Omri Casspi through 2010. Casspi was projected a top20 pick on the '09 draft, and is the top ranked player, class of '88. Arroyo will replace Will Bynum, who joined the Pistons after a strong Summer League season.

Other new arrivals include former Bnei Hasharon coach Efi Birnboim who brought with him small forward and American born Jason Williams (a different one). And with the winning tradition, and the addition of Arroyo, Maccabi and their fans are expecting nothing less than dominance in all competition. Coach Birnboim on their expectations:

No one here comes from outer space. Some have them played in the N.B.A., and others in different high demanding forums thus I have no doubt everyone with their wills and aspirations will do all that is needed in order to achieve victories.

Maccabi does enter the 2008/9 season with the black armband, playing this season for the memory of Israel's most decorated basketball man and former national team and Maccabi coach, Ralph Klein. Klein died of cancer earlier this summer.

Players to watch:
Carlos Arroyo 6'2" point guard, member of the Puerto Rican NT with 8 years of NBA experience.
Lior Eliyahu 6'9" combo forward and member of the Israeli NT. Draft rights belong to the Houston Rockets.
Omri Casspi 6'8" small forward. Projecting as a mid/late first rounder in the 2009 draft and ranked as the top SF in the class of 88.

Labels: carlos arroyo, efi birnboim, hapoel tel aviv, jason williams (t.a.), lior eliyahu, maccabi tel aviv, omri casspi, will bynum

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