I am 100% sure that the "dream team" not only wasn't playing half as good as there capable of playing, but they are probably a little bit out of shape also. All this talk about the Lithuanians being so good is nonsense. Probably the only good NBA player who has and ever will come from Lithania is Arvydis Sabonis(who might have been 1 of the 50 greatest players had he played in the NBA in his prime). As for the "Dream Team", they should play college players in the Olympics. Not only would they be a whole lot more motivated then the pros, but the basketball event would be more competitive. Just look at baseball and how the Minor league All-Star team won the goold medal. It wouldn't have been as big an accomplishment had we sent Mark Mcgwire,Barry Bonds, and company. ------------------ "There are two rules for success... 1) Never tell everything you know."
For me, the Dream team played in the 1992 Olympics. What you see today is the US men's national team. PS. Don't let BobFinn see your signature. ------------------ Save our children from the TAAS test: TAAS test report card TAAS test fact sheet
I think all this stuff about sending collegiate athletes to play for the Dream Team is ridiculous. Aren't the Olympics supposed to be about sending your country's best athletes to win the Gold? If we have to send our second tier ballers to play, why shouldn't all the other countries? Just because you are the best does not mean you lower your level of play so the opposition has a chance. That would be like China sending their second best divers because they always win that stuff. It's BS ------------------ Word to your mother!
A Few Things : 1)I agree with Behad, there was only one "Dream Team" and that was in 1992. 2) The Minor Leaguers aren't amateurs and while the USA would be heavy favorites if the best baseball pros were allowed to play, for example, iamgine the team the Dominican Republic could put together : Fernando Tatis, Luis Castillo, Tony Batista, Miguel Tejada, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero, Pedro Martinez, Armando Benitez Mgr - Felipe Alou. Japan could also put together an excellent team. To me that would make Olympic baseball a must-see sport. 3) Send the NBA champions, and allow them to pick one player at-large from the NBA if they carry a foreign player on their roster, like the Lakers this year. Or send the winning All-Star team. At least send the best players, I could build a team that would crush Team USA with the players they left behind. ------------------ Who would've thought Don Nelson would pass up Olumide Oyedeji not once, not twice, but thrice? [This message has been edited by Puedlfor (edited September 30, 2000).]
I agree, we should send our best. But, some view the Olympics as an amatuer sport. ------------------ "Only Hakeem Olajuwon is a better athlete." Dick Versace, when referring to Antonio McDyess before the draft.
"Let's send the college players!" Is that because it will be too embarrassing when Team USA loses? Is there a need for an excuse? Send the best players, and good luck to them. The worldwide standard of basketball is rapidly improving and it won't be too many more olympics before somebody else is being presented the gold medals. Look at the French. They gave team usa a real scare and they didn't even qualify to play in the last olympics. At that rate of improvement they'll be pretty scary in 2004. Oh, about amatuerism, about the only sport that is still "amatuer" in the olympics is boxing. ------------------
Doc, actually pretty much all sports in the olympics are amateur except basketball and track and field. and why not send college players. i say 7 NBA players, 4 college players and 1 amateur(retired nba player, cba player, american guy in euro leagues)
I say that they should change the selection process for the Dream team. The Olympic committee should choose the coach of the team only & let the coach pick the players & assistant coaches that he wants. The only conditions would be that the coach could not pick more than 2 players or coaches from any one team & they could not have participated in the previous Olympics. That would allow the coach to pick people that he could work well with & might prevent another fiasco like these Olympics were. Could you imagine the team that Rudy would've put together? ------------------
vj23k, I'm not quite sure what you're saying about the amatuer thing; The swimmers are professionals. ALL the team sports are professionals. The competitors in the equestrian events are all professional with the exception of the competitor from Saudi Arabia. The triathletes are proffesionals The cyclists are professionals The rowers and kayakers are professionals The gymnasts are all paid by their governments to be full time athletes. The tennis players are professionals The boxers are amatuers; they are the only people in the olympics who compete as amatuers, and many of them are succesful at the olympics and turn professional. (I'm not sure about the wrestlers/taekwondo people, but I don't think there is a big professional competition for either of those sports.) ------------------
