Bored 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 http://sports.yahoo.com/oly/news;_ylc=X3oD...ov=ap&type=lgns The U.S. men's Olympic team did more than merely lose. It was embarrassed and exposed in its most lopsided defeat since adding NBA players in 1992. Losing an exhibition game for the first time when using professional players, the Americans were completely outclassed by lightly regarded Italy, never even making it close in the fourth quarter of a 95-78 upset Tuesday. I don't consider myself overly patriotic when it comes to the Olympics but this is a disgrace. They better get their act together for the Games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Agent_Bond34 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 All I can say is.... wow... Just wow... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Showstoppa Icon Report post Posted August 3, 2004 this is so damn embarassing. How are they gonna match up against the favored teams like Serbia, Lithuania, and Argentina if they get tromped by the friggen Italy team. I caught from the 3rd qtr on, and all i have to say is wow, i saw Dwyane Wade throw a pass DIRECTLY at an italy guard. It's like they really dont wanna win a gold medal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Yeah I watched that game it was some pretty ugly basketball on the USA's part. They didn't even look like a team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KingPK 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 They don't. This is why we shouldn't have professionals on these Olympic teams; they just don't seem to care as much as a bunch of college kids/amateurs probably would. At least the '92 team actually seemed to give a crap. Since the US is to basketball as the Soviets were to hockey, this would be immensely embarassing for the country if they don't even make the medal round (which I'll bet they have a chance at missing if they keep acting like this). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 See what happens when they make Allen Iverson the team captian? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted August 3, 2004 That's not promising Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 See what happens when they make Allen Iverson the team captian? Skip Bayless? I love them only mentioning Iverson showed up late for a team meeting, when it was him and "King James" along with someone else...damn if I can remember who. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Serves them right for sending pros to an amature event. I completly hate pros playing in olympics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dangerous A 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 The other person who was late for the team meeting was Amare Stoudamire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Then you'd have to keep home about half the U.S. Olympic team and a lot of foreign athletes as well. Olympics stopped being an amateur event a loooooong time ago. Part of the reason we have the pros in basketball is because other countries were using professionals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Youth N Asia 0 Report post Posted August 3, 2004 Then the olympics should nut up and tell them they can't bring pros. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy no nose 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 I won $50 from a stupid friend who made the bet with me when the US was trailing by 7 in the first quarter. He gave me odds and everything. I still think the US has a very good shot at winning gold in the olympics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 4, 2004 I always hated the idea of NBA players in the Olympics. It's like watching a All-Star game consisting of lay-up after lay-up and sloppy dunks on the USA Team. I find it funny though that players who get $12004949 Million a year can't beat the fucking Italians. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 That one Italian guy that was the star of the game, Cuban should sign him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustJoe2k5 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 They didn't really impress me in their game against Puerto Rico, so them losing to Italy is no real surprise. I remember hearing that most of their points came from inside the paint and they are terrible everywhere else, which isn't surprising when you have LeBron James on your team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Number of NBA championship rings owned by the 1992 Dream Team: 23 (plus 9 NCAA championship game appearances, and 15 additional NBA Finals appearances) Number of NBA championship rings owned by the 2004 wannabes: 2 (both by Tim Duncan). The Dream Team could actually play like, you know, a TEAM. That's why the were able to win all those championships. This group has no shot, because they have no idea what it's like to play team basketball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Ben Wallace has a ring! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Ben Wallace has a ring! So does Shaq but that doesn't mean he can shoot a fucking basketball 7 feet away without mithout half the time. Edit: I used Shaq as an example of a shitty shooter, don't think he's on Team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 4, 2004 If the USA team had some 3-point shooters, maybe they could have come back. Once you get in a hole you need threes to get you out. As it is, no one on the team is a bonafied three-point threat. Carmelo and Iverson tried, but it was too late when they finally got hot. Whoever put together the team should have added at least one or two 3-point specialists: Ray Allen, Reggie Miller.....hell, I'd take Wesley Person or Brent Barry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest JohnnySwift Report post Posted August 4, 2004 I posted this on the NBA offseason thread but it'll probably get more response here. Should this team not win the gold, who gets to be the scapegoat now that Paul Pierce isn't on the team? BTW when and where are these games on tv? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Hey when Timmy starts to make 3 point shot attempts something is wrong. What about making Jefferson the spot shooter? who gets to be the scapegoat now that Paul Pierce isn't on the team? The coaches who are defensive low scoring specialist......they should of hired Don Nelson if they wanted to run up the score and run fastbreaks after every rebound. I saw the Puerto Rico game on ESPN. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hogan Made Wrestling 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Anyone else laugh when LeBron took four steps and then flipped on the ref after getting called for travelling? I wonder if that's the first time in his career he's seen that called... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Potential scapegoats: Emeka Okafor = No. Too young and doesn't play enough minutes; although he's actually older than some of the other guys on the team, Okafor is considered the "baby" since he hasn't played in the NBA yet. Shawn Marion, Richard Jefferson, Carlos Boozer, Lamar Odom = No. They aren't even "The Man" on their NBA teams, so no one will blame them. Dwyane Wade = No. He was an underdog to make the team in the first place. One of the "feel-good" stories on the team. Stephon Marbury = No. As the only true point guard on the team, he shouldn't be blamed for a problem that's not his fault. Amare Stoudemire = No. Too young. LeGod James, Carmelo Anthony, Tim Duncan, Larry Brown = No They have received the Mainstream Media Golden Pass, which means they can't be blamed for anything. Which leaves...... Allen Iverson = Here's your scapegoat. Since he's the captain, and a whole bunch of people never thought he should be captain in the first place -- let alone ON THE TEAM -- he'll be the guy who gets the blame. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Allen Iverson is Mr Ugly American. He has the bad attitude, thinks too much of himself, and is not a team player, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Redhawk Report post Posted August 4, 2004 No, that's the PERCEPTION of Allen Iverson. And he has tattoos and braids, don't forget that. Frankly, I'd put Iverson way below Barkley/Malone on the "Ugly American" list. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt Angle Mark 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Boy was that the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. First time in my life I feel ashmed of being an NBA fan. This group can't shoot and today they couldn't pass the ball(26 turnovers) I can forgive them for the D they played since that involves teamwork and they have only been together for a few days. The big problem was on offense. Italy played a zone defense thus the big players on the US team had no room to work with. To bust a zone you need shooters and the US don't have any. Also the team doesn't have a true point guard, and no Marbury doesn't count. European teams have guys that actually know how to play basketball, while in America we have too many big tall athletic guys pretending to know how to play basketball. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Perception is everything. And on this team Allen Iverson is the goon on the team, he has already set a bad example for the last 2 Rookies of the Year! And the media will use this as fodder for making Iverson the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong this Summer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 I have no problem blaming Iverson. Tim Duncan should be the sole captain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nogoodnick 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 The problem is the obvious lack of a 3 point presence and the lack of any big men. Michael Redd woulve been a much better choice than adding Okafor who never plays. Tim Duncan is great but the other forwards are far from it. Amare and Boozer werent even All Stars and Okafor has never played in the NBA. I dont think Iverson should be captain, but they do need someone vocal to lead their team and that probably isnt Duncan. The 92' team had plenty of real leaders, something this team seems to be lacking. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
