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|  #22 Posted on 6.9.02 0001.14
Reposted on: 6.9.09 0007.40 | | Calling Kobe, Shaq, Duncan. Calling Kobe, Shaq, Duncan. We need your help to qualify for the Olympics, over. | ekedolphin
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| #23 Posted on 6.9.02 0440.53
Reposted on: 6.9.09 0442.08 | Hey yo... Lakers fans... are your two beloved superstar Lakers too good to represent their country in the World Championships? It is the World Championship of Basketball, after all-- no, it's not the Olympics, but it's international competition.
Yet it seemed that most of the elite U.S. basketball players didn't give a flying shit about it. Damn it, representing your country in international competition is an honor-- it's an honor even to be asked-- and Shaq, Kobe, KG, Duncan and those guys pissed all over it.
I saw an article on CNNSI.com blaming us, the fans of Indianapolis, for not coming out to the World Championships. Screw that. Blame the elite guys who couldn't be bothered to show up.
Don't blame this year's U.S. team for not winning the gold medal. Blame the guys who couldn't be bothered to show up.
But anyway, off that kick:
While embarassing for U.S. Basketball, this can turn out to be a very positive thing for the sport as a whole. Now a whole generation of Argentines and Yugoslavians will be busting ass on the basketball courts, hoping to be part of the next national team to beat the “Dream Team”. | J.T. Dutch
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| #24 Posted on 6.9.02 0538.14
Reposted on: 6.9.09 0538.58 | "Hey yo... Lakers fans... are your two beloved superstar Lakers too good to represent their country in the World Championships? It is the World Championship of Basketball, after all-- no, it's not the Olympics, but it's international competition."
... I'll speak on dis, being that I am a Laker fan -- I'm GLAD that Kobe and Shaquille didn't go. Glad. They have the NBA season to worry about; they have a Championship to defend. Why should they come out and play in some podunk meaningless international competition to fatten the wallets of some FIBA losers? Why, precisely? For prestige? Nope, got it. For respect? Nope, got that too. For country? Are you kidding!?! Anyone in this country who feels worse or better about themselves as Americans based on the outcome of these meaningless games is PATHETIC. Same with the Olympics. The Olympics suck now ... they've become all about the ca$h flow and providing illicit "favors" for those in power -- same as everything else in Sports. No problem, as far as I care, but the Olympic promoters need to stop saying silly shit like they're all about "the purity of pure sport and pure competition and pure athletics and pure patriotism and PURE, PURE, PURE. Did we mention that we're pure?" What a load.
If those in the IOC and the USOC and the FIBA want to claim "purity", then USE AMATEURS. Use the college players. No, they're not true amateurs, but neither are those that are sent from the other nations. The collegiates will benefit. They will try. They will listen to the coach and actually play some fucking defense. They want to get noticed -- they want respect and prestige and all that good stuff that I mentioned above. If our guys lose because we didn't send the pros, then THEY LOSE. Big freaking deal. So now the U.S. wins 35% of the Olympic Gold Medals instead of 37%. Wow, we're slipping. Who gives a shit, really? At worst, some broke college athletes who do nothing but study and practice will get to travel to a cool city and live in an Olympic village and meet some athletes from other nations. What's wrong with that?
What good is the Olympics or a FIBA competition for a multi-multi millionaire pro player? It actually can take some of the edge off his game, based on the lower level of competition. You know these pros aren't going to try -- they're not going to cover or rotate defensively -- they're not going to do anything but shoot threes, dunk, and try to wink or smile at a TV camera. Some might be under ORDERS not to try, for fear of getting hurt and not being ready to go when their real job starts. Unless there's a "phat" shoe contract or some complimentary weed coming to them with the Gold Medal, it's a waste of time. Sorry, Dolphin, it's not a rant on you in particular -- but I'm tired of all of this sanctimonious and self-righteous baloney when it comes to the topic of international Sports. Either that or the fact that the vending machine at my work is out of V-8 right now and I'm PISSED.
(edited by J.T. Dutch on 6.9.02 0343) | JayJayDean
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| #25 Posted on 6.9.02 0926.59
Reposted on: 6.9.09 0927.08 | Let's be real here. Ask yourself this question: Who are the 2002 World Champions? No matter who wins this tournament, I'm guessing by the end of next week, everyone will have the same answer. The Lakers. Which is basically the problem with this "World Championships", and the problem with sending American NBA players to this tournament. The NBA is a much bigger deal than this little tournament.
I think, especially in light of this no medal debacle, that USA Basketball will take a much more serious approach to having 12 guys ready to play "team" basketball, as opposed to these guys who seemed to be just trying to get on SportsCenter. (Which, actually, they did quite well. Congratulations!) There is no way that these 12 guys should have lost these two games, but they had NO chemistry, especially on defense. Kobe, T-Mac, Shaq, and the like would help, but I don't think we NEED them to win an international tournament. (I still think they're going to send all the big stars over for the Olympics, though, just to prove a point.) | redsoxnation
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| #26 Posted on 6.9.02 0935.40
Reposted on: 6.9.09 0951.08 | | How is this a shock, I mean, there were two Clippers on the team. Then again, for the Clippers, two losses in the row is usually a reason for a celebration. | Grimis
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| #27 Posted on 6.9.02 0955.39
Reposted on: 6.9.09 0959.07 |
Originally posted by JayJayDean
(I still think they're going to send all the big stars over for the Olympics, though, just to prove a point.)
Yeah, and if they do then the need for team basketball would be shot to shit. If the top 12 guys in 2004 go, it'll be like Little Big Horn or Dienbienphu. You'll start seeing those 145-50 scores like some people expect from the NBA guys all along. | skorpio17
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| #28 Posted on 6.9.02 1041.45
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1052.59 | I think the NBA should send their top team over. If the Lakers refuse, their World Championship would be disputed and Yugoslavia can get their own title belt.
Of course the Kings should dispute the title anyway seeing how they got jobbed in game 6. And how come Team USA didn't want to invite Webber to play? He could've done more than that Davis guy or the Wallace no-name. And couldn't they have let Raef Lafrentz play? Why no playing time for the white boy? | DJ FrostyFreeze
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| #29 Posted on 6.9.02 1050.54
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1059.03 | | Booooo. | Rudoublesedoublel
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| #30 Posted on 6.9.02 1336.25
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1347.43 | Someone had previously said something along the lines of "We can't force the guys to play in these events."
My employer forces/coerces me to do many things that I do not WANT to do that are outside of normal business hours and outside of my job description. (Community activities mainly.) I don't make a gazillion $$$ either, and I do moan about it, but ultimately I succumb to the wishes of those who enable me to make my mortgage payment.
Would it be fair? That doesn't matter. Maybe something as simple as if you're selected All-Pro you are on Team USA (unless of course you're a non-US citizen who makes All-Pro). It won't happen, but maybe it should.
| haz
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|  #31 Posted on 6.9.02 1357.21
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1359.02 | The US team that was there this year has far and beyond more talent than any of the others. They should've won regardless of the "best" players not being there.
Let whoever wants to "tryout", tryout. Why force anyone to go. There are players who want to go, let them go, they'll at least enjoy it.
If you lose a few games here and there, perhaps no medal one year, who cares?
Besides, at least you made the top 8. Take our lovely Canadian national team. No MacCulloch, No Magliore, No Nash, No Rick Fox.... All adds up to 13th place! | rockdotcom_2.0
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| #32 Posted on 6.9.02 1514.18
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1529.02 |
Originally posted by Rudoublesedoublel
Someone had previously said something along the lines of "We can't force the guys to play in these events."
My employer forces/coerces me to do many things that I do not WANT to do that are outside of normal business hours and outside of my job description. (Community activities mainly.) I don't make a gazillion $$$ either, and I do moan about it, but ultimately I succumb to the wishes of those who enable me to make my mortgage payment.
Would it be fair? That doesn't matter. Maybe something as simple as if you're selected All-Pro you are on Team USA (unless of course you're a non-US citizen who makes All-Pro). It won't happen, but maybe it should.
Dude, Point blank, you need a fucking union. The NBA players have one. Nobody should be forced to play for USA basketball or any sports body. Olympic athletes have the desire to be there. Thats the one good part about the games, most Olympians train there whole lives to be there. And for most Olympians the games is the closest brush they have to fame. Not true for an NBA star. Theyve already reached the pinnacle of their sports by playing in the NBA.
So its pretty hard to ask them to get excited about playing in the FIBA word Championships. What do you think is more important to Kobe Bryant? Playing in the meaningless FIBA world championship or getting ready mentally and physically for the NBA season?
The reality is this, and everybody in the international basketball community knows this: Give the US guys a few months of solid practice together under international rules and the fucking Argentines might not even SCORE. We still produce the best basketball players in the world, they know this, we know this. So we lost... so fucking what? We were taught a little lesson in humility. Whats wrong with that?
| Rudoublesedoublel
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| #33 Posted on 6.9.02 1642.15
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1648.54 | I may have given the wrong impression, but I definitely don't need a union. I'm an officer at a bank and at least one of the implied responsibilities is being a "good citizen" and "being involved in the community". As with any other job there is always going to be trade-offs. For example, I do happen to get Internet access without reaching for my wallet.
Maybe what I'm really trying to say is that it is a shame that the absolute best NBA players have no interest in the Olympic games or World Championships. | Tom Dean
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| #34 Posted on 6.9.02 1805.33
Reposted on: 6.9.09 1806.22 | | Could someone show me an article saying that the true superstars were asked to be on this team and turned it down? Because my impression -- one certainly bolstered by looking at the past rosters -- is that they make the World Championship team a "B" team on purpose, to give more people a shot to be on a Dream Team, and only try to put the best possible team out there for the Olympics. | redsoxnation
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| #35 Posted on 6.9.02 2044.46
Reposted on: 6.9.09 2059.02 |
Originally posted by Tom Dean
Could someone show me an article saying that the true superstars were asked to be on this team and turned it down? Because my impression -- one certainly bolstered by looking at the past rosters -- is that they make the World Championship team a "B" team on purpose, to give more people a shot to be on a Dream Team, and only try to put the best possible team out there for the Olympics.
I can tell you at least one player who backed out Jason 'I might have hit my wife but you people are mean for saying it' Kidd. | Zeruel
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| #36 Posted on 7.9.02 1104.52
Reposted on: 7.9.09 1105.42 |
Originally posted by rockdotcom_2.0
I dont think this is the national tragedy some are making it out to be. This was bound to happen eventually, the international players have gotten steadily better since 1992. So we lost, big deal. I think its actually good for the game. If nothing else it teaches our guys humility. Does this mean that US players arent the best in the world? Not at all. The world is very much aware who IS playing and who ISNT playing for USA basketball. Im actually interested the World Championships now, to see how the USA team reacts. Embarassment can be a powerful motivator. I would hate to be the next team to meet Team USA.
int'l teams aren't getting better
usa is putting out a B or C team out there, because the A level talent doesn't want to waste time playing for a medal. | Tom Dean
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| #37 Posted on 7.9.02 1656.59
Reposted on: 7.9.09 1657.14 | | Poor NBC has to show New Zealand-Yugoslavia today, and I guess at least two more games like that. That's ratings!!! | rockdotcom_2.0
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| #38 Posted on 7.9.02 1700.54
Reposted on: 7.9.09 1701.37 |
Originally posted by rikidozan
int'l teams aren't getting better
I beg to differ bro. Pau Gasol, Peja Stoyavic, and Dirk Nowitski are perfect examples of great players being turned out overseas. Throw in the fact that a Chinese player was just taken no. 1 overall in the draft, and you have substantial evidence that the world is catching up with us. | rlbehan
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| #39 Posted on 8.9.02 0826.54
Reposted on: 8.9.09 0829.04 | | The rest of the world is catching up in basketball, and we cannot expect to send second, third, and fourth level talent to international tournaments and expect because it is "TEAM USA" that the rest of the world is going to fold it up and run. They showed us, and frankly even if we sent our best talent year after year, sooner or later we were going to lose to someone that wanted it more, just like we beat the Russians in hockey in 1980. But stop making excuses for Kobe and those who declined to play "to get ready for the season" or because the tournament is "meaningless". It was not meaningless for Dream Team 1 or anyone who was rooting for them. Easy to say we don't care when we got our ass kicked. The fact is the elite players in the NBA do not give a crap, and do not wish to go to the olympics or the world tournament. Their choice, but it was hardly some noble decision on Kidd's or Kobe's part. | redsoxnation
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| #40 Posted on 8.9.02 0931.25
Reposted on: 8.9.09 0950.57 | | After blowing a double digit lead to Spain for loss #3, is it to early to start the deport George Karl movement? Oh yeah George, I wouldn't be waiting for any phone calls to coach North Carolina in this lifetime. | | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
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