jumbalaya Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I would rather see our Olympic Men's team comprised on US collegians struggle and lose than watch these overpaid pro players in the Olympics. There is something totally wrong with allowing these guys on the team. I would rather watch re-runs of Rin Tin Tin than these jokers. Their presence on the team has nothing to do with patriotism and everything to do with exposure in front of the camera. I was pulling for Angola to beat them and will cheer for every team that plays them. Their presence on the olympic team is a national disgrace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegtapr Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Wow....just wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Well, that escalated quickly. I'm on board with wanting to see collegians...but national disgrace? Every country that has NBA players uses them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 We're forgetting that the reason we have our professionals competing is because of the need to compete against other teams' professionals in the Olympics. I don't necessarily mind limiting it to collegians just so long as we lose the pretext of having to send our best in order to compete at the highest level of international competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 I think it was more fun to watch the college kids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I think it was more fun to watch the college kids. College ball has it all over pro ball anyway. But our kids would get their asses handed to them by very good teams at the Olympics. They'd be hard-pressed to medal at all let alone win a gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I would rather see our Olympic Men's team comprised on US collegians struggle and lose than watch these overpaid pro players in the Olympics. There is something totally wrong with allowing these guys on the team. I would rather watch re-runs of Rin Tin Tin than these jokers. Their presence on the team has nothing to do with patriotism and everything to do with exposure in front of the camera. I was pulling for Angola to beat them and will cheer for every team that plays them. Their presence on the olympic team is a national disgrace. I have said the same thing going back to the original dream team. It's made bball in the olympics extraordinarily lame. There's no real satisfaction in pounding teams by 40 points with 10 all-star players. There's something more special and "right" about collegiate players playing. And with all the stud college players we have now, I am fairly certain we could compete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I miss the old days too regarding Olympic b-ball (and hockey) but the fact is basketball has become a global game in the past 20 years so there's no reasonable way for the US to forgo pros when so many other countries have top flight talent. It's up to the IOC to change the eligibility rules but that will never happen because of $. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I have said the same thing going back to the original dream team. It's made bball in the olympics extraordinarily lame. There's no real satisfaction in pounding teams by 40 points with 10 all-star players. There's something more special and "right" about collegiate players playing. And with all the stud college players we have now, I am fairly certain we could compete. Unlike pro sports leagues, the Olympics have nothing to do with parity IMO. If the other teams get crushed, they get crushed. It's our best vs. their best. The Chinese dominate diving, South Koreans dominate speed skating, Kenyans dominate long distance running. I don't see any of those nations evening the playing field by sending their "B" teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Wow....just wow. You wow pretty easy. What's wrong with keeping it amateur? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Does that mean no endorsement deals? You wow pretty easy. What's wrong with keeping it amateur? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Does that mean no endorsement deals? Not till the olympic's are over. Then you're done, no longer a amateur, That's the way it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 You wow pretty easy. What's wrong with keeping it amateur? Amateur? The Olympics haven't been "amateur" since before the 1936 games. Hitler and the Nazi regime heavily subsidized their athletes as did the communist bloc countries after them. Their athletes were paid to train and prepare for the sports they competed in. To be the best those countries had to offer. I have no problem sending only amateurs but if the IOC couldn't guarantee that every country would abide by the same rules, it would only be a matter of time before we all grew tired of not being able to see our best compete. Just like before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poojer Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 The 'way it was' was never so scientifically & technologically intense. A true amateur could never afford the quality training required to keep pace with the rest of the worlds athletes. Not till the olympic's are over. Then you're done, no longer a amateur, That's the way it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Amateur? The Olympics haven't been "amateur" since before the 1936 games. Hitler and the Nazi regime heavily subsidized their athletes as did the communist bloc countries after them. Their athletes were paid to train and prepare for the sports they competed in. To be the best those countries had to offer. I have no problem sending only amateurs but if the IOC couldn't guarantee that every country would abide by the same rules, it would only be a matter of time before we all grew tired of not being able to see our best compete. Just like before. Which is a major reason I like a lot of the simple sports. Wrestling is a great example. It is more popular in other countries, but here in the US you get $250,000 if you win gold, $50,000 if you get silver. When you win the debate is not over a deduction on a landing, or free throw from a laydown foul. At the end of the day these are guys we do not see on a television [unless you really loook for them] competing in a sport that focus on training where you do not need the most advanced equipment or high tech gear. Wrestling is a mans sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Amateur? The Olympics haven't been "amateur" since before the 1936 games. Hitler and the Nazi regime heavily subsidized their athletes as did the communist bloc countries after them. Their athletes were paid to train and prepare for the sports they competed in. To be the best those countries had to offer. I have no problem sending only amateurs but if the IOC couldn't guarantee that every country would abide by the same rules, it would only be a matter of time before we all grew tired of not being able to see our best compete. Just like before. Then how did we win the 1980 hockey gold? And why is it so much more memorable to us than a NBA players win? I know the communist bloc cheated, it was a cold war thing. But they are gone, Make it amateur again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kegtapr Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 You wow pretty easy. What's wrong with keeping it amateur? The wow was more towards the national disgrace. Even saying the NBA guys are all about exposure is a stretch. These guys don't need exposure, they could easily enjoy their summer off and live the high life. I'm the last person to defend NBA players, I never watch, only college ball for me. But the olympics are about the best athletes in the world, so why shouldn't they play? They look like they're actually enjoying it too, unlike the selfish punks from 2004. Then how did we win the 1980 hockey gold? And why is it so much more memorable to us than a NBA players win? I know the communist bloc cheated, it was a cold war thing. But they are gone, Make it amateur again. Do you really think China would keep it amateur? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Then how did we win the 1980 hockey gold? And why is it so much more memorable to us than a NBA players win? I know the communist bloc cheated, it was a cold war thing. But they are gone, Make it amateur again. I'm not saying don't let our amateurs compete. I'm saying it's not realistic that every country in the world would abide by the same rules. And that it would only be a matter of time before everyone is up in arms again about not sending our best to the games. Winning the gold medal in 1980 was a beautiful thing. A once in a lifetime achievement. Once in a lifetime. More memorable simply because of the sheer improbability of winning it. That Soviet Team was the greatest hockey team in the world at the time. It's easy to say, but not too many would argue that if we played them another 99 times we wouldn't have won another game against them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adams Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 1343782514[/url]' post='2518014']I miss the old days too regarding Olympic b-ball (and hockey) but the fact is basketball has become a global game in the past 20 years so there's no reasonable way for the US to forgo pros when so many other countries have top flight talent. It's up to the IOC to change the eligibility rules but that will never happen because of $. They changed the men's soccer eligibility rules this year to 2 players over age 23'and everyone else under. It gutted the talent and interest in Olympic soccer and that's way more popular than hoops. The IOC could change the rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Then how did we win the 1980 hockey gold? The trap... Right place and right time... Will never happen like that again... The Soviets didn't know what hit them till it was too late. Great for the Americans... Hockey by nature is a very flukey game too... Not being unpatriotric... But take it for what it was... Soviets were ripe for the picking... Brooks saw a kink and exploited it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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