Playoff

"West Germany, Sep. 15, 1982"

Ladies & Gentlemen, A European Champion...

Max Stoller.

Mr. Stoller, how does it feel to be back in Germany after so many years?

English, please.

Don't you speak German?

Do you have a problem with coming back here?

Should I have?

Why would a European Champion at the peak of his career

choose to coach here, of all places?

I'm sure you had better offers than to coach the worst team in Europe.

Because of the pastries.

I understand that you have the best pastries in Europe here.

Why hasn't your family come with you?

I think they've had enough of me.

Now, come on, people. Basketball. Any questions about basketball?

I've got a feeling that you don't know that much about it.

So allow me to explain.

On one hand there's a ball weighing 650 grams

with a circumference of 45 cms.

On the other there's a basket with a circumference of 78 cms.

And all you've got to do

is put the ball in the basket.

It sounds simple, but it's not that easy.

"They've had enough of me." That was great. Very funny.

It would've made me laugh if it wasn't true.

I'm sorry, I didn't know.

Ah, it's ok... Where are the players' interviews?

Do you really need them?

Statistics don't win games. Players do.

Right.

We don't have enough geniuses so we start importing them...

Maybe we should import some players too.

This is the National team!

Precisely my point!

Loosen your wrist as you complete the throw.

That's him?

He doesn't speak German? - Of course not...

Let's see what you've got.

But, sir...

We do not have... I mean, we cannot...

Improvise.

Shoes off! Jackets off! - Ah, good morning Doctor.

Jackets off! Lets go! - Dr. Kosslick, Max Stoller. - Franz.

My name is Max Stoller.

I was born in Frankfurt, not too far from here.

For many years I coached Macabbi Tel Aviv,

two-time European Champions.

I'm here to take you on a long, exciting road

all the way to the 1984 Olympics

in Los Angeles.

America.

I know, I know.

We only have 2.5 months before the qualifiers

and that our first game is against one of the best teams in the world.

But if you listen to me, work with me,

we can do it.

We can do it.

"Shock in Israel after assassination of Lebanese president"

"Poll: Most Israelis say Max Stoller is a traitor!"

You have reached the Stoller family.

Please leave a message, and we'll get back to you.

I'm here. Regards to the girls...

We won the Eurovision with this song.

First time we win!

English, please.

Sorry, I don't speak English.

A bit of peace, A bit ofjoy

A bit of warmth I do wish for myself...

Do you know who came in second? You!

61 points behind us.

A bit of peace, A bit ofjoy

A bit of warmth I do wish for myself...

Your style is the technique and discipline of the team-player.

But I want your talent,

I want your individuality.

I have a simple motto:

There's always a framework,

but there are no rules in it.

That, by the way, is what brought the European Championship twice

to Macabbi Tel Aviv.

That and a few Americans...

Did you say something?

No.

Tell me, captain, which way is east?

There.

Well, here we're in the west. Here you can say whatever you want.

Skins and shirts.

Skins and shirts.

Max? - Yes?

They want to do an item on TV news about you.

Suddenly there's interest in basketball.

Tell them to come to tomorrow's training session.

That's not what interests them.

They want the personal aspect of why you came and all that.

What's interesting about that?

Do you want me to dance naked in the street and tell them

that I heard voices from outer space telling me to come to Germany?

Anything that can put basketball before football is good.

One on one!

No zone defense.

Mr. Stoller, have you got anything to say

to the people in Israel who call you a traitor

for choosing to work in Germany?

Can we stick to questions about basketball?

Do you know where we are?

Recognize something? - No, nothing,

it's all changed.

Childhood memories?

Nothing in particular. I used to live here.

It was a childhood just like any other.

Just like any other kid.

I have to cut...

Girl, move out of my frame, please.

What? - Get out of my frame!

What does this guy want from me?

Running? - Running!

But after all, it wasn't just like any other kid.

Because of the war you and your mother had to escape from Germany.

As did millions of others.

It was a normal childhood at the time.

Aren't you angry? Bitter? - Angry?

The only anger I have is with this waste of time.

Time that I do not have.

The next time you want to promote basketball,

will you make sure that there's a basket and a ball?

And now to our report about the new National basketball coach...

Mr. Stoller, how do you see the future of German basketball?

I believe that in a few years, not many,

basketball in Germany will be second to football in every respect -

interest, fans, money,

and that's why you should be more interested in the game itself

instead of all this nonsense.

Born in Frankfurt in 1931, these streets were once Stoller's home.

Childhood memories?

Nothing in particular. I used to live here.

It was a childhood just like any other kid.

Sema! Come back here!

Does he expect us to jump like that?

We can't play like that...

To fly like that

you have to truly believe that everything you think you know

doesn't exist.

There's no gravity,

no physical limits.

The apple did not fall from the tree.

It's all here,

in the most important muscle of all.

Use it.

I want you to reach for the stars.

I didn't come here to lose,

I came here to win.

Do you want to win?

Sorry... Max? Max... - Yes?

So, how are we doing?

Isn't this too fast for them? I've got the feeling that we are...

going backwards a bit. Am I wrong?

Sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards.

You want to aim high, right? - As high as possible.

These boys need a strong foundations.

Markus, Ulrich, Dieter, Thomas,

Special interviews after the showers.

Super training...

See you, Thomas - Take care.

Good night, Ulrich. It was good talking to you.

Good night, Mr. Stoller.

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach.

Boston Celtics.

8 consecutive NBA titles.

A Jew from Brooklyn. Who would believe it, huh?

So?

Jews and sports?

It took us 40 years to get from Egypt to Israel.

It's a 3 hour walk.

What have these personal interviews got to do with basketball?

Thomas, in your opinion, is it the team or the coach that wins the game?

Yes... I don't know either.

But what I do know is that everything that happens in your personal life

comes out on the court.

From the moment that you face the hoop and have to make a decision

that can change the game.

Nothing's happening in my life. I hope that won't affect my decisions.

You're my captain, Thomas. - I'm not. I'm the team captain.

Like I said, you're my captain.

Thomas, are you not happy with my being here

or are you just not happy in general?

If it's any help, I can tell you

that I'm not happy with the way this talk is going.

Thomas, I know it wasn't easy losing your father.

With all due respect, Mr. Stoller... - Max. Call me Max.

With all due respect, Mr. Stoller,

we're not friends, and my life is none of your business.

This generation's mixed up.

They're ashamed of the past and scared of the future.

They feel threatened by everything.

Growing up these times is evidently not easy.

Growing up any time isn't easy.

What happened to Thomas's father?

I only know, it's not talked about,

that he drank himself to death.