Dude stop whining. How about this, if European fans stop acting like arrogant snobs when it comes to footabll (soccer) maybe we (americans) will get off our high horse when it comes to basketball. The U.S. will always have the better players. What we need to keep improving on is the national team program. It still needs a lot more work. They have to focus on some problems we still have. But FIBA has some work to do as well. Specifically the refs. They were terrible. They have to have regular crews working and not three refs from different countries. These games are too important to have just anybody ref them. Did you just watch the last game? In case you only watched the gold medal game let me tell you what happened in the previous 7 games. The US won each game by an average of about 30 points. 30 POINTS!!!!! And you want to post that we're no longer dominate? Puhleeze. You need to watch more basketball. How many soccer fields have trapezoidal penalty boxes by the way? Just wondering.
I have to disagree. The point that I believe that you're overlooking is depth. There's just so many more really good basketball players in the US that they will always be able to field a great team. If Gasol decides to no longer play international ball, then Spain takes a big step backwards. If Yao quits playing for China they're much worse. There's always a new star waiting to take the place of the older guys in the NBA, that's been the case for years. So, if Wade or Kobe doesn't play, then it's Oden, Durant, Mayo, Rose, Beasley or whoever is the current stars at that time. The non-US countries simply don't have that kind of depth and they're dependent on a core group of player that they can't neccessarily replace. That's exactly the situation that Argentina is in today. Do they have another Ginobli, Scola, Herrmann, Oberto or Noccioni to take over? No, they don't and you're seeing them start to decline as those guys get older. As far as the rules changes, I'd also have to disagree on your assessment. Playing with more common rules will help the US rather than hurt them. One of the advantages that non-US teams have over the US team is the familiarity of the rules. That's a pretty big advantage. The more the rules are standardized, the less that advantage becomes. Using the rectanglar lane will allow for more postups which will be of huge benefit to the US. Other than Yao, most non-US big men don't post up on the low block. Also, the longer 3 point line will make it more difficult for teams to depend so much on 3 pointers to try and hang in the game with the US. Most teams that have given the US problems have done it with really good 3 point shooting. That's going to be tougher to do with a longer line. Would Calderon have made a difference? I don't know. He played in the pool play game and Spain lost by 37. I do find it kind of interesting that people are now saying that the US is no longer dominant in basketball. Well, let's see. They went into the games as the favorite. They went undefeated and won the gold medal. They finished with an average margin of victory of just under 30pts/game while playing Spain (twice), Greece, Argentina and China. They played all of the best teams and won every game by double digits. Oh yeah and they also did it with a team composed of a core of young players (Paul-23, James- 23, Bosh-24, Williams-24 and Howard-22). I guess it depends on your definition of dominant, but to me that's pretty dominant. Is Michael Phelps not a dominant swimmer because he won one race by .01 of a second? If the worst that a basketball team does is win by 11, then I'd have to call that domination. When the 2016 Olympics role around, it's pretty tough to say which countries will be the current basketball powers, but it's a safe bet to say the the US will still be the favorite going in.
Please! Were you around in 2004 or 2006? The ignorance and arrogance goes both ways my friend. If Spain would have won, every Olympic thread on the internet would have been 4 times as long with attacks on the "BBall IQ" of American players and how the "jumpers and dunkers" can't overcome team play. Get out of here with that crap. Team USA fans have been taking crap since 2002 and this is with winninest national program over the past decade. However, it is Team USA vs. the world. Argentina will not be killed for winning Bronze. Go USA and to heck with you haters!
I'm a little embarrassed that we didn't beat that team by 30+ again, but hey, they played the best game of their lives and came within 11. If that's a moral victory, then go ahead and celebrate! HO HO HO
Spain was lucky they only got 1 tech at the end of the game. They were being such cry babies to the refs the whole game. It felt like watching an IM game at school. I don't like how that team tried to use non basketball tactics such as whining to the refs and trying to single out chris paul to win a game. I know you gotta do everything it takes to win, but use your brain and skills to win. Acting like douche bags is just lame and not good for the game.
fernandez never played that well before in his life. and navarro literally SUCKED before this game. but hey, it made for an entertaining game.
That's why you have to play it out and see what happens. You don't win on paper or by virtue of the prior 7 games. TJ, there is no reason for anyone to be embarrassed. Maybe in 2012 there won't be a magic carpet ride by the other team in the championship game and Team USA wins by 30 like some people want. But if it took Navarro playing in the clouds (partially because we didn't defend him the right way) and Rudy stepping his game up to another level to make it close, I'm all for it. The whole 8 game exercise showed the U.S. reigns supreme by a good margin and a lost night of sleep ended up being worth it. This whetted my appetite for the NBA season and I'm counting the days until October 28th & 29th.
Am I the only one who thinks that it is shocking how everyone is so excited about us winning the Gold? Has the level risen that much in 10 years that even with the best team we are barely better than Spain (first round game doesn't count, it was a meaningless game) and even Argentina. Am I wrong that to be disgusted with the way Spain gave this team a run for their money? I don't care about the excuses, international rules, length of time (this US team has been together for 3 years) etc. I highly doubt that with these rules players like Kobe, Lebron and others suddenly became mediocre. With the way this US team and everyone is celebrating this gold, I think we are finally admitting that NBA players aren't as good as they are hyped up to be?
I think is logical to protest some for this: <object width="432" height="351"><param name="movie" value="http://www.megavideo.com/v/PJ0H30RH0c324bc868dfeed623c326b1e3e41577.7672550438.0"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.megavideo.com/v/PJ0H30RH0c324bc868dfeed623c326b1e3e41577.7672550438.0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="432" height="351"></embed></object> To permit travelling generates many situations of advantage, and several 2+1 from USA have been preceded by an advantage via travelling. Nevertheless, I am not denying several things: - First of all: I'm not a US hater, it would be stupid to register on an american forum being a US hater, and it would be absurd to follow the NBA basketball, watching 82 games per year to 2-3 a.m. being a US hater. I study/work the next mornings. - I appreciate US players. I know well european basketball and NBA basketball, so I can compare both and I can break down the differences... I think most of you can't. And I think there is no one here denying the global superiority of american players towards european players. I am convinced that europeans are better formed in many aspects, especially reading and understanding of the game (USA has a problem with that), but American players still remain and will be much higher physically, and very good technically. - What I was criticizing the previous post, is the attitude of some posters, as I criticized it already in the past. What you can't do is going through life calling "dirty farmers" and stuff to members of other teams. And it is illogical to call them all scrubs and then cry fearing a possible defeat or a simple equalled final. If you have that great confidence in your players and that little on the rivals, don't be afraid when that moment comes; and if you don't have that confidence, change that stupid attitude and respect to rivals that have beated you already in the past, and in several occasions. I'm refering to non-US teams, not specifically the Spanish team. - If after that you win the game, I'll be the first to acknowledge your superiority and your improvement over previous years. The U.S. winning the gold medal won't be nothing that surprise me since they were the top favourites at the start of the tournament; the team with better players.
Absolutely correct. The only reason this game was close was because the USA did not play nearly as good of team defense as their capable and against spain or argentina u have to bring the total complete game or you will look beatable
Yes, you are the only one and Yes, you are wrong. If the US had lost, everbody would have dumped on them BIG TIME. You would probably start a thread with the same BS you justed posted above. All these whiners either pro-U.S. or anti-U.S. basketball, sound like the same people who said the Rockets championships don't count because Jordan wasn't playing. The writing is on the wall. The rest of the world had their 8 year run at the top and I hope they enjoyed it, because that's all they're ever gonna have.
Don't you mean American players? I believe there are seven players on the Spain team that will be in the NBA next season, so I'm not sure what you meant by that.
wow hit a soft spot there. Stop your lame way to bring it back to Rockets, wtf BS is that? That is not even the same comparison. Whoever thought the US team is not better even during the 8 year run is an idiot. The only thing is how much better? Apparently not that much. Now go back to basic reading comprehension.
yeah it would have been nice to lay a beat down like we did in group play but spain played the game of their lives. it was a fun game to watch and it felt like a game 7 atmosphere. i'm not embarrassed by only winning by 11 just because spain was playing so far above their heads.
It must suck being the other countries hoping for gold. This was pretty much their last chance to steal a gold medal from us for awhile. Four years from now, we'll have a much more experienced Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Four years from now we could have the likes of Durant, Roy, Beasley, Mayo, Oden, Martin, etc. becoming possible roster candidates.
