Honestly, not really. I was pissed. Sorry if I offended anyone. I deal with this same kind of this all the time around here, living in Oklahoma and going to OU. People don't make the distinction between teams, school, and state. So, in that vein, what I meant was, "F*ck the basketbal team representing Puerto Rico in the Olympics for beating the US." Sorry for the misconception.
What is fascinating is that the team didn't slowly spiral toward mediocrity with the world, they just ****ing fell off the deep end. Keep in mind that most of us are still in denial about the USA's chances for gold, but what this string of basketball does, is legitmately pose the question, is the NBA still the pinnacle of the basketball world? I mean, seriously, is it? There is no evidence to support the hypothesis that it is. Now you can turn that question as you will, and god knows 99% of the world will claim the nba is still the best, and 99 % of the players will do the same, and 99 % of the coaches the same, and I too would do the same, but the facts would indicate something entirely different. Especially if we do not win gold. Even if you rationalize this is the 2nd best american team available, or even the third, you are still talking about players in the top 10% of the league at worst. You could argue that a team should be built around the rules of the international game, but ask yourself what the rules are for, and you come to but one conclusion. They exist to provide fair play and competition. That's all they do. If that's true, and I'm quite sure it is, it doesn't matter what team you put on the floor. If the top 10% can get it done then no other team would do so either. It legitmately begs the question, is the nba still the best basketball in the world.
For me, I think the "playground" reference is a legitimate critique of US players. Not ALL US players but a significant percentage. The lack of attention to instilling solid fundamentals in developing young players, while promulgating the flashy "playground" style leads to huge holes in US player's games. Young foreign players, appear to be receiving much better coaching and training at younger ages than what we see here, where the playground (literally) is our training ground. Hence, less physically gifted foreign teams can negate the athleticism of the US by playing a solid fundamental game. Our guys just don't have the fundamentals to respond.
Our players may not be the best anymore but the NBA is still the best league in the world. I think thats because its just not just an american league, or italian league, or an asian league, or a euro league, but a league that is made up of the best players from all over the world. So yeah, to answer your question, I would say the NBA is still the pinnacle of the basketball world.
USA just lost to one of the weakest team in their division. Man, it's gonna be one hell of a tough road for them. I don't think these players on the USA team that was chosen know how to play as a team. Too many superstars and not knowing who should be their man. Well Yao's performance isn't so bad afterall when you compare stats here. Inconsistency is going to kill team USA. Gold, Silver or Bronze? How about no medal at all?
Stu Jackson is not the problem. Maybe Larry Brown should take some blame. 1998 at Athens, Greece Gold: Yugoslavia Silver: Russia Bronze: United States With the NBA embroiled in a lockout of its players, the United States was represented by a collection of college players and professionals from the CBA and overseas leagues. Coach Rudy Tomjanovich went from leading the heavy favorite for a second straight U.S. gold to trying to win with a team filled with no-names. Yugoslavia, still crippled by war and missing star center Vlade Divac, won its record fourth gold medal with a 64-62 victory over Russia in the final. The U.S. team did much better than expected, losing to Russia 66-64 in the semifinals after blowing a 10-point lead in the final three minutes. The United States won the bronze with an 84-61 victory over Greece as Jason Sasser scored 23 points.
I agree with you on this one. International game are made for fair competition. They are made to balance out from skills to athletic to team game NOT one man domination. Puerto Rico is shooting the light out on the US. Maybe some international coaches are smarter than we think. NBA coaches usually know who superstars on what team to guard and contain on the floor but when you play an unknown club who do you contain when all could shoot?
Bingo! Until USA coaches, on ALL LEVELS begin coaching fundamental basketball, this will be a common result. The Dream Teams in 92 and 96 had great players, but they also had GREAT FUNDAMENTALS. Also, remember how painful the last NBA season was to watch? Other than the lack of shooting, defense, and general team discipline, it was a great season. I'm not suprised with today's result. Let's see if the team is mature enough understand just how bad they were embarassed today.
Why shouldn't he? Their team been humiliate by the USA for many games now and why shouldnt he celebrate when they beat a team that no one would've thought they would?
Really.... Collins is saying one minute "Puerto Rico is smart to foul on every US fastbreak opportunity to keep the emotion out of the game." Few minutes later, Puerto Rico is shooting 2 and getting the ball back.
Amazing thing is that Puerto Rico only took 55 shots and made 31!!! Now that pretty much tell us that their shooting skills are pretty accurate. USA are just athletic and no pure shooters.
I'm pretty sure the U.S. team will still win the Olympic tournament. They are getting enough wake-up calls, have time to get to know each other and by the semifinals and finals, they will prevail simply because they still have the best players.
I dont get how Larry Brown can get the pistons to beat a much talented team in the LA Lakers but he can't get a team full of 2nd rate NBA stars to be Puerto Rico? Wow disgusting display of basketball. I'm glad I did not watch.
first of all, is the NBA the best? without ****ing question. if it isn't, please name me another league that is. there isn't one that's even in the ballpark. considering we essentially have the best players from every country playing over here, there isn't a logical argument that can be made that the NBA isn't the best. carlos arroyo, dirk nowitzki, pau gasol, yao ming, hedo turkoglu, where do all those guys play. in the NBA. if the question is if america is still the best. without ****ing question. what do the 5 best basketball players in the world have in common? they're all american. what does a huge percentage of the NBA, where every player in the world aspires to get to (or at least the vast majority taking into account ones comfortable elsewhere) have in common? they're american. i could be wrong, but i would guess the best money is to be made in the nba. if the rest of the world was good enough to come over here to start collecting max contracts on us because they're that much better, is there an explanation that says they would turn that down? you're better than the americans, want 6 years, 78 million? nah. as long as the rest of the world aspires to be in the nba and americans continue to dominate the NBA, we are the best. as long as our best can beat anyone else's best (and anyone who thinks the real american team, shaq/kg/duncan/kobe/tmac/allen/bibby/jermaine, etc wouldn't win is kidding themselves). so until all those things change, and they may, no one can say, then yes we are legitimately the best. when teams stop being thrilled to beat our national team, when team don't have to play the best of the their best to beat us, when we don't have to shoot 3/25 on 3's to lose, when all of that changes, the question can be asked. until then, we are still on top. and according to everyone on here, puerto rico is showing us how it's done with fundamentals. so where were there fundamentals when they lost to us by 25? if it's our athletes versus their "good basketball players" and they've passed us up now, then why did they lose by 25 just a few weeks ago?
I was going to offer some commiserations but after reading some of the posts here, I don't think I'll bother. If the mentality of the players is the same as some of the guys posting here, it's no wonder they are getting their asses handed to them. Complaining about not being allowed to play "NBA defense" when you aren't play in the NBA? Hello? Well, at least you think those guys can play some sort of defense...
if you don't know how the Pistons were able to beat the Lakers than of course you wouldn't know how Puerto Rico were able to beat the USA then.
