Both American players representing another country in the Olympics. Would you feel cheap if your country won with a citizen of another coutry? Should China have seeked Rafer Alston's services in the Olympics?
Oh thank god I thought they were caught doing the nasty or something.... After that relief, I could care less who they play for.
I think it's a cheap way for these individuals to (try to) get a medal in the Olympics or even just participate by playing for their so-called home countries.
Pretty sure the Russians are pissed that Nastia Liuken decided to compete for USA instead, I'd be willing to bet they would trade Hammon for Nastia any day of the week.
What's important about America is that we are one of the few countries that promote and encourage individualism. If we were in China, North Korea, France, Germany among a few other countries, then that's fine calling ex-patriots traitors. But we are for the pursuit of happiness, and as long as they aren't hurting anyone to do it, it's flat out un-American to call them traitors. On the reversal, anyone who wants to call them un-American is free to do so as well.
Gotta admit that Chris Kaman playing for Germany is a little silly. Then again, the eventual Clutchfans member on the Great Britain team in 2012 will face the same criticisms. As for Becky Hammon, she plays there in the offseason and was not invited to try out for the US team, even after being the WNBA MVP runner up. More power to her.
There are all kinds of atheletes competing for a country other than the one in which they were born. Hammon and Kaman are not even the only Americans doing that in basketball. J.R. Holden and Travis Hansen also suited up for Russia. The 33-year-old gymnast who won a medal in vaulting competed for Germany, but had competed for one of the former Soviet republics in her youth. The U.S. has Chinese table tennis players, Sudanese (and I think Kenyan) distance runners. Hammon and Kaman get noticed because they are somewhat famous in a somewhat popular sport.
On the contrary, China doesn't care either. The US volleyball team is coached by the most famous volleyball player in Chinese history... and she got a huge cheer during the US-China match. The top table tennis player for Singapore, who got Singapore their first medal in 48 years, was trained under the Chinese system. If anything, the Chinese are proud that they are "exporting" talent to other countries. Of course, in most cases, defections to other countries are 2nd rate players in China. The top players still remain. Kind of like NBA and the type of players Europe's signing
It's one thing to not compete where you were born because you've immigrated somewhere else but it's a whole different thing to compete for a country that you don't even live in. Both Kaman and Hammon should get ripped IMHO. Hammon gets paid a lot to play pro ball in Russia and there is a rule for each Russian team about how many foreigners they can have on their team. Since Hammon now has a Russian passport, she no longer counts as a foreign player and now her team can go sign another foreigner. She's being paid to be an Olympian for Russia. Kaman is just a dumbass. I would think to most people, being an Olympian is about representing your country not about getting paid or oh look at me I'm at the Olympics.
maybe my mind is in the gutter, but i was thinking they did the nasty in the Olympic Village or something. Chris Kaman can do sooo much better... or is that the other way around.
In the case of table tennis, all the Chinese born team members have lived in the US between 10-20 years (maybe more in one case?). When they initially came it wasn't for the Olympics, but for their sports careers in general. It's not really the same situation as Hammon or Kaman. But I have no problem with what either of them did. Considering no NBA players gave a crap about the Olympics prior to this one, I think it's cool Kaman wanted to experience this event. It's not like he tried to jump the bandwagon for a gold medal.
