Rudy T and the Olymic Team

First learn how to spell.

I dont think this has anything to do with Rudys coaching. The team is very young team with not many veteran players. The loss of Alonzo Mourning shows how valuable he is. He is the only center on the team and with him gone , the players play in different positions which they dont normally play.

I actually dont give a damn how many points they win by, as long as its a win then its a win.

------------------
"You look a team that's been to the mountaintop like the Houston Rockets, I'm going to put pressure on myself to be the best possible player that I can be. With the pieces they already have in place and myself, we can do some amazing things next season."

Maurice Taylor

 

Well, have you ever thought perhaps to blame the players on the court? Rudy and any Dream Team coach ever usually doesn't exactly worry about X's and O's- it's the Dream Team. They're 10x better than any other country anyway. It's the players who are responsible out on that court. Doesn't say anything to me about Rudy's coaching style at all.

------------------
Looking for next year's Dan Langhi? Draftsource.net
ClutchTown.com

Go Packers and Rams!

 

Mr. Vince Carter is to blame, not Rudy. (sigh), what a damn circus act.

------------------
The best is yet to come.
Go Rockets!

 

This is a team without Shaq Duncan, Grant Hill, Webber, Wallace and now Mourning is gone... Where is Bird, Magic,Jordan etc. on this team... They still have quality players but it is not like the dream team's of the past. And add to that the international teams have gotten better every year. Give Rudy a break he is doing a great job... And he doesn't even have a legitimate center on his team... You can't compare Rudy's coaching on this with the dream teams of the past... they re just not the same... If you are going to criticise his coaching with this current dream team, than you better give him credit for taking a bunch of no name players to the finals of the Pan am games(I think it was the PanAm games)a couple of years back. So quit bashing Rudy. They are winning and they will bring home the gold... isn't that enough!

------------------

 

Actually it was the world championships and Rudy coached CBA'ers to 3rd in the tournament.

Rudy's probably not doing much coaching out there for the dream team. If they lose it's because the players are playing weakly and not because of any coaching.

Remember also that the other teams have been playing together for 4 years and preparing as a TEAM to play in this olympics, Team USA has just been thrown on the court and told "win". While they probably WILL win it, it won't be too many more olympics until they don't. A champion team can beat a team of champions!

------------------

 

If any other team won by more than 10 it wouldn't be called a close call but this is the dream team so naturally they are held at a higher level. Rudy is not to blame. In the olympics the coach is somewhat inconsequential. There is no true offensive set. If theres anybody to blame its the players. The most likely case is that the US has gotten such a big lead that they start showboatin at the end of the games and the scores appear closer than they truly are. Big ups to vince carter to one of the best dunks I have ever seen in my life. That was plain sick.

------------------

 

I don't think you can really blame Rudy for any close calls in the Olympics. First off, it's hard for any team at any level of competition to blow out an opponent by shooting below 35-40% In the close games that the "Dream Team" has been involved in, they've been very cold from the outside. This team is one that has to take advantage of easy baskets. It's not as easy to drive in the internations game as it is in the NBA. The wider paint and the zone defenses prevent players from breaking down their defenders one on one. Easy baskets have to come in transition and without a true anchor in the middle, it's hard to get a lot of running opportunities. Secondly, you have to consider how much of an advantage the first Dream Team had over their competition. They were legends in their own time. The guys now are legends in their own mind. There is a big difference. Yeah, they'll probably still win the gold medal. But like it or not, they're not the most dominating team ever put together. They haven't been playing long enough to hold the reverence that Magic, Jordan, and Bird had. One last thing, if you look at all the past Dream Teams, they've all had dominating centers. DT-1 had Robinson and Ewing. DT-2 had Shaq and Mourning. DT-3 had Dream, Shaq and Robinson. Those guys could control the paint and intimidate the hell out of the other team. Zo is a great, great center, but there's only so much he can do. This team was filled with athletes who could get up and down the floor. The team has changed, and while doing so, it has helped close the gap between "us and them." We don't physically dominate the other team like we used to when we had guys like Barkley and Malone. We still have the greatest athletes, but as any basketball fan can tell you, the best athletes don't always beat the better team. One.

------------------

 

I think it makes the entire team (players, coaches, etc) look bad the way they are playing so far.
Honestly there isn't alot RT can do, except control minutes, but I hoped after all the stories of players walking on water for Rudy that they would play hard. Apparently they are just showing up.

------------------

 

I agree with Desihooper. The lack of true center on this Dream Team is being exploited by the other teams.

I will put the blame to the nominating committee in not having the foresight to bring in a shotblocker and defensive minded center to this Dream Team.

With that in mind, who do you think should have replaced Shaq when he declined to participate?

Cato perhaps?

------------------

 

If Cato ever makes a Dream Team then the Olympics should be cancelled!
Honestly I would rather see an aging center with diminishing skills (Ewing, Dream, David) get the honor again than a guy who has done nothing in the NBA.
Although a center would help, the biggest problem is the current team is more interested in making hi-lites (see Vince Carter) than playing hard.

------------------

 

Team USA is a real chance of losing a game... they're playing pretty weak and it seems the other teams are just an NBA quality star player away from triggering an upset!

Of course that's mostly due to the lack of an intimidator inside...

If Cato is going to make a Dream Team then it will be in 2004 at the earliest, that gives him 3 years to improve. I'm hoping that he'll be quite a good player by then (not saying he should be on the Dream Team, but hoping he'll be better than he is now!!)

------------------

 

A friend of mine works in the front office of the summit. Here is an email from Rudy that he passed along to me.

Hello again from Sydney. Tonight we started playing for the medal run. In the quarterfinals, we played Russia. This game really scared us a little bit because these guys are so good at what they do. We have to take that away from them, and make them do some things they are not comfortable doing. It is a struggle, but we pull away a little in the second half and win 85-70. Their bread and butter is the pick and roll, a basic basketball play, that the European teams really use a lot. The crowd gets loud and we know that they would like to see Goliath fall. When you leave the Olympic Park at night, you notice the Flame. It is such a
great symbol. it is the most recognizable symbol here. It always reminds me of the freedom that we enjoy in the USA. Tomorrow, the semi-finals against Lithuania. We played them in the preliminary rounds and it was close. Until next time, Rudy T.



------------------

 

mc mark -

Wow, a message from Rudy. That's a special touch. From his message I feel the Dream Team is in good hands, Rudy really knows his stuff.

Thanks for the insider's info.

Whew - Clutch City is really the best!!!

------------------