I'm going to keep this week's edition short and sweet. United States Basketball. Team U.S.A. brought home the bronze from the recently-completed World Championships in Japan. Third place. Third best team in the world. The United States. The place where the game was invented and reinvented, and perfected, then made better over the years. If second place is the first loser (shout to No Fear, major component of my jr. high/high school fashion lineup) then what is third? I think the team's composition was just fine, i.e. mostly "athletes". Yes the world at large has gotten better. No question about it. Many of the NBA's top stars are international imports, Dirk, Yao, etc. But you're telling me that a team of 12 NBA all-stars, including potential all-time greats like LeBron James (who may rewrite basketball history), can't beat a team of (at best) NBA scrubs in Greece? Don't tell me about team basketball or continuity from playing together for years. Sure, all that helps, but again we're talking about NBA SUPERSTARS. LeBron James has more athletic ability in his headband than most of the world can bring. And players like Shane Battier prove that the roster was made up of players to do specific things, i.e. defend and shoot 3's. "But there weren't any pure shooters on the team" is the refrain. Their shooters are pretty good (example: Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Kirk Heinrich, Joe Johnson were all in the top 30 in FG% for guards in the NBA and Battier, Carmelo Anthony, Brad Miller, etc. are big-men that can step out and shoot, the bastion of international basketball. ) Sure Kobe Bryant and/or Michael Redd and/or Gilbert Arenas would've helped (hopefully they'll all be available for Beijing in 2008...) but I think this team, as constituted, should have won the tournament with only minor discomfort simply based on superior talent. Yes, I think you should be able to roll 12 bonafied NBA stars out of bed and take the Worlds and/or Olympics. I'm no U.S. myopian, either. I respect what the world can do and especially the brand of ball they play. I certainly realize that many nations can flat out play the game, and at a very high level. But, again, Team U.S.A. played below expectation and ability and let other countries rule the proverbial roost. The NBA is the best basketball league in the world. NBA cast-offs go over to Europe and star (Robert Pack, who's, what, 50, led Europe in scoring a few years ago.) Who's Greece's best player? Jake Tsk...uhh...Socka......hmmm...the big man that was a first round bust for the Suns. Most international teams are made up of a few fringe NBA players and FIBA players who dream of the NBA. Now the U.S. must once again QUALIFY for the Olympics. Qualify. Dream Team 1 would roll over in its grave, except for the fact that it was only 3 Olympics ago. And Mike Krzyzewski must take some blame, also. I love the guy but he seems to skate off without consequence when Duke struggles with teams of (seemingly) 12 all-americans and now he can't get it done with NBA stars. The good news is that this team will stay together for the next three years (see cop-out excuse of "team continuity" above.) Come on U.S.A. Basketball!!! Reclaim the throne as the best team in the world, which is exactly what you should be but, sadly of late, are not.
Quote of the Week
"The true test of a man's courage lies not in his heart, but directly between his legs"-No Fear shirt
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