I know that in Eastern Europe, especially during Soviet days, kids were taken at a young age to be filtered for their sports programs. The modus operendi was to have the children go to school for 4 - 6 hours a day and train 6 to 8 hours aday. The difference you are seeing now under essentially the same system is the American influence. It is impossible to tell how many coaches, players and teams have put on clinics over in Europe preaching fundamentals and exposing them to American thought on basketball. So while their kids are practicing opposite hand dribbles and free throw shooting, ours are perfecting the between the legs bounce off the backboard cartwheel whindmill 360 two handed dunk. Which last I checked still counted the same as a lay up. This is a good wake up call and hopefully, HS and MS coaches will see that being fundamentally sound can make up for a lot of athletic deficiencies.

Bane
I agree that Yugoslavia deserved to win last night and that Yugoslavia has some good talent.. But this team the USA put out in this tournament was not the best.

I am not sure but what you are seeing from the NBA players is just an extension of the attitude in the league...

You just dont see the team work or spirit that you saw when the original dream team played 10 years ago. You dont see the players taking theres more than self attitude...

When MJ, and Stockton,Malone, Barkley, Magic, and Bird played on Dream Team One there was no whining, no worrying about other activities.

Peter May best desribed it not too long ago as that the US is sending "the most accomodating players, not the best"

Until the NBA players decide they want to play for more than money and stop woorying about their acting and singing careers the US will have a solid team that is competitive but it wont be the best the US has to offer...

Re: Well, you are right
 

Don't drop the soap in the shower! :eek:

Is your Smitty being pulled?
 

From <u>Webster's 7th New Collegiate Dictionary</u>

bane n: 1. a. murderer, slayer; b. poison; c. death; woe.
2. a. a source of harm or ruin : Curse.
bane vt: to kill esp. with poison


Have a nice day. :)
mick

Chuck you've got to knowthis: An intentional foul is different under FIBA rules than under NHFS or NCAA. If a player isn't trying to play the ball correctly, then it's an Unsportmanlike foul. You might throw down a T on J O'Neal, because it's a contempt towards his opponent, but since there was contact, I guess this was a good call. (BTW: A T is 1 FT + possesion, while a Unsp. Foul is 2Ft's + Possession, so Jermaine probably felt this one better... :) )

ADR

It was nice talking to you
 

You know, in my country we very appreciate NBA. Black players (more of all players) are so good. I saw most of their matches. I don't want to go into their present problems, but I appreciate your opinion. NBA league is representing to us as something we never can beat. That makes our win bigger. For most of Yugoslav people it is not so important to win the championship as to win that black gays from NBA.
Yugoslavia played pretty good against USA, but not the best. You could see what Marko Jaric worked with a ball. He lose five balls in offence. He triped over a line. And then we prayed God to give our team coach much sapience to send him off. But he reversed situation in the end. Our member of national team was so slow, no action, no fast precision passes...
OK, I would like to comment on our next match with New Zeland with you. I hope you will look the game. Until that, Best wishes!

Well ... as I said
 

YUGOSLAVIA - NEW ZELAND 89:78

I would really like to read your comments after our winning against New Zeland.