US no longer Kings of the world

[Cherlie]

First its Argentina, then Yugoslavia. Now US won't even win Gold!

The 58 game winning streak for the USA in Basketball is over and do you want to know why?

It's those High schools kids coming into the NBA totally unprepared for NBA level.

So what do the owners do? they draft exxperienced European players and guess what, the high school kids are left behind.

Kwane Brown, number 1 draft pick last year, only started a handful of games, only got about 10 mins per game. WHAT A WASTE OF A NUMBER ONE DRAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope this leaves a lesson for us to learn.

Don't run before you can walk!!!!!!!!!

CB

[Dowding]

.

[Eagler]

its stinking basketball .. who cares?

All thought is concentrated on Cane/Gator battle in the swamp!

Nothing else matters!

Well until Sunday afternoon

http://gatorzone.com//desktop/gatorsaver/Gator_saver.swf

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Cherlie

It's those High schools kids coming into the NBA totally unprepared for NBA level.

That's why college basketball is so great.  Every game is serious because each of those guys could be playing their last competitive game.

[Sikboy]

Originally posted by Cherlie

I hope this leaves a lesson for us to learn.

Don't run before you can walk!!!!!!!!!

CB

I think the real lesson is that diversity kicks ass.  

Good job RoW, Good Job.

-Sikboy

[H. Godwineson]

I quit routing for the U.S. teams in basketball when college players were cut out of the Olympic teams after John Thompson led them to glorious defeat against Brazil about 12 years ago.

Despite the fact that our College players had been kicking butt for years, the whiners couldn't stand the concept of defeat.  Rather than place the blame on the coach, or just accept defeat with honor, we decided we had to bring in the pros.  A bunch of guys who had twice the talent but only 25% of the enthusiasm of the college players.  It was disgusting.  I quit caring entirely.

Now the pros have gone down to inglorious defeat.  Sorry, but I can't work up any sympathy.

Regards, Shuckins

[funkedup]

A's on a 20-game win streak, Raiders play the Seagals on Sunday.
I couldn't even get excited about basketball if Jordan and Magic were playing one on one in my driveway.

[midnight Target]

I played competitive basketball for years, but never watch the pros. College ball is better and much more exciting. Those pros should be ashamed for losing that game. The talent level in the NBA is huge, but the desire level sucks.

[Creamo]

Originally posted by funkedup
A's on a 20-game win streak, Raiders play the Seagals on Sunday.
I couldn't even get excited about basketball if Jordan and Magic were playing one on one in my driveway.

Baseball? Why bother, bowling is on after the Cubs are again out of it. Check that, NASCAR every week!

Jon Gruden had NOTHING to do with a aging old veteran group that Joe Namath would cringe when they were more apt to promote Viagra than leather gloves. HE only lead them to the finals, which indeed did lead to the heartbreaker, err, the fluke loss to the Patriots. Sell him off though? Wtg AL.

Packers go 9-7 at worst, but getting excited by the Raiders? Hasn't Al Davis just ruined your season before it started? Granted he's not going to L.A, but it would be easier on you?

Holmgren will beat them so badly, it's not betting the points, it's rubbing it in at half time at the Hilton to the Black and Silver poor fanatics.

[vorticon]

IT IS JUST BASKETBALL 7 out of 145 people actually like it

less than that actually play

[Eagler]

Originally posted by Creamo



Baseball? Why bother, bowling is on after the Cubs are again out of it. Check that, NASCAR every week!

Jon Gruden had NOTHING to do with a aging old veteran group that Joe Namath would cringe when they were more apt to promote Viagra than leather gloves. HE only lead them to the finals, which indeed did lead to the heartbreaker, err, the fluke loss to the Patriots. Sell him off though? Wtg AL.

Packers go 9-7 at worst, but getting excited by the Raiders? Hasn't Al Davis just ruined your season before it started? Granted he's not going to L.A, but it would be easier on you?

Holmgren will beat them so badly, it's not betting the points, it's rubbing it in at half time at the Hilton to the Black and Silver poor fanatics.

we have Chucky now:



time will tell, hard to coach a good team with swiss cheese for an offensive line

[AKDejaVu]

Guess the days of "just showing up" have come to an end.  Nice to see those egos get put into place.

AKDejaVu

[Nifty]

Several reasons, not that I really care about the NBA that much, it's my least favorite of the major leagues.  Ranks down there with Major League Lacrosse.  

Anyways, first, lack of true desire from most NBA players.  The first couple of "Dream Teams" truly embraced playing for the USA in international competition.  They took it seriously in training and in games and it showed.  I wholeheartedly disagree that Magic, Bird, Jordan and the rest of the 1992 Dream Team played without desire, heart or love of country.  Every other "team" since hasn't shown any of the three.  Those pros who didn't put 100% into it or didn't even bother (next section) are a disgrace to the country.  Seriously, it should be an honor to represent your country, whether it be in the military or in a sporting competition.  The college kids and the first dream team understood that, the pros in recent years don't.

Second, fielding a second tier team.  Where was Kobe?  Vince?  T-Mac?  A.I.?  Kevin Garnett?  Tim Duncan?  Shaq is at least hurt I think, but I'm not sure he was invited.  Kobe flat out turned down the offer to play.   I don't know about the rest of the players I mentioned.  I do know that in hockey and football (soccer, I mean) when the national team calls you up to play in a tournament, especially the world championship, it's a HUGE honor and you typically do not decline.  Also, you bring your A players, not your B players.

Third, George Karl.  WTF kinda selection was this?  His Bucks folded in the second half of the season.  No team chemistry.  He had no control.  Same thing with this US team.

I think all three factors contributed, as well as the Argentines and Yugoslavs playing fantastic basketball (Argentina has 3 NBA calibre players, one starting this season, two former and Yugoslavia has 5 according to espn.)  I'd say I know how Portugal felt in the World Cup, but they brought their A team to play and lost.  We played on our home turf with a B team that didn't care (I include Karl in that), and lost because of it.

I want the best representing our country in competition.  I just wish the best wanted to represent our country in basketball.

[Elfenwolf]

Originally posted by AKDejaVu
Guess the days of "just showing up" have come to an end.  Nice to see those egos get put into place.

AKDejaVu

Whose ego was put into place? Shaq's? He wasn't there. Kobe? He wasn't there either. I doubt anyone reading this can name three of the starting five players we had, but the one thing they had in common is they sacrificed some rare time off to represent our country for NO MONEY, btw, so cut these guys some slack. They lost to a Yugoslav team featuring two teammates who've played on the same team in the NBA and came within a shot and a couple of bad calls of beating the Lakers. Give the NBA guys who gave a rat's bellybutton enough to show up some slack.

[Kieran]

Or transversely, simply say, "Good job!" to the winners and leave it at that.