1billsfan Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: If you find it hard to root for the "me" players, then how did you root for Bruce Smith all those years? People here are actually rooting against the USA, unbelievable.
sweet baboo Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 i was originally against the US team, but after the Spain fiasco and the rest of the world hating on our team and Larry Brown for doing nothing wrong, I'm fully behind the US winning the gold medal...screw being nice...everyone's unfairly being a dick
MattyT Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 Don't get your red, white, and blue panties in a bunch over this. IMO, the ends justify the means here. It's worth not winning medal if the end result is that the NBA cleans up its act, improves its product, and we field a better team in the future. The players keep *talking* about wake-up calls, but no one actually wants to figuratively get out of bed and *do* anything about it. As it turns out we will get a medal (hooray!), the rest is yet to be seen.... The Bruce Smith comparison doesn't work here. I don't even know why I have become so passionate about this since I no longer have any interest in the NBA. EDIT: I would also like clarify my original post. I don't watch the games thinking "GO [insert foreign country here]!!!!" I pretty much sit there feeling sad and when they happen to lose I can't help but feel that, in the end, this should be a good thing for the future of the game in the US. That's it.
RuntheDamnBall Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: If you find it hard to root for the "me" players, then how did you root for Bruce Smith all those years? People here are actually rooting against the USA, unbelievable. 8893[/snapback] 1) For as much of a "me" player as Bruce was, I don't think I ever questioned his leadership, his total effect on the team, his positive effect on the defense. He was kind of like Hasek for this defense. He made our defense more confident, our opponents more scared, tentative and frustrated. 2) I don't know if I'm rooting "against" the USA, more against NBA ball. I like the team game played internationally, and it's exciting to watch these other nations who are playing for country. Do you get that impression from any of our guys? I like Lebron, Anthony, they're good kids. But we need more team players (and they needn't be white, just team players) to compete in this arena. We can't get by on our sheer athletic dominance in the game anymore because the rest of the world is catching up. 3) Another medal to the U.S. is no big deal. We take this stuff for granted. I am proud and thrilled for our athletes, but I root for some Canadian athletes, it's cool to see the Greeks do well, and I enjoy seeing someone from a small African country win, where one bronze medal might be all the country gets. These people are genuine heroes in their countries. I love the Olympics, and I love my country, but the completely skewed coverage brings to mind a favorite Clash song: "I'm so bored with the U.S.A." On occasion, it's nice to see what the rest of the world is doing. BTW Iverson doesn't really make it easy to root for the US. Good ballplayer, but what an idiot. That said, that was pretty unfair to everyone last night the way the crowd was out of hand during the 200m. Is it ANYONE's fault, much less the Americans', that the Greeks' number one guy failed a drug test and got into an accident? The conspiracy stevestojan in the Greek media is ridiculous. Like we'd fix it to win one more medal when we lead by 30 or so.
stevestojan Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 I just wish it was still an amateur event. Sure, all the teams have one or two NBAers on them, but the entire team? It seems a bit unfair, no? and then to have them get their cocky, arrogant asses handed to them twice was fun to watch. They walked in there as if the games were mere formalities, and the gold medals were just waiting to get picked up...
millbank Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 I certainly am rooting for the team to win and also hope that those who have put together the team have learned a lesson in putting a team together that is appropriate for international play rather than messaging egos. Its evident to all that watch that the days just putting a group of supposed stars together and the rest of the world will fall over are done. If they do win a gold this time it will be by the skin of their teeth and lets hope that adjusts their heads some.
Art in PNS Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 I'm not rooting against the American Basketball team. I am just not rooting for them since they are bunch of me babies who can't figure out how to play as a team. Bruce Smith was definitely a " Me player " but he still played as a part of a team. That is the difference. Bruce would have never hurt the team to make himself look good in my opinion. He was good at the fundamentals and got better each year.
dib Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 The only 'dream team'm that I ever saw was the 1980 Hockey team. I cant stand this pro's in the olympics crap. And yes that goes for the 'amateur' pros from other countries too.
Gavin in Va Beach Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 Not rooting against them, but I'm not rooting for them either. The NBA became a joke league a long time ago and to borrow a term from LABillz only the 'Hotpocket crowd' who worship celebrity and American Idol don't seem to have noticed. So simply because I'm American it's mandatory to root for American basketball? What is this, communist Russia? A bullet in the head for not rooting for those spoiled malcontents? :I starred in Brokeback Mountain:
stevestojan Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 and really, who cares if we are rooting against them? Maybe we like the underdog, maybe we like Lithuanias team colors, maybe we're just pissed off. The point is, these guys are NOT important. They are simply athletes playing a GAME. Its not like we're rooting against our troops in the Middle East. That's what makes this country awesome. If i want to say "I hate Team NBA", I can. So, !@#$ you for judging me with your :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: .... to that, i say :I starred in Brokeback Mountain:, too.
Campy Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 So simply because I'm American it's mandatory to root for American basketball? What is this, communist Russia? A bullet in the head for not rooting for those spoiled malcontents? :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: 9300[/snapback] State of the nation's mentality these days I'm afraid. Return to the fold and follow along or you're somehow an Un-American traitor. Sad, really.
1billsfan Posted August 27, 2004 Author Posted August 27, 2004 Not rooting against them, but I'm not rooting for them either. The NBA became a joke league a long time ago and to borrow a term from LABillz only the 'Hotpocket crowd' who worship celebrity and American Idol don't seem to have noticed. So simply because I'm American it's mandatory to root for American basketball? What is this, communist Russia? A bullet in the head for not rooting for those spoiled malcontents? :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: 9300[/snapback] I didn't say it was mandatory, just wanted to give you all rooting against USA a simple :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: .
R. Rich Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 Maybe there's a compromise to be reached: we all want the US to succeed in the Olympics and we root for the sport, but maybe there are certain players who make some feel like not wanting to root for the team. Personally, I'm just not that interested in the Olympics this year. The whole BALCO thing has me more disinterested in the Olympics, in particular the track and field, than I've ever been. And I love track, being a former high school and college track athlete. I still love my country and hope they do well, but I'm not interested enough to watch and follow it this time around.
LabattBlue Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 The NBA game has become a joke and I'm glad these players that represent the NBA got their a$$es kicked. Maybe next Olympics we can go back to sending AMATEUR athletes to play, because after all, that is what the Olympics is supposed to be all about...an AMATEUR athletic competition.
bills_fan Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 The NBA game has become a joke and I'm glad these players that represent the NBA got their a$$es kicked. Maybe next Olympics we can go back to sending AMATEUR athletes to play, because after all, that is what the Olympics is supposed to be all about...an AMATEUR athletic competition. But every other country always sends their pros, always have, always will. Why shouldn't we?
RuntheDamnBall Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 The NBA became a joke league a long time ago and to borrow a term from LABillz only the 'Hotpocket crowd' who worship celebrity and American Idol don't seem to have noticed. 9300[/snapback] Man, please tell me how you really feel about American Idol. From your posts I get the impression you are not fond of it, but I am left uncertain. Please elaborate
LabattBlue Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 But every other country always sends their pros, always have, always will. Why shouldn't we? 9366[/snapback] Where were all the professional athletes on the 1980 US hockey team when we won the gold medal? I could give a rats a$$ what the other countries do. That's what made 1980 so special and will go down as one of the ALL-TIME great moments in sports.
RuntheDamnBall Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 But every other country always sends their pros, always have, always will. Why shouldn't we? 9366[/snapback] Umm, not until 1992. That was the first 'Dream Team' of pros. And if I remember correctly, it's only hockey and hoops that supply pros for the Olympics. I understand what you mean, but the rationale is not there.
FanfromAlbany Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: If you find it hard to root for the "me" players, then how did you root for Bruce Smith all those years? People here are actually rooting against the USA, unbelievable. 8893[/snapback] I promise, from this moment forward through the rest of the Olympics, I won't root against this team again.
jad1 Posted August 27, 2004 Posted August 27, 2004 Without bringing in the question of patriotism here, the USA's performance is damning to the NBA and shows it as being a sport in serious decline. Are we really supposed to buy that there are only 5 or 6 guys who can hit jump shots in the NBA, and Team USA failed because these guys stayed home? What did these guys do before they were tall enough to dunk? And it doesn't end here. Unless the NBA bans the zone defense, this November our Olympic heroes will resume their version of Clank-Ball, and the teams will charge top dollar to watch these 75-67 slugfests. It's time for the NBA to stop drafting high-school graduates, because they've shown no ability to develop young players. Put an age limit on these guys and let them spend time in college re-learning the fundamentals, so when these basketball "stars" turn pro and are picked to represent the USA in international competition, they know how to hit a jumper against a zone. The NBA should lower their ticket prices this season as penance for their "all-stars" embarrassing the country.
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