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As the National Team's Public Relations Director, I fill you guys in on what happens in the NT games and give personalities to our NT players. Every season however YOU vote for players to become the Head coaches of our NT and our U21 team. These people usually build a staff around them to make our program run smoothly and try to make USA basketball compete with the top teams in the world. I believe that as USA BB managers you guys should know a little bit more about the people that work behind the scenes for your US National Team.

I interviewed several managers that help out with the NT, starting this thread however will be an interview with NT Coach Jfarb and U21 Coach Rambo VT. Periodically there will be more of these interviews with managers that help out the team whether it be Domestic Scouting, Opposition Scouting, Public Relations, or even an interview with past head coaches of these two teams!

National Team Coach Jfarb

1) What's a little bit about yourself?

Well some of you know a little about me, but my name is Joel, I'm 25, I work as a therapist for abused and neglected children, and I live in Riverside, CA though I may be moving soon. Getting married in the fall to my longtime girlfriend, but until then I live by myself so I have plenty of time for BB after work.

2) Tell us a little bit about your team and history here at Buzzerbeater?

Well I don't even remember how I found BB, but my team is the AirBallers. I have been pretty lucky, went from D5 to the NBBA in 7 seasons. Probably should still be in D2, but BB-Charles was kind enough to give me a pass in Season 14 :)

3) Is there a lot of pressure being the NT coach?

Yep, comes with the job, but that makes it more fun. I care much more about the NT than I do my own team.

4) What's your favorite and least favorite part of the job?
Favorite part of the job is analyzing opponents, weighing options, and making tactical decisions. I spend a ton of time doing that, and I like to think I am very thorough. Least favorite part? Aside from losing...probably would be trying to convince the managers of our players to maintain game shape.

5) How would you compare Team USA to the Airballers?

Team USA has depth, AirBallers have none. Team USA plays defense, AirBallers don't. Team USA can shoot, AirBallers can't.

6) No hard feelings to any of the NT players but who seems to be your favorite?

Ooo hard to pick, probably Jairo cuz he is the veteran and his manager keeps him in good game shape so he is always available. Dexter Dennison would be a close 2nd.

7) What was your favorite game from last NT season?

Definitely our 4 point win over Uruguay. That game basically decided our fate, and with a big injury to Medrano, I'd say we were slight underdogs, but we went for it, and it payed off bigtime.

8) Who's your biggest BB Rival?

I haven't stayed in any one league very long, but if I had to pick I guess it would be Legendary Goldfish. We had a few close games and some debate on the II.3 forums. Others would be Visionaries, EDH Wolves, and maybe even BB-Charles.

9) Any reasoning for naming your team "The Airballers"

We are ballers, who shoot a lot of airballs unfortunately.

10) What's the #1 Goal your aiming for right now in BB for the Airballers?

Not relegate from the NBBA. I know that doesn't sound very ambitious, but for now, I feel like I can help the USA NT more from the NBBA than I can from D2, by training high salary Americans, so I want to survive. Long term goal is to build towards a NBBA or USA Cup Championship team, maybe contend in the B3 someday.

11) What's your favorite movie?

Probably saw Star Wars 100 times because of my sister, but its hard to pick a favorite movie.

12) Favorite NBA team?

I probably won't have one soon, but the Sacramento Kings. Grew up in Sacramento.

13) What kind of music do you like listening to?

Alternative rock, I dislike rap and r&b, and according to my coworkers that makes me racist. Considering I am of mixed race, I can tell you honestly I'm about the least racist person you will ever meet.

14) Finish the sentence.. IF I could have a one wish it would be..

Unlimited jellydonuts. Wait!!! Damn I shouldnt have said the first thing that came to mind. I'll go with Team USA winning the Worlds Championship.

15) Biggest BB Pet Peeve?

Having to delete American managers BB accounts because they didn't join the offsite forum ;) Seriously though I hate it that I can never go deep in the cup, usually because some D4 team decides to CT me. It isn't that impressive to beat a D2 or D1 team on a CT, no offense to lower division managers. I was one, but part of the reason I promoted so fast is because I didn't destroy my seasons wasting enthusiasm on winning a single cup game vs a upper divison team. I focused on my league games. As you can see by this rant, I'm a

U21 Coach Rambo VT

1) What's a little bit about yourself?

I’m 26, I’m from Virginia and I went to Virginia Tech.

2) Tell us a little bit about your team and your history here at BuzzerBeater

I manage the New York Jests. I’ve been around since season 3 when my old college roommate introduced me to the game. My team is generally viewed as a team or mercenaries. The only player I’ve trained since he was 18 was Amorrortu, but have had L’Huillier and Zoetebier for most of their training.

3) What was running through your mind after you won the latest U21 Elections?

That there was a ton of work to do. We had a scrimmage a few hours after I won and I wanted to put some realistic candidates out there. After that I thought about all the people I was going to have to write.

4) Did you enjoy being opposition scout for the NT last season?

It was fun. I had been more lurking up until that point but I hit it off with jfarb right away and I think we worked well together. I had a system I had been using for my club team and figured I could apply it to the NT level and at the very least provide some interesting stats.

5) What's your favorite game from last season for the NT?

The Bahamas game. I don’t mind winning every game by 100+ points.

6) Who is your favorite and least favorite BB players?

Favorite: I’ll always have a special spot for Perry Gipson. He was a player I drafted and basically helped me ascend to the top of Div II. He also played on the U21 team and the NT team and if I remember correctly was basically the first defensive guard we had. Its kind of amazing now that prodigious Outside Defense was a big deal back then. Of course he was quickly followed by Joe Bronson so that was short lived. I also am a fan of Irwin Velasco and have always been intrigued by Raymond Timmons. Least: Anybody on Jelme’s team really, particularly Herbert Dušak.

7) What team is your BB Rival?

It was Darykjozef but now that we’re both in the NBBA (same conference no less!) it will probably be my old roommate Deronimo

8) Now that your taking the reigns of the U21, what did you think of the job Jelme did with the team and this program?

I think he did a great job coaching the team. I believe he is the only coach with a World’s trophy and he won an America’s gold.

9) Biggest BuzzerBeater Pet Peeve?

FatCurry.

10) What is the main objective of the New York Jest in Season 16 being in the NBBA?

Not demote. And beat Deronimo. And possibly jfarb.

11) Favorite Movie?

Varies by genre and mood but let’s go with Pulp Fiction.

12) Favorite NBA team?

I don’t really follow anyone that closely but I’d have to pick the Knicks. Hockey: Penguins. Football: Jets. Baseball: They still play baseball?

13) What kind of music do you like listening to?

Again, depends on the mood and the time of year but right now on my “ipod” I have a pretty eclectic mix: Aphex Twin, Big K.R.I.T., Blu, Broken Bells, Cold War Kids, Curt@!n$, Foo Fighters, John Forte, Kanye West, Passion Pit, Pusha T, RJD2, The Roots, The Strokes, T.I., TiRon, and a handful of others

14) Favorite quote?

Friends Do not Let Friends Play 2-3 Zone? Or “No Free Lunch.” “Come to Estonia! Free Bread!” “Loose Lips Might Sink Ships”

15) Finish the sentence.. If I could have one wish, I would wish for:

3 more wishes. Then a billion dollars, world peace and to win a world championship.

National Team Opposition Scout Namssor


1) Tell us a little bit about yourself?
My real name is Jon, I’m 28 and live in Boston. In fact, I live less than 2 miles from the BB headquarters. I’m an engineer and work for a major defense contractor. I’m a proud alum of Penn State University, and believe that JoePa will never die. I’m an athletic dude and play a ton of random sports, such as soccer, kickball, dodgeball, flag football, tennis, and softball. I’ve been to the kickball national championships multiple times now, haha.

2) Tell us a little bit about your own team and history here at Buzzerbeater?
My team is That’s What She Said of the NBBA, and I started way back in the stone ages of Season 2. I found the site from an ad they ran on the soccer manager Hattrick. This game is infinitely more awesome than Hattrick!

3) What are your thoughts on being the new opposition scout for the US NT?
I’m excited for the role. I love scouting my opponents using various tools, and I have a lot of experience doing it against other NTs due to my role as a former NT coach.

4) Could you tell us a little bit about your tenure with the New Zealand NT?
I was the NT manager for New Zealand for 6 seasons (Seasons 9-14) before handing it off to the native Kiwis. I had a great time with them. They’re a very small community, but I got them much more active on the forums, I set up an offsite forum to talk about the NT, and doubled the number of teams sticking around. We didn’t have much success, but the future is bright because they’re training extremely well now.

5) Favorite and least favorite BB players?
Favorites are Dan Billingsley and Marcus Nichols. I drafted both, and trained them to make the U21 and NTs. They are my favoritest little fake players ever.

6) Biggest BB pet peeve?
I wish there was more in-game control that could be done. Whether it be minutes-management controls, or better sub patterns, or smarter timeout and late-game scenario situations, I think it would make the game far more robust.

7) Who is your BB Frienemy? (Friend/Enemy)
Don’t think I have one. I’m too nice to be angry at anyone :)

8) What are your own expectations for the NT?
Making the World Cup again is nice, but we never advance farther than the Final Pool, which is to be expected due to some amazing Euro teams out there. I would love to see us make the semifinals this season.

9) What are you most looking forward to this NT season?
I look forward to being more involved in US NT planning and scouting this season. Who knows, maybe I’ll run for manager in the next election!

10) What's the number one objective of TWSS for Season 16?
Surviving the NBBA now that I’ve promoted back into it. It’s gonna be tough because I had to overhaul my roster to get younger. I’ve made 2 Cup semifinals in the last 3 seasons, so maybe I can get that magic going again.

11) Favorite TV show?
Gosh, I can’t pick one. Always Sunny, Archer, The League, Ninja Warrior…well considering my team name I guess the real answer would have to be The Office.

12) Favorite NBA team?
Celtics, of course. Used to be a half-season ticket holder 9 rows behind the bench. They were sick.

13) What kind of music do you like listening to?
I like pretty much everything. Favorites would include Outkast, Live, Incubus, 30 Seconds to Mars, and Florence + the Machine.

14) Favorite Quote?
Live every day like it's your last.

15) Finish the sentence.. If I could have one wish, I would wish for:
That’s heavy. I would wish for when my time is up on this planet, that I have zero regrets and I accomplished everything I wanted to do in life…and an NBBA championship.

7) Who is your BB Frienemy? (Friend/Enemy)
Don’t think I have one. I’m too nice to be angry at anyone

Namssor, you're a silly sally!!

8) What are your own expectations for the NT?
Making the World Cup again is nice, but we never advance farther than the Final Pool

Ahem...

Domestic Scout Oriolekid

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself?
Hi. I'm Kevin, currently 16, and I live outside of Baltimore. I've been a die hard Oriole fan all my life, and me being a huge baseball fan and sports fan in general is what got me started on forums and eventually someone on one of those forums told me about BuzzerBeater, and here I am.

2) Tell us a little bit about your team and history here at BuzzerBeater?
Not exciting. Started a few days before season 11's first game, and didn't know anything about the game until season 12. Then I rode my first great player, Dan Gardner, all the way to Div IV, and his transfer money is the reason I'm in Div III.

3) Could you explain your NT duties?
My NT position currently is "18 year old scout" as I am in charge, along with a couple other, to scout the very best 18 year olds drafted, getting their skills, adding them to the NT database, and giving training advice to the managers. The reason I picked 18 y/o is because a great 18 y/o is the reason I am where I am today, so I strongly believe team success starts with 18 y/o's and ends with properly trained players.

4) Biggest Buzzerbeater Pet Peeve?
When I offer mTIE (mutual TIE for those who don't know) and plan on playing normal, but my opponent inconsiderable plays normal as well and I get screwed over. It's only common courtesy to play TIE when you agree to play it :P

5) Favorite and least favorite BB players?
Least Favorite-Irwin Velasco. Sure he's our starting SF and only real option, but the dude is cocky, lazy, and can't shoot. Favorite-Dan Gardner of course

6) Who is your biggest BB rival?
Although I promoted out of Div IV.29, a team there called Mammas boys always gave me trouble. We had so many close games, including a 2 point loss in a playoff game that was Dan Gardner's last game with my team. Looking to make some Div III rivals though.

7) What are your expectations for the NT in their first Worlds under Jfarb?
Gold trophy, or nothing.

8) How important do you feel domestic scouting is?
It is the most important thing with the NT. Everything starts at the domestic scouting level. The sooner us scouts talk to a players manager, the better those managers will train their players, and the better the U21, and NT will become.

9) With no disrespect to the other players but who is your favorite NT player?
Irwin Velasco. A player that I love to hate, and hate to love.

10) What is the main objective of LionPride in Season 16?
Stage of relegation, but I hope to make the playoffs as a 4 seed. I got placed into a relatively easy Div III, and playoffs isn't out of the question. Also to make it past round 3 of the cup. I've never done that before.

11) Favorite NBA team?
Not an NBA fan, but a huge college basketball fan, and in particular Maryland. However I am mourning Gary Williams departure at this moment so I'm looking to get my head out of anything basketball related for a little bit. However since Greivis Vasquez, a former Maryland star, is the backup PG for the Grizzlies, I may catch a few of their games hoping to see him play.

12) Favorite Kind of music
I'm not a huge music listener, but I got some favorite songs. Not a favorite genre. I do love to play piano though.

13) Favorite Movie?
Lord of the Rings Triolgy. I know you said movie, but those three movies are amazing.

14) Favorite Pizza Topping?
Veggie Pizza. I'm a meat guy with everything but in regards with Pizza

15) Finish the sentence.. If I could have one wish, I would wish for...
If I could have one wish, I'd wish for Rambo's drug test to have eliminated him from the U21 elections, so I could finally win!

U21 Opposition Scout BFiddy

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Bridger Fetters. I am 23 years old and a die-hard Cubs fan. I was a play-by-play broadcaster for a Fort Wayne, IN radio station while I was in college...got to broadcast games from Conseco Fieldhouse, the RCA Dome, and LucasOil Stadium before I was 21. Now, I don't do radio since I'm living in Macau and teaching English...I play BB instead.

2) Tell us a little bit about your team and history here at Buzzerbeater?
I was given a Division IV team with about a week left in Season 10. The team had 1 win on the season, so I promptly demoted to DV. I drafted Paul Aindow, bought Geert-Jan de Quay and then drafted Elroy Barrow. Those three guys are now the core of my team. I promoted quickly through the ranks, but I'm afraid I may be stuck in II.3 for a while.

3) Could you describe your duties to the NT?
Will be helping Rambo as an assistant coach for the U21 teamn. This will mostly involve long-term scouting and posting an advanced scouting report of the next opponent on the offsite each week. We are hoping to get discussion started earlier in the week so everyone can get their say. Join the offsite and share your thoughts!!!

4) What are your thoughts on your creation of the NT Hall of Fame?
Working on the Hall of Fame was fun. I am proud to announce Ismael Grubbs and Ken Simons as the inaugural class of the USNT Hall of Fame. A more official announcement will be coming soon.

5) Favorite and Least Favorite BB players?
My favorite BB player is Ronald Trickle of Star Fliers. He is one of the main reasons why the my two good friends (Own3d and popcorn10) and I got sucked into BB. My least favorite BB player is Chuck Rainey...for obvious reasons.

6) Who is your biggest BB Rival?
Anyone who played Elvy with me before we all migrated over to BB. We are all in a fed together. I guess right now my biggest rival is Jelme since he is in the fed, in my league, and always crushes me.

7) Biggest Buzzerbeater pet peeve?
My biggest BB pet peeve is when other teams score against me. My defense is impenetrable...I don't know what's wrong with the Game Engine, I should never allow a point.

8) What are your thoughts on making the D.II finals your first season in Division II?
I had a bunch of lucky breaks to get where I did last year. It would have been a fun story if I had gotten through, but it just wasn't meant to be.

9) What do you think of the job Jfarb has done with the NT?
jfarb is a great coach. Fun to watch the NT getting better each season.

10) What is the main objective of the Lovable Losers in Season 16?
I would love to compete for an NBBA spot this season, but it's going to be a big challenge. I plan to make the playoffs and then hope things break my way again come playoff time.

11) Favorite NBA Team?
I was a huge Bulls fan when I was young...though the NBA frustrates me now (wish they would at least try and play defense in the regular season...)

12) Favorite Pizza Topping?
Green Olives

13) Favorite Movie?
My favorite book is the The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and my favorite TV show is Psych. I'm not much of a movie guy...

14) Favorite Quote?
A slavish concern for the composition of words is the sign of a bankrupt intellect."
-The Humbug (bonus points if you can name the book without looking it up)

15) Finish the sentence.. If I could have one wish, I would wish for..
If I could have one wish, I would wish for the Chicago Cubs to win a World Series before I die.

The book is The Phantom Tollbooth. No lookup, I promise.

Bfid get's interviewed before me?! What crap that is.