When Cold Domestic hits Hot International

First things first.
Let's clear up what this pic from Brandon Jenning's Under Armour blog is all about.
It's about B-Jennings getting up early in the morning for a photo shoot with ESPN the magazine.
And it's certainly about acclimating pretty well to the locals, at least for this particular shoot.
Slight non-sequitor: What is it with some of these Italian males and their machismo? Even the lil one front, center and splayed, seems knee-deep in it. You'd think think he was holding onto a security blanket or something - jeesh.

How's Jennings' team doing?
Despite head coach Jasmin Repesa's surprise resignation on Dec. 9, Lottomatica Roma continues to do really poor/well. From Euroleague.net:

The shock announcement came the night before Roma heads to play DKV Joventut in Badalona on Thursday, when assistant coach Nando Gentile will take over the visitors' bench on an interim basis. Roma has lost four straight games in the Italian League, but has won five straight Euroleague games to lead Group C with a 5-1 record and on the verge of clinching a berth in the Top 16. Repesa cited domestic results in statements quoted by the club. Roma has struggled at home in the Italian League, losing four straight games, and currently sits in ninth place in the domestic standings.

Jennings: TrailBlazer; More Smoke than Fire? Part 2

In my last post, I discussed potential roadblocks on 18-year old Brandon Jennings' path to success in Rome.

His new team's coach, Jasmin Repesa, is one.

I saw the sideline-stomping, crew-cut sporting Repesa in action last fall and wrote after the game:

Lottomatica Roma head coach Jasmin Repesa is the single most intimidating coach I have ever witnessed. Our group sat just a couple of rows behind the visitors' bench and watched, slack-jawed, as Repesa tore into his players with a ferocity and laser-eyed intensity that simply had to be experienced to be understand. As I looked into Repesa's cold, black, beady pupils, I can only liken my impression to him as a combination of Dennis Hopper and Jaws. I do not think that his players made eye contact with him one time the entire game. I once read that there are two types of coaches - the kind that teaches through fear and intimidation (the "Bobby Knight" type) and the kind that teache primarily through patience and positive reinforcement (the "Mike Kryzewski" type). Well, in Europe, clearly the master of the "Bobby Knight" style of coaching is the Croatian Jasmin Repesa.

Chances are this won't be the best coach for a young, albeit talented, player just learning to play with grown men, learning the new FIBA rules and experiencing a trans-Atlantic cultural transition.

Then again, as easily as for a jumper, Jennings may rise to the occasion.