Perhaps we should have made Puerto Rico a state

[question everything]

this would have spared us the humiliating loss in the Olympics...

[Jack Rabbit]

1. I'll bet the NBA will look at these guys in the next draft

D'ya think?

They've earned it.

[HughBeaumont]

2. Gotta play as a team and play defense

. . . which the Millionaire's club didn't seem to want to do yesterday. Not a single one of these 6'8" guys can make a shot from 20'6"? These guys get paid HOW much?

[calico1]

3. Too many stars, too little team work.

An all star team seems like a good idea, but is it?

I am happy for the PR team by the way. Its a very popular sport there.

[Chovexani]

6. Um, no

Not *enough* stars is the problem with this squad. Most of them are untested rookies who have never played internationally before. I broke it down in the thread in LBN, but suffice it to say that anyone calling this bunch an All-Star team is probably deeply unfamiliar with the current NBA.

Most of the stars didn't come because of security and/or legal concerns.

[NewJeffCT]

10. Not my take

The problem is that they throw a bunch of all-stars together, play a few practice games and go to the Olympics. Most other national teams play together quite often and are used to playing with one another. Playing a few games is not the way to prepare.

If they wanted to do it properly, they'd either take the NBA champion team and send them over, or get a bunch of the best players that did not make the playoffs and have those guys start practicing together as soon as the NBA regular season is over. Put together 2 or 3 teams and have them play against each other 4-5 times a week for the 45-60 days between the end of the NBA regular season and the beginning of the Olympics.

[jakefrep]

12. My thoughts exactly...

Plus we need a full-time national team coach who isn't already employed by either an NBA of NCAA team. This person would be charged with learning and scouting the international game, and assembling a team that best suits that style of basketball.

USA Basketball needs to start taking international competitions more seriously. As it is, the national team is less a competitive enterprise than it is a marketing tool for the NBA. It isn't all the players' fault.

[russian33]

4. Hey, at least we beat Italy!

Oh, wait...

[MadHound]

5. This loss was about US hubris

Thinking that we could throw together a bunch of B list NBA All Stars(the A list like Kobe, Shaq, etc couldn't bother), who had little time to gel as a team, with no outside shooting threats, little chemistry, poor knowledge of the international game, and an arrogant attitude is just a recipie for disaster. Quite frankly I won't be suprised if they don't get a medal, much less gold.

These people think that they are above the common Olympian. They aren't staying in the athletes' village, they are staying on the Queen MaryII, protected by NATO forces. They've exhibited poor work ethic, and simply haven't had the time to come together as a team.

To get back to Olympic greatness, NBA basketball needs to have a comeuppence. The NBA needs to make a stipulation as part of all contracts that if the player is called upon to play for the US, they will(barring injury, death, emergency, etc.) They should have a pool of players start practicing together a year before the Olympics start, with coaches who are well versed in the international games. And they shouldn't be lords of the USA Olympic teams. Instead, they should require the NBA guys to stay in the village, mingling with the rest of the US squads.

International rules basketball requires teamwork, a skill lacking in the NBA these days. Perhaps this will bring that back, let's hope so.

[Chovexani]

8. Amen.

Finally someone who understands these guys are B-Team rejects.

If you want a stellar example of team play and work ethic, look no further to the WNBA stars of the women's US team. Those women EARNED it, and they are world-class in every sense of the word.

[Dorian Gray]

9. Oh, I don't know....

Allen Iverson isn't exactly B-team.

But, they are not playing together like a team. I was kind of psyched that Puerto Rico won. Talk about unexpected loss. This will give some hope to everyone else playing against the USA. Argentina looks good. And many of the Eastern European teams will probably kick ass. This could be a good year for some competitive basketball! And it will show the USA that they need to get a good team together next time. Not just throw the most popular names that will agree to come into a court together.

They should come back to America, shamed. Even if they still get the gold medal, they should be shamed with their poor showing.

[Chovexani]

13. They are certainly B-Team when compared to the original Dream Team

I will give you Iverson, and maybe Duncan and James...but aside from Jefferson (who I only know because I live in NY and hear about the Nets on the news), and Marbury (I'm a Knicks fan...god help me), these guys are nobodies.

And nobodies with the nerve to have an ego and not want to play as a team. I'm also glad Puerto Rico kicked their asses, maybe it'll be a good lesson in humility for them.

Honestly, even as a (former) NBA fan, watching these guys just isn't fun. I'd much rather watch the women, because they are true athletes. They don't have attitudes and they play to win--as a team.

This is going to be a great Olympics for basketball fans, I agree. We will see more competition than we have in the last decade or so.

[troublemaker]

7. We've tried, but they keep turning us down. Seriously.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

11. I honestly think the US DESERVED to lose...

And the humiliation was well deserved.
Duckie