Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I don't know if that makes much sense, some of the top countries have a lot of talented NBA players in their own right and they've been playing together since they were kids.

Obviously not to the caliber of talent that the U.S. has, but I think you're stretching it a bit far. Brazil, Argentina, Spain all have really good NBA talent. France, Russia and Lithuania all have role player talent but are still pretty legit.

I don't care either way with the age rule, just because as much as I think the Olympics helps certain players, it definitely hurts other older guys physically for the NBA season.

In any case, I don't know how you guys don't appreciate the amount of talent on one team. It's truly something amazing to watch IMO even though their strategies and playbook are pretty much awful offensively. The athleticism and defense are something to behold, and the fact that so many of these egos can co-exist makes it really intriguing.

I don't think the next USA/Argentina game or the next USA/Spain game will look boring guys. Even the other countries I listed, those games will be intense IMO. Especially when it's a medal round, single elimination.

Because the players don't mesh with each other.

On any given possession, 3 out of the 5 players on the floor need the ball in their hands.

I'd rather watch the players I listed above struggle to win a competitive game than watch this.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I don't know if that makes much sense, some of the top countries have a lot of talented NBA players in their own right and they've been playing together since they were kids.

Obviously not to the caliber of talent that the U.S. has, but I think you're stretching it a bit far. Brazil, Argentina, Spain all have really good NBA talent. France, Russia and Lithuania all have role player talent but are still pretty legit.

I don't care either way with the age rule, just because as much as I think the Olympics helps certain players, it definitely hurts other older guys physically for the NBA season.

In any case, I don't know how you guys don't appreciate the amount of talent on one team. It's truly something amazing to watch IMO even though their strategies and playbook are pretty much awful offensively. The athleticism and defense are something to behold, and the fact that so many of these egos can co-exist makes it really intriguing.

I don't think the next USA/Argentina game or the next USA/Spain game will look boring guys. Even the other countries I listed, those games will be intense IMO. Especially when it's a medal round, single elimination.

Brazil has one of the best teams and we're talking about Nene, Anderson Varejao and Leandro Barbosa trying to match up against LeBron and Co. Argentina's best player is Ginobli and then Luis Scola. Spain has the Gasols and then some role players. The talent level that America has is light-years ahead of any other country.

That's why I'll always root for the other countries. Any time America loses it's a huge upset.

Of all the players that play for a different country, who could actually make the American squad? The Gasols, Ginobli, Tony Parker, and that might be it?

Edit: I'd rather watch the other countries that move the ball very well any day.

Edit x2: Thinking about it more, how was saying that these other countries are generally role players or worse in the NBA a big stretch? I can probably count on two hands the number of players outside of the American team that are more than role players.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I meant a stretch for two reasons

1. You are actually rooting for other countries

2. Like I said, Spain, Argentina and others have lots of NBA talent and have been playing together since their teens. I almost get the sense you're saying other countries have little chance of competing with the U.S.

I will say again: the medal rounds will be intense. Whether it's Argentina, Brazil, Spain or even Russia or Lithuania. Just because they have "role level" type players doesn't mean they have a small chance. The world has most definitely closed the gap some. It's just a matter of other countries having more depth. At the top a lot of them have nice pro talent.

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I meant a stretch for two reasons

1. You are actually rooting for other countries

2. Like I said, Spain, Argentina and others have lots of NBA talent and have been playing together since their teens. I almost get the sense you're saying other countries have little chance of competing with the U.S.

I will say again: the medal rounds will be intense. Whether it's Argentina, Brazil, Spain or even Russia or Lithuania. Just because they have "role level" type players doesn't mean they have a small chance. The world has most definitely closed the gap some. It's just a matter of other countries having more depth. At the top a lot of them have nice pro talent.

I get that they've been playing together longer and have NBA talent and everything, but at the end of the day, they're nowhere near as talented as what America has. It's boring watching a team that should win every game win every game.

[phenom1990]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

Regardless of the rules, the USA team would have a hard time meshing together. A 23 and under age rule wouldn't change that. Using a college team will never happen and your assuming college teams have all American born players.

Nothing would sound more arrogant than saying we won't send our best players to play yours, we'll send our lesser guys. First it was that American players have no pride in their countries and that the 2004 team was a product of that. Now we have guys that take pride in it and instead we want to send a 2004 team again.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I get that they've been playing together longer and have NBA talent and everything, but at the end of the day, they're nowhere near as talented as what America has. It's boring watching a team that should win every game win every game.

Obviously USA has more talent top to bottom, hands down man. But if you or anyone else is going into this summer thinking USA will breeze through the Olympics, I'd say that's a bit arrogant and naive. Obviously USA is #1 and they are the favorites, but go back to 2010. Go back to 2008. You will find severe struggles by the USA.

USA could put together any team using any model i.e. the "Dream Team" model, the NCAA champion model or hell even the NBA champion model or combine any of the three, and they'd still have big challenges from other countries.

Just because these foreign guys aren't playing in the NBA doesn't mean squat. A majority of them could be nice role player or more type players but they choose to stay overseas for more money and the lifestyle. Guys like Huerta, Pops, the Russian point guard... all of them belong in the NBA. Older guys like Prigonni from Argentina could have been playing in the NBA but they have played overseas in their primes.

[TheShizNo1]

I don't think I'm understanding the arguments.

This is a competition. Literally, us against the world. Does it matter if you're entertained, so long as we win?

[23]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

Obviously USA has more talent top to bottom, hands down man. But if you or anyone else is going into this summer thinking USA will breeze through the Olympics, I'd say that's a bit arrogant and naive. Obviously USA is #1 and they are the favorites, but go back to 2010. Go back to 2008. You will find severe struggles by the USA.

Hey why not... they already think they can beat the Dream Team

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I don't think I'm understanding the arguments.

This is a competition. Literally, us against the world. Does it matter if you're entertained, so long as we win?

I'm telling you, it's going to be some tests in the next few weeks. These other countries aren't just there, they might be long in the tooth but they are stacked. USA did good with making it a "National centric" type movement rather than just throw guys in there with no sense of purpose. They needed that sense of "team" and if I'm not so sure they would win if they didn't go that route. If they went with an NBA team or a college team or a mix of both, I still don't think that would give them the best chance at winning, regardless if that would be "more entertaining" to us or not.

Hey why not... they already think they can beat the Dream Team

True true, lol. But that doesn't mean Team 2012 don't recognize their challenge and how much talent they have to overcome to get gold. They were just answering questions, not necessarily saying they were going to crush the competition.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I honestly root for the other countries to beat us in the Olympics. I don't really like watching what's basically an NBA All-Star team against mainly NBA role players or worse.

<url> Wow. </url>

[Boltman]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

Other countries have never cut us any slack when we play them in sports they traditionally dominate (soccer, rugby, cricket, etc.). So I definitely have no problem with us beating the tar out of other countries in a sport in which we traditionally dominate.

It took our nation years to become globally competitive in soccer against other traditional powerhouses. They are doing the same, catching up with us. In many respects they are already there (well, almost). Do people forget that we failed to win a medal at the 2002 FIBA World Championship, finishing sixth? That in the 2004 Olympics we only got the Bronze? Or only a Bronze again at the 2006 FIBA WC?

All of those came after the 1989 FIBA rule change, so they were largely professional players.

Those countries aren't as good as us in Hoops? Who cares I say. Let them keep playing catch up, I'm definitely not going to root against my own country because "Boo Hoo, we are so much better than them, it isn't fair".

LMAO @ that thought process, tough luck. Life goes on, deal with it and get better and may the best country win.

I don't mind watching us grow in other sports where we traditionally get clobbered. It's a growing experience, either we keep trying and getting better & more competitive... or we don't and keep on getting clobbered.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't basketball the second largest globally growing sport behind soccer?

Much as we've been playing catch up in that sport, let other country's do the same against our best.

Or if you don't like it, start up a petition to the IOC and get them to reverse FIBA's 1989 rule change that started it all.

Don't forget they've generally caught up, for all intents and purposes. We mustn't forget those rough patches that came after the Dream Team. They can easily return.

Basketball is on every country's radar and it isn't going to change. Convenient sport (just 10 guys, 1 ball, & a relatively small court compared to Footy & not much required by way of equipment). We will have down years down the road I'm sure, and other countries will have their "golden age" where they produce a larger amount of world quality players in the same given generation.

Enjoy it while you can for as many years as it lasts I say.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

Someone check if they're playing hockey in hell, I just agreed with Boltman.

[DieHardYankee26]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

I honestly root for the other countries to beat us in the Olympics. I don't really like watching what's basically an NBA All-Star team against mainly NBA role players or worse.

[23]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

Someone check if they're playing hockey in hell, I just agreed with Boltman.

I agree with him too... no relaxation for the competition this is the iron men's comp, and if you can't handle it thats too bad.

Not rooting against my own guys...

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Team USA Men's Olympic Basketball 2012

Not a chance in hell.