roswell raygun
09-03-2002, 02:01 PM
It used to mean something when the USA met Russia on the basketball floor. The world's two superpowers were also basketball's two superpowers, and every game seemed to invite an international incident.
But when the Soviet Union disbanded, so did Russia's basketball dominance.
Now that we are semi-allies, could anyone really get excited about Monday's game? NYET! NYET! NYET! It's easier to dislike Andrei Kirilenko for wearing a Utah Jazz uniform than for wearing a Russian uniform.
America needs a new international basketball rival, and it seems nobody is ready to fill the role. Yugoslavia, Germany, Argentina, Spain -- none of them gets the blood boiling like the Rooskies used to.
If only Iraq had a team.
But when the Soviet Union disbanded, so did Russia's basketball dominance.
Now that we are semi-allies, could anyone really get excited about Monday's game? NYET! NYET! NYET! It's easier to dislike Andrei Kirilenko for wearing a Utah Jazz uniform than for wearing a Russian uniform.
America needs a new international basketball rival, and it seems nobody is ready to fill the role. Yugoslavia, Germany, Argentina, Spain -- none of them gets the blood boiling like the Rooskies used to.
If only Iraq had a team.