Argentina is why.....

It was right to start sending NBA players to international competitions.

I'll never forget how the Dream Team got bashed by the ignorati. People pissed and moaned about it being another example of the ugly Americans puffing out their chests and thumping lesser opponents at the expense of sportsmanship.

What a load of crap.

If you like basketball then why wouldn't you want to see it played at a high level all over the world?? And if you enjoy the NBA then how much more enjoyable would it be if their were a basketball World Cup?? I personally would love it. The only way to get there is to raise all boats to our level and the only way to do that is send out the best to show the world how the game is played. Eventually they will get it and clearly they have.

If the Europeans played better defense it is possible this loss could have occured sooner. I expect Team USA to kick ass tonight and win the gold but this loss was a good thing for basketball.

On 5 Sep 2002 13:06:18 -0700, someone whose name is

it seems that you were wrong. Even if they played with more passion they were still an all star team playing against a real team.

P.S.: The game was closed and it could have finished both ways, of

Lets not get too excited on the other side of the pond. Yugoslavia deserved to win the game but the problem here is that the NBA didn't send its best team, or even arguably its second best team to compete in these games. Peirce is probably the only guy on the current Team USA roster who deserves to be there. Lesson? Since the intitial Dream Team some of the world can now put together a team with better than average NBA talent. The day will come when someone will compete with the best NBA talent but it isn't now.

On 7 Sep 2002 19:49:16 -0700, someone whose name is

yes, that's nt the point. You didn't had Kidd but two of the best young PGs. Pierce and Finley are not so much worse compared to McGrady and Bryant. Considering that Shaq will NEVER EVER be on shape in september, Duncan and Garnett inside would have been great, but you still had two 3rd All-NBA teamers and two borderline all stars... It's not like the talent rise would make the US team win by 20 every game... unless they really start taking it seriously! What really matters is that they started 'practicing' together 10 days before the WC, they new nothing about their opponents, the different rules, how to play team defence and offence... worse they neither thougth they need to play with passion in most of the games, being able to make teams like China or New Zeland lead in the first half. But once they found the good teams all this crap didn't work, and 3 losses arrived (and there could have been a 4th against Puerto Rico, if the central americans had played like they did in the first rounds). My opinion is that the US team has to change the attitude first and really prepare themselves, ptherwise they could lose even playing with the biggest names.

If you think that Duncan, McGrady, Garnett,Kidd, and Bryant are going to lose anything to any of these international teams you are a moron. Regardless.

However you are right that if the NBA sends teams of third or fourth tier talent then they are going to continue to lose these games, again regardless of how much time they practice. The NBA has understandably grown use to the world rolling over at the sight of USA uniforms. Isn't that way anymore so hopefully more of the top NBA talent will gear up for these games.

The previous NBA teams, which were vastly more talented, rolled over the international teams regardless of how long they were together or any other factor. It is talent and talent only, and now that the bottom has been tested one would hope the NBA will learn its lesson.

On 8 Sep 2002 19:56:45 -0700, someone whose name is

think what the hell you want, I really don't care. A team no too different from that one nearly lost against Lithuania, and the Lithuanians weren't able to qualify for the WC. If you don't take it seriously you can lose against everyone, and if the american players agree with you I think the US NT will find another rude awakening.

If someone doesn't see the problem he won't solve it.

No doubt you are completely right and soon USA Basketball will be paying you a salary in very high six figures for you acumen and insight.

On 9 Sep 2002 08:26:02 -0700, someone whose name is

I hope so.

I bet you are a sportscenter basketball fan who waits for fancy moves and highlight reel dunks only when watching a game. The fact, that a team is more than the sum of all players is obviously lost to you.