Originally posted by InsideHoopsIt's been said of Flair that he could have a rip-roaring match with a broom. Displaying his extraordinary wrestling and dramatic skills, he'd have the crowd convinced that the broom really did have a chance to take his title. He'd put the fans through an hour-long emotional roller coaster, then squeeze out a victory in the final seconds - perhaps using the ring ropes for illegal leverage in applying the winning pin, as befits the self-proclaimed "dirtiest player in the game."
Flair might even battle the broom to a draw or, if it were a non-title match, have the broom come out on top. Regardless of the outcome, Flair would escape with his championship belt while the broom would gain something far more important, from the perspective of the wrestling business: a following. The broom would have proved itself to the locals by going toe-to-toe with the champion of the world. It would now be seen as a legitimate title contender, and the broom's growing fan base would turn out in droves a month later for the rematch.
Allow me to introduce you to the basketball equivalents of that broom: Puerto Rico, Italy, Greece, Argentina, Serbia-Montenegro, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and yes, Lithuania. Many of these brooms appeared to give Team USA as much as or more than it could handle, either in the exhibition season or in the first round of Olympic competition.
But note the key point: None of those losses - not even the two first-round losses - prevented Team USA from advancing to the quarterfinals, where eight teams started a single-elimination tournament Thursday that culminates in the gold-medal game Saturday. Those losses were part of a carefully crafted American plan hatched in 2002 to create a world-wide b-ball buzz by building up its international foes.
An interesting theory, I'll give him that much ...
Alessandro "Hercules" Boondy
Just so you guys know: 75% of this crap [you read on the internet] is made up, either by the writer, or the wrestler the writer is getting the dirt from. Just so you know. -- Statement by "Tammy Sytch", from Hyatte's Dec. 29th column ... Lest we forget.
Neat theory...but that's waaayyyyyy too complicated and non-ego-centric for somebody like A.I. to pull off. :-)
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Does this mean the USA basketball team just did a Flair FLOP
I thought the Pistons/Lakers proved this year having the best collection of athletes/players doesn't necessary guarantee victory... Many of the teams in the Olympics smoked U.S out because their team play was superior
smark/net attack wienerville advisory is raised to ORANGE alert - High (Benoit lost the title to some punk kid named Orton, lets look at the positive at least it's a heel not named HHH who has the title, which allows two fresh faces battling for the World title.. whaat? excuse me? what happened on Raw! well scratch that... Over to Smackdown we wave at Justin Bradshaws title reign, I think I'm getting sea sick)- 8/22
Originally posted by Net Hack SlasherI thought the Pistons/Lakers proved this year having the best collection of athletes/players doesn't necessary guarantee victory... Many of the teams in the Olympics smoked U.S out because their team play was superior
I think having the best collection of players CAN guarantee victory, but only if that collection is head and shoulders above the competition, ala the original Dream Team. Having a bunch of guys that are a little bit better than everyone else isn't enough if those guys don't play well together.
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