I suppose I'm a product of the American sports attitude. Several weeks ago Jeff asked me if I was starting to get excited for the upcoming Olympics. My response? "There's Olympics going on this summer?"
It's true, I just don't get excited for the Olympics. In the entire games, summer & winter, there's only a few events that I enjoy watching. Basketball, volleyball, snowboarding, skiing, hockey, track & field. All the other ones I mostly get bored with. Out of the ones I like, I would say that basketball is the closest to my heart, and maybe that's why I wasn't excited for the games this summer... the athletes weren't either. Several members of the USA basketball team have admitted that winning an NBA Championship was more important to them than winning a gold medal. In a game that has turned into a competition for how much recognition, money and attention you can get, I'm not sure I can blame them. Besides that the deck was stacked against them from the beginning.
But I'm done talking about how this team was poorly assembled. I'm tired of hearing about how players like KG, Kidd & Shaq shouldn't have said no to playing. And I beg of you, please nobody else tell me that the NBA is full of terrible shooters. I agree with most of it. The team should have several players that aren't there. Some of those guys should have said yes. I couldn't agree more, the NBA game is watered down, the talent is getting worse, the shooting is horrible, and the team-play is non-existent.
But here's the bottom line: these are still our guys. This is still Team USA. We still have the most talented players in the world. (Note: I didn't say most talented "team," I said most talented "players." There IS a difference.)
True, no other US Olympic men's basketball team has lost an Olympic game, this team has lost two. But the team that lost to Puerto Rico was absolutely embarrassing. The team that lost to Lithuania is dangerously close to being good. Their outside shooting is not getting better, but they are finally coming together as a team. Rebounding has been a strength the entire games, they are playing with enthusiasm, they are starting to play great swarming man-on-man defense, they are moving the ball around almost too well. There were a few times against Lithuania where you almost felt as if they made one too many passes. They still have work to do, but they have gotten better every game they've played, and we know how important having momentum at the right time is in sports.
I'm still skeptical that they can win the gold. If Lithuania can keep shooting the lights out like they have been it's theirs to lose. But Team USA is the only team that is talented enough to beat them even when Lithuania is shooting well.
These are our guys. It's time to stop complaining about how poor the team was put together. It's not their fault. They are starting to get behind each other. It's time we start getting behind them.
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