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Omission from U.S. Olympic team not Jackson's doing

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by sup123, Jun 20, 2004.

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  1. sup123

    sup123 Member

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    About time to put an end to this controversy and conspiracy aganist jackson:


    Francis' snub not act of revenge

    Omission from U.S. Olympic team not Jackson's doing

    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
    RESOURCES


    Stu Jackson has heard the theory that goes around every time Steve Francis is left off one of the USA Basketball teams.


    While other NBA stars are cautioned not to trample each other on the way out, Francis is almost begging his way past the velvet rope and onto the Olympic team. When he gets snubbed with every invitation, the latest going to Dwyane Wade, the conspiracy theorists blame Jackson.

    "He's been very clear," Jackson said. "I have spoken to Steve personally. Steve has spoken to members of the committee. He has also spoken to USA Basketball, expressed strong wishes to be part of the team, which is very admirable. It's of great personal significance to him to be on the Olympic team."

    Jackson, now a non-voting member of the selection committee and an NBA vice president, was the Grizzlies general manager that drafted and subsequently traded Francis to the Rockets. Snubbing Francis is said to be his revenge.

    "I would say that it is completely untrue," Jackson said. "I hold no ill feeling toward Steve Francis at all. That was another time, another place. I've gone on since then. I've watched with great delight Steve Francis' maturation as a player and as a person. Personally, I like him a great deal.

    "But as far as his inclusion on the United States' Olympic team, that is a matter of him being voted on by the committee. Competition for these spots on Olympic team is very, very keen. The committee has taken great care in selecting the team that they feel will work well together, be able to play a style of play that is competitive in international basketball and whose sole mission is to compete for the gold medal."

    Jackson probably could ruin or make a candidate's case, but the USA Basketball selection process is very political. Turf is carefully guarded, and Jackson is not in a position to bully.

    "The competition for those spots, even with some players unable to play or choosing not to play, is very keen," Jackson said. "Not everybody can make it."

    In other words, Francis didn't make it, and it didn't take some other agenda to keep him out.


    Link: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/2637378
     
    #1 sup123, Jun 20, 2004
  2. baller4life315

    baller4life315 Contributing Member

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    So Lamar Odom and his 20 drug arrests gets an invitation in this extremely "keen" process.
     
    #2 baller4life315, Jun 20, 2004
  3. Fegwu

    Fegwu Contributing Member

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    This is no news.......well at least to me. I post a link to the list of the USA Basketball committee members which showed that Stu was a non-voting member.

    The other question is this - how much influence does he have on who the committee eventually selects? Methinks very little because of the structure of the committee. Also ESPN should take some of the blame - they have illy portrayed Stevie and Mobes as ball hogs and selfish players.

    I would love to see how the committee carried out its final votes though.
     
    #3 Fegwu, Jun 20, 2004
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2004
  4. Fegwu

    Fegwu Contributing Member

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    http://www.usabasketball.com/news/usab_committees_010412.html
     
    #4 Fegwu, Jun 20, 2004
  5. Matador

    Matador Member

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    Thanks for posting those article Fegwu and sup123.

    Colangelo, King, Kupchak, O'Connar, St. Jean, Thorn, Newton, Dumars, and Smith are on my hitlist. :mad: :p :mad:

    Let Stevie play in the Olympics for goodness sakes!

    He has to be at least given a chance if the following have been given a chance: Andre Miller, Baron Davis, Mike Bibby, Stephon Marbury, Lebron James, Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Dwane Wade.

    I don't care what your stance on Steve is you have to know that he is at least comparable in ability to those listed above.

    And more importantly that talent, in my opinion, is that he wants to play. I'd rather have a player that desperatley want to represent his country in the Olympics than someone like those listed in my sig with their lame excuses!
     
    #5 Matador, Jun 20, 2004
  6. AroundTheWorld

    AroundTheWorld Insufferable 98er
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    It's not fair that he doesn't get an invitation!
     
    #6 AroundTheWorld, Jun 20, 2004
  7. Ying Yang

    Ying Yang Member

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    We now have the answer, just read the statement carefully and you realise that they dont think that Steve Francis can play the style of team game needed for winning international basketball. Its realy the same reasons why the Rockets plan to move him to another team.
     
    #7 Ying Yang, Jun 20, 2004
  8. Christopher

    Christopher Member

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    I was thinking about this the other day.

    Francis plays that playground style of basketball where he is the point guard...the shooting guard....the team leader......

    But at International level you'd want a guy that can distribute the ball and shoot from long range wouldnt you?

    Im not pretending to be a basketball expert here....but thats what I think anway.

    The U.S. team cant go out and beat other sides by freaking them out with cool moves.....the U.S. team will need to rebourd and shoot well. Play solid defence...they'll have to have some of the good basics in place.
     
    #8 Christopher, Jun 20, 2004
  9. gr8-1

    gr8-1 Contributing Member

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    I'm not a huge Steve fan, but some of the names I've heard are ridiculous. I like Wade, but Francis has put up the numbers. Who's next to be named? Spree? Ginobilli? Tinsley?
     
    #9 gr8-1, Jun 20, 2004
  10. R0ckets03

    R0ckets03 Contributing Member

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    And what kind of style do Marbury and Wade play? How about Amare Stoudamire? Iverson?

    I aint buying this article. Stu Jackson can say what he wants in the media, but he is lying b*stard. I dont think Jerry Colangelo is much fond of Francis either.
     
    #10 R0ckets03, Jun 20, 2004
  11. snowmt01

    snowmt01 Contributing Member

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    I like Steve's attitude.
     
    #11 snowmt01, Jun 20, 2004
  12. Christopher

    Christopher Member

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    Mate, I wouldnt have the first clue who they have selected for the US team. All I know is they keep over looking Francis and I just thought that might be the reason.


    If they have been going with guys like Francis....Im willing to take the "Lying b*stard" line. :)
     
    #12 Christopher, Jun 20, 2004
  13. gucci888

    gucci888 Contributing Member

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    It doesn't even matter anymore, the USA team has become a rookie all-star and it shows. We thought we could send out anyone last year and we deserved to lose, period.
     
    #13 gucci888, Jun 20, 2004
  14. SamCassell

    SamCassell Contributing Member

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    Article is a bunch of BS. Stu Jackson denies that his decision is revenge oriented. Big, huge shock. Francis is a vet, Wade is a rookie, with the gold medal on the line I don't want a bunch of NBA rookies being called upon to deliver.
     
    #14 SamCassell, Jun 20, 2004
  15. University Blue

    University Blue Member

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    I'm not sure why Francis continues to lobby for an Olympic invitation. If I were Francis, the first time the committee omitted me from their selection process would have been the last time I considered playing for the Olympic team.


    University (Brewing Stu) Blue
     
    #15 University Blue, Jun 20, 2004
  16. littlefish_220

    littlefish_220 Member

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    I am sick of all excuses of those original candidates. Safty concern? Give me a break. In athen is not considerably more dangerous than in New York, no way!

    Steve is lovely. His personality is adorable. There is no reason he is not invited.
     
    #16 littlefish_220, Jun 20, 2004
  17. JPM0016

    JPM0016 Contributing Member

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    You know, i wrote Feigen a long email about this exact subject last week after Dewayne Wade was picked. He never responded back, guess this is his response to me :)
     
    #17 JPM0016, Jun 20, 2004
  18. JeffB

    JeffB Contributing Member
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    Who actually thinks Jackson would respond by saying "Darn. You got me. Yeah, we're just getting back at Steve for that whole draft thing."
     
    #18 JeffB, Jun 20, 2004
  19. Oski2005

    Oski2005 Contributing Member

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    Did anybody expect Stu to come out and say "yeah, I can't stand that b*stard. As long as I'm here, he'll never make this team."
     
    #19 Oski2005, Jun 20, 2004
  20. sup123

    sup123 Member

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    bottom line is he doesent vote in the players. Everyone is saying he is keeping Sf from being on the theam. Which i dobut. I guess the whole damn committe is in on it then, their just out to get francis :rolleyes: .
     
    #20 sup123, Jun 20, 2004
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