Olympic Chatter

[ISportsFan 0]

My thoughts on the games today.

 

The US basketball team played a really good game today. Really, the biggest problems for them were on the defensive end, but that comes as no surprise to anyone. They simply cannot defend a screen at the top of the key for a 3-pointer, as they seemed to want to smother the screen and go underneath as opposed to a help/recover or even a simple show to slow down the shooter. Basically, the defensive breakdowns on the perimeter, and by post players (how many times did the Lithuanians get easy passes to the paint because our big men lost their men?), aided the comeback.

 

The other problem was the officiating. The fourth quarter foul discrepency was something like 16 to 2 for the Lithuanians. Compared to when the Americans were getting an enormous amount (comparatively) of foul shots in the first three quarters, the Lithuanian team didn't drive the hole to earn the shots. The US was called for a bunch of tick tack fouls and the Lithuanians could chip away at the lead with the clock stopped. But, they still made the shots and they deserved the win because the Americans couldn't defend the perimeter.

 

The US women in track and field (or athletics, or whatever) were extremely disappointing today, with the pole vaulter not even making the finals and Devers not making the 100m final. Plus, losing the 100m for the first time in 20 years isn't good for US track.

 

Swimming was good today, with the women's and men's relays showing how dominant some countries are. I'm still ticked that they chopped 8 minutes out of the 1500m freestyle on NBC during the 2 minute commercial.

 

Iraq's soccer team seemed quite lucky in their 1-0 win. The Aussies barely were offside on their goal to get it called off, and Iraq capitalized right away. But, Australia seemed like they controlled the game pretty much the whole time before the small stretch where they lost the game.

 

Water polo is a fun sport, and it's a shame it gets such horrible timeslots most of the time. Russia built up too large a lead, and the US just couldn't come back. Russia's apparently good, though, so such is life.

 

Trampoline jumping is just ridiculous. I'm sure it's difficult and all, and that I couldn't do it (what the Olympians do), but it's not Olympic worthy for sure and it's a crime that it actually passed the brainstorm stage of the IOC.

 

That's about it for today.

 

Jason

[Mole 0]

Remember, it's not about the best players, it's about the right ones. I think USA Basketball should've given Miracle a quick view.

 

If they had, they'd have gotten two of the best quotes to sum up this US Basketball team.

 

Craig: You're missing the best players.

Brooks: I'm not looking for the best players, Craig, I'm lookin' for the right ones.

 

Brooks: When you pull on that jersey, the name on the front is a hell of a lot more important than the one on the back.

Touche.

 

Did they even ask Shaq to play? I just couldn't see them stopping him, unless they didn't try to block him at all. Just stand there, let him run into you and draw the offensive foul.

 

So wait, you'd start Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant as forwards? Huh?

 

 

Remember, it's not about the best players, it's about the right ones. I think USA Basketball should've given Miracle a quick view.

I don't know that much about basketball, but I figure that starting line up is the best and right.

 

When Duncan and Robinson were playing together, they were amazing. So if Shaq, who is better than Robinson, was playing 5 and Duncan was at 4, they would be pretty damn good.

 

Kobe could play 3, even though he is a guard. Iverson would play 2 and Kidd would be the point.

 

That looks like the right lineup to me. But I don't know that much about basketball.