Men's Olympic Basketball.....The Dream Team is just a faint memory

[Meck77]

I'm watching the US get punked by Puerto Rico. We are down by 10 in the 2nd period. We have lost the intimidating edge when in the past other countries would just roll over for us. I just saw a player from their team pull of a Globe Trotter like move faking out stoudamire so bad he hit the floor.

Oh how times have changed. Gone are the days of class acts like Larry Bird, Magic, and Michael. They have been replaced by teens with 50 million dollar contracts who don't even have the basic fundamental skills of the game. All they care about is hang time on a dunk.


This team needs to get their shiat together.

[shakenbake]

I haven't even been watching the basketball team. I'm watching the Iraq Vs Costa Rica soccer game and I can't stand soccer. But how can you not cheer for these guys from Iraq, it's cool they have a chance to compete this year !

[Meck77]

Well you aren't missing much. USA down by 22 at the half. This is a discgrace to our country. These guys don't even care. They aren't evening trying. Pathetic *spit*

[shakenbake]

Well Iraq just scored and are now up 1 to 0 with about 20 mins left to go.

[shakenbake]

They just scored again...now up 2-0. You can tell these guys really just wanna represent thier country and play well. Im happy to see them playing well.

[shakenbake]

I don't watch much Pro Basketball so there is really no point in watching them in the Olympics. I would rather they go back to College players and see what they can do.

[Meck77]

GO IRAQ!!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine if Iraq picked up a gold medal. Hell even if they got a Bronze in synchronized swimming that would be huge!!!!

[Meck77]

hmmm here is a tidbit about the Iraqi and Afghan olympic teams.....Hopefully LABF won't see this and turn it into I HATE BUSH thread.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansas...9401963.htm?1c

[Clockwork Orange]

What amazes me is how disinterested Tim Duncan looks out there. I've never seen him so lackluster and sloppy even going back to his days at Wake Forest.

But this team just can't shoot from the perimeter, hit a free throw and aren't playing defense with any energy.....and this is just against Puerto Rico. A team like Argentina would be up by 40 on them right now.

[Clockwork Orange]

Mini-run by Team USA cuts it to 13.

[shakenbake]

This picture says it all

[shakenbake]

Boy, don't the just look thrilled to be there

[Clockwork Orange]

I love Tim Duncan, but he looks like a timid, lost rookie out there. I can't believe how hesitant he looks.

Team USA still jacking up 3's with minimal success. They've got to do what they do best, take it strong to the basket.

The defecit is down to 8.

[Clockwork Orange]

Puerto Rico getting hot again from beyond the arc, the teams are just trading baskets now. USA seems to have found their offense but a little too late.

[Clockwork Orange]

3-22 from 3 point range
17-27 from the free throw line

That's just pathetic.

[Hulamau]

This debacle is the direct result of too many years of arrogance and poor development of players in the US. While the rest of the world goes to basketball camps where they eat, drink and breathe basketball everyday, all we seem to develop these days are 'EGOS' in sneakers looking for the next shoe contract and high fiving it on the playground. Most Amercian B-ballers are sorely lacking in fundamentals and think that atheleticism alone will carry the day.

This is true in the NBA too, which has been made better by all the foreign guys who are brought in to play defense and shoot three pointers for all the NBA teams, which is something very few of the more atheletic American 'hot dogs' can do since they all just want to 'Phi Slamma Jamma' and dunk all day and "Be Like Mike"!

Its pathetic, and this is a long term problem that is only now being exposed. Lack of discipline and the American team's arrogance of thinking they will win by just showing up won't cut it.

Perhaps this is good that we are getting blown out of the Olympics so early. Maybe it will serve as some sort of wake up call for US basketball that atheletic talent without the funamental skills and a real desire to excel AS A TEAM is a loser.

[Meck77]

This game just exposed the entire NBA. We American's now know that we pay top dollar to see second rate BB. I've always been a much bigger fan of NCAA ball and this just confirms to me why.

Well after these guys come back to America as losers they will still have their 22 inch rims on their Escalades and their bling bling around their necks. That's all they care about. They obviously have no pride to play for their country. They didn't even try today.

I am really in disbelief. Somehow I still feel these guys should be able to turn it around but isn't this the second time we've been blown out already?

[DrFate]

Originally Posted by Hulamau

This debacle is the direct result of too many years of arrogance and poor development of players in the US. While the rest of the world goes to basketball camps where they eat, drink and breathe basketball everyday, all we seem to develop these days are 'EGOS' in sneakers looking for the next shoe contract and high fiving it on the playground. Most Amercian B-ballers are sorely lacking in fundamentals and think that atheleticism alone will carry the day.

This is true in the NBA too, which has been made better by all the foreign guys who are brought in to play defense and shoot three pointers for all the NBA teams, which is something very few of the more atheletic American 'hot dogs' can do since they all just want to 'Phi Slamma Jamma' and dunk all day and "Be Like Mike"!

Its pathetic, and this is a long term problem that is only now being exposed. Lack of discipline and the American team's arrogance of thinking they will win by just showing up won't cut it.

Perhaps this is good that we are getting blown out of the Olympics so early. Maybe it will serve as some sort of wake up call for US basketball that atheletic talent without the funamental skills and a real desire to excel AS A TEAM is a loser.

Ding. Ding. Ding. All correct answers.

This game is a microcosm of why the NBA is borderline unwatchable. NBA players don't want to pass, and are unable to shoot (with some few exceptions). USA Basketball then picks all the 'name' players (LeBron, AI, Wade) and leaves off guys who aren't as well known but would thrive in this environment. The real Dream Team had Bird and Mullin to score from the perimeter. At that time of his career, Magic was a pretty good outside shooter. Lattner and Barkely are better shooters than anyone on the 2004 team. This team will continue to struggle because they can't shoot.

The sad thing is you could take 12 bench guys from the NBA and blow the doors off Puerto Rico. You would just have to get the right 12 guys.

[Tom H.]

Why not just put in a team that can play as a team. Put the NBA champions in there. I'm not saying they would win hands down but it would be much less embarrassing.

[Macnut]

Originally Posted by Hulamau

This debacle is the direct result of too many years of arrogance and poor development of players in the US. While the rest of the world goes to basketball camps where they eat, drink and breathe basketball everyday, all we seem to develop these days are 'EGOS' in sneakers looking for the next shoe contract and high fiving it on the playground. Most Amercian B-ballers are sorely lacking in fundamentals and think that atheleticism alone will carry the day.

This is true in the NBA too, which has been made better by all the foreign guys who are brought in to play defense and shoot three pointers for all the NBA teams, which is something very few of the more atheletic American 'hot dogs' can do since they all just want to 'Phi Slamma Jamma' and dunk all day and "Be Like Mike"!

Its pathetic, and this is a long term problem that is only now being exposed. Lack of discipline and the American team's arrogance of thinking they will win by just showing up won't cut it.

Perhaps this is good that we are getting blown out of the Olympics so early. Maybe it will serve as some sort of wake up call for US basketball that atheletic talent without the funamental skills and a real desire to excel AS A TEAM is a loser.

Very well said! I also agree with Meck's comments too. One thing that wasn't mentioned though, is that bringing in foreign players to play in the NBA and college over the years have only made their country teams a whole lot better (Where would UH be without them!) . When you look at it that way the NBA is not only selling out but is also teaching the other countries what it takes to beat the USA. I believe Puerto Rico had several NBA players on it. I too am sick of seeing these all stars who only know how to slash to the basket and slam dunk every ball they get their hands on. Larry Bird could dunk but he rarely did because he felt there wasn't anything to prove by doing that all the time. TEAM basketball is what's it's all about, whether it's at the park, in college or in the pros and I guess the foreign teams are a perfect example of that! Guys like AI (me first- I don't have to practice)have no business being on the USA team. Simply EMBARRASSING!!

[Northman]

im glad we are getting our asses handed to us. we deserve it and it is showing that our players only care about money and not the fundamentals of basketball. this is why i perfer to watch college BB instead of professional. tis a sad day for the U.S ladies and gentlemen.

[Tom H.]

We're beating Greece in the 1st. 18 to 17. Exciting stuff.

[Tom H.]

US 37 - Gre 31 after 2

[Tom H.]

US 57- Gre 53 Yup!

[plummerrox]

thanks for the updates, Tom - keep them coming