balefire88

ARGH!!!!!!!! I'm so sick of the media calling the current U.S. bball team the "Dream team". There was only 1 dream team, and that was the 1992 team. Even the 96 and 00 teams were nothing compared to that one. That team was simply amazing, and it could probably be listed as one of the best teams, if not the very best, to be assembled in history. This current team...well let's just delude ourselves, tehy're playing like crap, they're a bunch of parts, not even teh best parts available, thrown together for a month and expected to do something...well u need a jump shooter who can actually make a shot from outside before u can win a game..

I hate how the media talks about them even after they lost to the Italians. I read somewhere, after the Puerto Rico loss, "If the mantle of invincibility had been cracked before, it was shattered now". WHAT?? After coming in 6th at the world championships, after losing to the italians, barely beating the Germans, and doing so-so against Turkey, and playing well against only serbia-montenegro, their mantle was only cracked? maybe the reporter's head is cracked too!! if not, i'll crack it for him, the idiot. i wish they woudl stop makign so much of this us team, its over for them, never even got started....gah...just pissed readin this shit over and over...

ForwardtoDeath

I agree with you 100 percent there. Every time the US team loses a game, its considered to be a tremendous upset and something that nobody could have ever expected. However, this US team is really a nightmare. I mean look at the talent, (or lack thereof) that can be found on this team. Aside from Duncan, the team is made up of a bunch of scrubs, ball hogs and kids who may have a bright future, but still need to develop more. There is also a lack of pure shooters on the team and nobody can play defense. This team is a joke and everyone knows it.

djtestudo

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/040804'

More proof that The Sports Guy needs to control everything basketball-related in this country.

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"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
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magnum_xxxl

I with what your saying, the olympic team should not be the NBA's version of And1. All Flash, No Substance (Defense, Shooting, Set Plays). they look like a bunch of guys playing a pick-up game where all everyone wants to do is hog the ball.

Zoom

IMO Opinion its just mainly the old white guys hating the fact that in the USA, its mainly a black sport now,

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Locobot

It will be interesting to see if any NBA teams follow the international example and use a tight zone defense. Defense is lacking in the NBA in general (completely missing in the Western Conference). I'd like to see a bunch of no namers simply concentrate on defense and force some superstars to shoot from the outside. There are many teams who lack quality 3-point shooters. Maybe my Bulls will stop trying to draft the next Michael or Kobe and concentrate on developing a solid squad of fundamentally strong players. hmmmmm okay that probably won't happen....

Locobot

I can see that too, a lot of Americans seem to gloating over the teams lack of "fundamentals" (read: "how us whites used to play"). I've noticed an especially strong hatred for Allen Iverson among older white men. Sure he's cocky, but look at his stats! The man gets the job done. I think people are just put off by his tattoos, cornrows, and those abyssal-black-shark eyes. It's a lot easier to hate something you view as alien.

gov135

'Fundamentals' have nothing to do with whether you are black, white, or purple. You need to possess the fundamental skills of any sport to succeed.

The Olympic basketball team does lack fundamental skills. Look at what passing actually does for some of these teams - It results in open looks at the hoop! What a novel concept.

The team just lost again - and they lost because they have no viable outside scoring, can't break the zone through effective passing, and lack some of the fundamental elements the other teams seem to grasp. I couldn't believe the open shots the Olympic team gave up.

Fundamentals is certainly not "how us whites used to play." It is "how seemingly inferior teams on paper can play with and beat the opposition."