Ticket Stubs, Pt. 4: Freaknick’s blogging LIVE from the Madrid-Barcelona game

WARNING: this page enjoyed best with another refresh about every 20 or 30 seconds. Posts are in reverse order with the latest right here at the top. Here we go…

:00 Q4: And Regal FC Barcelona becomes the second team to punch their ticket to the Final Four. The first? Slam and Freaknick. We’re taking over Paris one pick and roll at a time. You might be next. 78-84 is your final and your player of the game is going to end up being either Juan Carlos Navarro or Ricky Rubio. Wild guesses.

:13.3 Q4: Prigioni has been a non-factor out there. Lou Bullock should’ve gotten more burn. Just saying…

:32.1 Q4: Llull fouls out. Rubio grabs him around the waist and whispers something to him. “See you when the Timberwolves play the Nuggets in 2011″ maybe? Eh, maybe not.

:39.8 Q4: You know I can’t stay away from our Euroleague Adventurers for too long. I’m back. Rubio just took it all the way in and had not an easy lay up, but a lay up nonetheless. With Reyes in his face he ganced it glassward and it rimmed out. CRUNCH TIME. Let’s get it! This is why I came to Europe. For these 40 seconds.

1:11 Q4: 78-82 Barcelona and Madrid loses the ball along the sideline. That kind of stuff cannot happen. I have to watch now for a second. I know you’ll understand…

1:40 Q4: Rubio just drilled another deep one with a hand in his face. Dude can score when he thinks “me.” Dishes when he thinks “win.” Apparently, they’re not mutually exclusive. He has 16 points for the game.

3:21 Q4: I just realized why the PA Announcer is so loud and obnoxious after every dead ball: if Madrid loses, he’ll stop getting his Euroleague paycheck. Just ACB games for you old buddy.

4:35 Q4: Juan Carlos Navarro just hit a triple so deep they should go to the video review to see if his foot stepped back over the halfcourt line.

5:52 Q4: I think if you asked any fan behind me who we were playing tonight, they would tell you “The referees.” Get over it everyone. Don’t be a caller, be a baller.

6:20 Q4: 68-70 Barcelona

6:53 Q4: Juan carlos Navarro just hit one of the impossible shots that put him on the All-Euroleague team. An awkward, elbow-y dribble past two bigger guys then punched one off the glass as hell to corner. Reyes answers with a baby hook on the other end. He thought he got fouled, but we disagree.

Four on the floor for Madrid: Jaric, Hansen, Prigioni, Lavrinovic, Reyes

Four on the floor for Barcelona: Lakovic, Navarro, Basile, Lorbek (just hit a 3), N’Dong

End of Q3: Barcelona up 65-62 and 10 minutes from the Final Four. Personally, I am 10 minutes away from a disgustingly uncomfortable wedgie. Not very comfy here in the Vistalegre press box.

End of Q3: Trying to redeem myself and reestablish my masculinity after the guys next to me heard me giggle.

3:00 Q3: Lou Bullock just got lucky. He pushed off Navarro (barely touched him) and then wouldn’t give the ball to the refs. Next play, bad call against Madrid again and guess who the ball rolls to? And guess who still didn’t feel the need to hand it over to the refs? I giggled a little bit.

4:00 Q3: Llull just tried to get a floater up over Juan Carlos Navarro. That’s like trying to do a spin move past Pearl Washington. Or trying to murder OJ Simpson and get away with it.

6:18 Q3: Juan Carlos Navarro is in the top 5 in “Guys who have cool shots.” Roger Grimau might be in the bottom 5.

7:44 Q3: Here’s a drinking game that will leave you absolutely hammered. Every time Ante Tomic pivots with the ball, take a shot. You’ll be talking jibberish by halftime.

9:00 Q3: Rubio just stroked a 3 from the corner and David Kahn wet himself with excitement.

Start of Q3: For Real to start the third: Travis Hansen, Sergio Llull, Pablo Prigioni, Ante Tomic, Jorge Garbajosa

Start of Q3: For Barca: Rubio, Navarro, Erazem Lorbek, Terrence Morris, Pete Mickael

Warm-Ups: This rivalry is called “El Clásico” or to our English-speaking friends (I’m basically fluent after a month in Spain), “The Classic.” As with anything sports-related in Europe-with a few possible exceptions, maybe Lithuania and Serbia among them-the term came about because of soccer. Well I say it’s time to break off and give it its own name. It can still be “El Clásico” but with some hoops flair. “El Baloncesico”? Probably wouldn’t fly, but I’ll talk to some people.

HALFTIME SCORE: Real Madrid 41-45 Regal barcelona

Halftime: In the bonehead play of the game so far, Terrence Morris fouls Felipe Reyes right as the clock is expiring even though Felipe still had the ball at his waist. Two shots, sank them both. Still, the fans booed like protestors when the refs left the floor for their halftime aguas and bocadillos.

:30 Q2: I temporarily retract my Bullock comment. He drove in, leapt in the air and had nowhere to go and chucked it into the corner. WOuld’ve been a sweet pass if anybody were there. Travis hansen was the closest to the spot so he got yelled at. DOn’t yell, Sweet Lou. Don’t yell.

1:10 Q2: Pretty sure the shot clock has run below five at least four times. Is anybody keeping that stat? No, just me I guess. Well Messina should say something about it. If you can get an easy lay up in the last few ticks I’m all for it, but it always ends up with Sergio Llull chucking one from beyond his comfort zone with three hands in his face.

2:48 Q2: Find me someone in the world who doesn’t like Louis Bullock and I’ll show 1,000 more who think that guy’s a douche bag. Bullock fouled on the triple, hits all three from the stripe. My boy.

5:00 Q2: That’s the loudest I’ve ever heard any crowd get just now. Let’s explain, shall we? Felipe Reyes grabs the offensive board only to have it slapped out by Mickael and dished forward to Rubio for the break. Darjus Lavrinovic defies the laws of velocity and the laws of Darjus Lavrinovic to sprint down the floor and deliver the block on ol’ Ricky. Perfectly clean. Referee didn’t think so. Madrid called a timeout and it just kept getting louder and louDER AND LOUDER! Somehow, things calmed and the game continued.