Why in the hell are Team USA members running their mouths before the Olympics? I just don’t get it, when will these dudes learn that these other countries can ball? This past week both Lebron James and Dwyane Wade came out guaranteeing gold medals in Beijing. Don’t they remember that the USA hasn’t won a major international tournament since 2000? Until they start showing the rest of the world respect, they will continue to lose.
In the Olympics, its not about having the best players, its about having the best TEAM. When you get to the medal round, its like the NCAA tournament, you win or go home. No 7 game series, if you lose in the medal round that’s it, no gold for you buddy. In that format, the US is extremely vulnerable. As you saw in the world championships back in 2006, it takes one game where a team gets hot and the US can lose. Greece was down by 12 at halftime, but came out in the 2nd half and pulled off a ‘Villanovavs Georgetown 1985′ type upset. Greece shot around 70% from the field in the 2nd half and a team, with not 1 NBA player on it, beat the US 101-95. It can happen again, all it takes is one game. Which is why I DO NOT understand the brashness of these guys. Do these boys remember 2004? Puerto Rico beat they ass by 40!!! Remember this play? Puerto Rico Hooooooo!!!!
With all of those losses in 2004 and the lost to Greece in 2006, you’d think a tinge of humbleness would be required as Team USA rolls into China…WRONG. While I’m glad they have the confidence that they’re going to win, you need to be able to back that up with your play on the court. While both Lebron and D-Wade are super talented players, a gold medal is far from a guaranteed thing. They gotta deal with a fresh Yao Ming and China in their 1st game. They also have reigning World Champs Spain, Dirk Nowitzki and Germany, and that pesky Greece team in their pool before the medal round. Should be some very interesting and entertaining games.
Hopefully, D-Wade and LBJ can back up the smack talk and along with the rest of the Redeem Team, reclaim our position as the best basketball country in the world!!!
