Dickie V just wrote an article suggesting this same theory. http://espn.go.com/dickvitale/vcolum...SA-future.html

I can't believe he didn't suggest sending the NCAA's champs ;) "They'd be Awesome, Baby!" Could you imagine Vitale's reaction if Duke were going to the Olympics.

Vitale suggested 3 alternate representatives to replace any foreign players.

Part of the problem is that a lot of NBA players have no desire to play in the Olympics.
Maybe sending the NCAA champ would make more sense. The biggest draw back with the pre-dreamteam process was that the players couldn't play as a team. So, how do we fix that? We get a bunch of ego-maniacs who take for granted their superiority and then get their a$$es kicked. It worked the first time partly because we'd just gotten beat and Jordan and friends weren't about to let it happen to them. USA basketball is getting cocky again, and the rest of the world is starting to catch up (as evidenced by the increasing amount of foreign talent in the NBA.)
Maybe we should let an established college team give it a shot. The Gold would actually mean something, then.

Adam

I wonder if NCAA rules prevent this somehow.

If not it would be fun to watch, but I don't think they would do that well against the mostly older & bigger teams that go to the Olympics these days.

I agree, if we sent a team that had gelled, they could compete much better. Seems as if they went to top players/athletes and kept asking til they had 12 yes's and went with that and gave no consideration to TEAM. If these guys don't win, it could be understandable, but their lack of effort is unacceptable and if they don't turn it around, then I hope the fan let them know during the '04-'05 season. They gotta understand, it's not just winning and losing, it's about representing.

Back to the post, refs this and refs that, USA Basketball needs a gut check.

Did anyone else notice that near the end of the Lithuania-Puerto Rico game today (approx. 11 seconds left), Lithuania attempted a FT with no one in the bottom space to the shooter's right? In fact, there were three players along the lane on the shooter's left and no one at all on the right side of the lane.
This FT happened after a foul in the backcourt by PR who trailed by about ten and was just stopping the clock. The officials hustled down the court and administered the FT, but the PR player didn't get there until the second FT.
I was surprised that they did not wait for him. It looked weird.

In NFHS it is a technical foul to not be there in a non-resumption-of-play situation.

This is allowed in Fiba rules

I was wondering about that, but no one had posted that FIBA difference before.

Maybe because we did not know that you had to in the U.S.

There are probably a few more differences that were not mentionned. Here is a link a some of the differences between different leagues and sets of rules.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/jazzace/a.../rulediff.html

I heard a good point on the radio this morning on the decline of USA basketball's Olympic performances. There is this assumption that we should be rotating our players every time through, when the rest of the world is sending their best every time.
If our best players are, for example; Shaq, Garnett, Kidd, McGrady, and Bryant; then we need to go with those players as long as they are the best, even if it means they go to two or three Olympics.

There is no assumption that the players should rotate. All of these players were invited but declined the invitation, for various reasons.

While some may actually have concerns with security issues, I know how easy it is to come up sith some pretty valid excuses to not do something asked of me when I'm either to tired, busy or selfish to do it.

Sincerely,
All those players who declined USA Basketball for the 2004 Olympics

Jim,
That's the other problem with asking NBA players to take time out of their oh-so-busy lives. They just don't care as much about the Gold medal as the other nations' players to. Otherwise, you wouldn't get the top players turning it down for various reasons.

Honestly, I'd rather see Duke playing in these games than this "team."

At least Duke has some players who could hit an outside shot.

Could someone explain the NBA "2 second rule" regarding establishing a pivot? Sounds Greek to me :)

Not 2 seconds, but a "2 count".
 

Section XIV-Traveling
a. A player who receives the ball while standing still may pivot, using either foot as the pivot foot.
b. A player who receives the ball while he is progressing or upon completion of a dribble, may use a <B>two-count rhythm</B> in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball.
The <U>first count occurs</U>:
(1) As he receives the ball, if either foot is touching the floor at the time he receives it.
(2) As the foot touches the floor, or as both feet touch the floor simultane- ously after he receives the ball, if both feet are off the floor when he receives it.
The <U>second occurs</U>:
(1) After the count of one when either foot touches the floor, or both feet touch the floor simultaneously.
c. A player who comes to a stop on the count of one may pivot, using either foot as the pivot foot.
d. A player who comes to a stop on the count of two, with one foot in advance of the other, may pivot using only the rear foot as the pivot foot.
e. A player who comes to a stop on the count of two, with neither foot in advance of the other, may use either foot as the pivot foot.
f. In starting a dribble after (1) receiving the ball while standing still, or (2) coming to a legal stop, the ball must be out of the player's hand before the pivot foot is raised off the floor.
g. If a player, with the ball in his possession, raises his pivot foot off the floor, he must pass or shoot before his pivot foot returns to the floor. If he drops the ball while in the air, he may not be the first to touch the ball.
h. A player who falls to the floor while holding the ball, or while coming to a stop, may not gain an advantage by sliding.
i. A player who attempts a field goal may not be the first to touch the ball if it fails to touch the backboard, basket ring or another player.
PENALTY: Loss of ball. The ball is awarded to the opposing team at the sideline, nearest spot of the violation but no nearer the baseline than the foul line extended.


[Edited by mick on Aug 20th, 2004 at 09:30 AM]