79-71, the US Dream Team loses to Argentina. Consequently, they will be playing for the bronze medal.

Tom at MSY

Ginobili puts up 28 for Argentina, and Argentina shoots 58% from the field.

Iverson and Odom score 10 each, to "lead" the US, who, as a unit, shoot 39% from the field.

Tom at MSY

sad  

I hope this band of primadonnas LOSES...and the Iraqi men win bronze in the soccer match, whenever that is...

Go team Iraq! You guys deserve a gold metal for just getting there.

sad

.....and inevitable.

My stats were old, Olympics website hadn't been updated:

Final was 89-81.
Ginobili scores 29. Argentina shoots 54%.
Marbury leads US with 18. US shoots 42%.

Sorry for the dated info.

Tom at MSY

I can't belive I am saying this but...GOOD. They deserve to lose, especially that b**ch Iverson.

There is no excuse for this.... the "dream team" was AFU

Does anyone realize that these guys have been staying on the Queen Mary 2...probably in suites or junior suites...during these games??

I'm surprised Larry Brown hasn't had a heart attack. Come back where you belong, Larry...with the Detroit Pistons.

I wish the media would stop calling it the "Dream Team." The Dream Team played together as a team and was so good, other teams aspired to win the silver.

This is the "Group of Stereotypical American Sports Stars Playing as Individuals." Rudy T's Olympic teams never looked like this...

AS an American, I am really embarrassed.How could a team of Alll-Stars play so HORRIBLY!!!

AS an American, I am really embarrassed.How could a team of Alll-Stars play so HORRIBLY!!!

1. I'm not embarrassed. Whether you like it or not, the rest of the world has caught up enough, talent-wise, that you just can't throw together a team of "all-stars" together, let them practice for two weeks, then go play a brand of basketball they've never even been made aware of.

It isn't talent. The U.S. still has the talent, and more of it, than anyone. It's attutide; it's mindest; it's fundamentals.

What would I do, if I were running USA basketball? Several things:

-Start BEGGING High School and College coaches to teach the FUNDAMENTALS of the game: the U.S. players don't even know what the word means. They don't know how to pass anymore; they don't know how to move without the ball anymore; they don't know how to play defense; they don't know how to shoot free throws.

I was reading CNNSI the other day, and the article mentions how HS and college coaches are afraid to teach fundamentals, because they'll "lose" their players. Fine-lose them. If they don't want to learn, then throw their butts off the team, and find the athletes who want to do more than dunk.

-Don't just pick the starting lineup in the NBA All-Star game. In other words, get pro-and college-players, who WANT to play. Get players who can shoot from 3-point land; who can move without the ball; who can pass, and who can play defense.

-Put together the team A YEAR IN ADVANCE. Let them play an NBA season worth of games. Get a commitment from outstanding college and pro players. If they're college players, get the commitment, but allow them to keep that year of eligibility. If they're pro players, guarantee them their contract for that year. But make a TEAM. You didn't see a team with the U.S. You saw a collection of fantastic players, who, if they had time to gel, would win the gold going unbeaten, I'm convinced.

-Play the international rules game in college and the NBA. The U.S. is the only part of the world not playing the game as it's played in the Olympics. Change that. Make it a truly global game, with the same rules.

It isn't life or death, but the U.S. isn't going to win another gold for a long time, unless they change how they pick the team; how they prepare the team; how they coach the team. It's that simple.

The world has caught up. When that happens, you find away to put them behind another step again.

ConcordeBoy wrote:

sad

The Chicago Tribune, after the US Basketball Team lost to Puerto Rico, did an on-line poll asking their readers if they would like to see the US Basketball Team win or lose their next game.

Over 70% said they'd like to see them lose. Now THAT'S sad.

____________

What up Freddie! Been meaning to email you.  <---- guilty smile

Actually if anything, I am surprised they made it this far.

Its stupid to call the US basketball squad the dream team every time they hold the Olympics. There hasn't been a dream team assembled since '92:
Coach Chuck Daly
MJ
Magic
Sir Charles
The Admiral
The Mailman
The Glide
Larry Bird
Scottie Pippen
Patrick Ewing
John Stockton
Chris Mullin
Christian Laettner

The interesting thing to point out is that none of you so far have even credited Argentina for even one lonely phrase, none of you.

And then you guys protest the lack of sportmanship of Greek fans?? LOL

ps- Don't be too hard on those players. At least they had the willingness to participate unlike 'others' who outright refused. They are the ones who deserve your wrath.

Derico, you are right, but this thread, as far as I'm concerned, is more about why the U.S. as gotten to where it is.

The fact is, Argentina shot 61% from two-point land, and 58% overall. When you shoot like that, with that much on the line, you'll win, every time. I just love watching them play that weaving, constantly-moving offense, and the passion they bring. It's such a breath of fresh air from the stale, plodding NBA, where overpaid assholes do nothing but stand around.

Argentina absolutely deserved the win. From what I saw, the U.S. really didn't play a bad game, but when a team shoots that well, and executes on the offensive end that effectively, they're going to beat you 19 out of 20 times.

That's all right Alpha1, I was just mentioning that in passing, it's not a big deal.

The comment of an ESPN analyst yesterday hit it right on the money with me:
The most important reason for the US failure is the NBA's lack of good strategy in picking the players.

Really, the NBA picked the roster like you and I would do in a fantasy league, without taking into account how well they would gel together and most importantly, what they brought to the team. The USA did not have ONE deep threat from 3-point territory, and that I think was trully the big difference between gold and bronze.

I don't know if it was the stragety. I'm not sure. They made invitation after invitation, and a lot of great players turned it down-some for valid reasons, i.e., coming off injuries, and one was getting married in July. Some for security concerns, and most because they only think of themselves, and representing their country is the last thing they want to do, because they're not getting $$$ for it.

But the NBA can't just invite the superstars. They need to watch the NBA and college players for then next 2 to 3 years, and see which of these players fit the best profile for the international game, and then get them together as a team, and let them play 60 or 70 or 80 games together before the Olympics.

I was just watching the woman's final, and the NBC announcers had mentioned one of the Aussie women, age 36, had played 3000 games on the national team. Three thousand! Look at Argentina-they had the almost exact team they had for the 2000 Olympics and the 2002 World Championships. Spain is that way; Italy is that way; Serbia-Montenegro is that way. Some of them play in the NBA, but in the off-season, they're mostly playing on their national team, and those guys know each other and know the international game.

Actually, after typing all that, I think you're right, after all.   They need to be smarter in their selections-you just don't pick Shaq O'Neil because he's Shaq O'Neil. Pick the guys who WANT to play, who are willing to gel as a team, and who will be open to understanding the international game.

Me and my buddies were thinking, if they'd sent the Detroit Pistons as a squad to the olympics, they would have won the gold no problem. Now there is a group of players that worked together as a TEAM! Keyword is team, not individual.

Tbar, that's one of the thoughts going around-send the defending NBA Champion. One drawback-and it has to be a consideration, is that team has just finished a grueling 82-game schedule, and the playoffs, and they might be a little worn down. I think it would be smart to send perhaps the starting 5 from that team, and the rest, filling out the squad with college/pro players who fit the mold for the international game.

Well, at least they one the bronze medal...still Lithuania made it interesting...something like 22/38 from behind the arc too...can't say I've seen much of that...

Jeff

An interesting article about Iverson:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5851082/

Iverson rips Athens no-shows

"Any person that's selected to a team like this, it shouldn't be a question in your mind," Iverson said. "It shouldn't even be something to think about. You're honored to get a chance to represent your country, and what's better than that?"

"Anybody that grew up in the U.S. and is able to be a basketball player in the NBA, you understand what that country has done for you and your family," Iverson said. "It gave you an opportunity to support your family and be recognized as a household name. I mean, it's just an honor to be able to do something like that, and I would advise anybody that's selected to a team like this to take that honor and cherish it."


Im not a fan of Iverson and I don't know how genuine he is in his remarks, but I totally agree with this on him.

I wish the media would stop calling it the "Dream Team."

These guys just didn't seem to be driven. My guess is that you just can't inspire a bunch of millionaires to compete in a world class event if they don't see dollar signs...

If it weren't for all the pussy NBA players who stayed home we'd be in for the gold. Waa we don't get money and have to live in dorms and have a one in a million chance of getting blown up...waa...damn selfish pussies.