Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

[BigO32]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

wrong.

kobe is not italian in anyway point blank. so he can't play for them unless he lives there for a long time. but at the end of they day if he got in trouble over in italy guess where he's gonna get deported too???

seriously tho who care what team these ppl play for its just basketball.

and i wont EVEN mention what i think about patriotism for this country. he wanna play for germany let him play.

Wrong Kobe doesnt have to be a pure blood italian, as long as you have there citzenship, it doesn't matter if you're born there or not. like the other guy said, he has more of a reason if he's wants to play for italy or for the USA more than Chris "caveman" Kaman has to play in dutchland "I spelled it wrong sorry" or hammond in russia

[P2K]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

No, the major part is citizenship. Kobe has more of a reason to play abroad than Kaman or Hammond. His formative life and basketball experiences took place over there. If blood was really the issue, than Ewing should have played for Jamaica, and Hammon would have no right to play for Russia.

Read what I said above your post

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

Read what I said above your post

I read what you wrote, but since you're in the habit of contradicting yourself, I have to pick and choose what I address, otherwise we both won't make any sense.

[P2K]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

I read what you wrote, but since you're in the habit of contradicting yourself, I have to pick and choose what I address, otherwise we both won't make any sense.

Wow...

[The GIGGAS]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

his wikipedia says otherwise, says he was born in philly.

Oh, I thought Kobe was born in Italy.

My fault.

[Brankles]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

seriously tho who care what team these ppl play for its just basketball.

and i wont EVEN mention what i think about patriotism for this country. he wanna play for germany let him play.

To me, it's not "just basketball" or "just the Olympics," in this case. While others may view it as just a sport, or a collection of athletic events, the Olympics is a pretty big deal to many people and many countries.

The idea of someone who really has no connection to a country other than distant relatives (great-grandparents in Kaman's instance), playing for the honor of that country and trying to take away from the honor of other countries really lessens what the Olympics is supposed to accomplish. There's supposed to be tradition and meaning behind the games that transcends sports. Wars, religion, history are pushed aside for a few weeks as billions around the world cheer for their national heroes to bring them glory in the form of medals.

If Germany wins a medal with a lineup featuring Americans, that isn't fair to either America or Germany. What if America's starting lineup was Nash, Ginobili, Stojakovic, Nowitzki and Yao? Would that team winning a medal mean anything to anyone?


There's not many pure things left in sports anymore, and the Olympics is supposed to be the standard of pure athletics. This situation clouds the purity.

If your reasoning for letting Chris Kaman play on the German squad is "Who cares, it's just a game" or "He's gotta make money, too" I don't think you understand the magnitude of the Olympics and what it means to the rest of the world.

[jmood88]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

Well then Germany should worry about that. If they don't feel that he's devauling whatever success they may have then I'm not going to get upset if he's there.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Chris Kaman Cleared to Play for Germany

Well then Germany should worry about that. If they don't feel that he's devauling whatever success they may have then I'm not going to get upset if he's there.

I'm sure you have seen the pride that european teams have taken in beating "the Americans". This is an example of national competition. How can you take pride in beating the Americans if your players are from America?

Now right now, while it's only Chris Kaman, maybe it's not as big of a deal, but if more players did this, then people would have a real problem with it. Gilbert Arenas didn't make Team USA. Suppose he became a Puerto Rican citizen and played there? What if Melo (who is half PR) joined him?

I'm not saying they should put a stop to it, but I do feel that the individuals making this decision should play for the country they feel they represent.