The USA lost. Serves us right for thinking that we can just show up and beat anyone.

Peace

This is a FIBA sanctioned tournament,so it doesn't really count anyway. :)

its the refs fault!

Yeah....
 

it was only two of them. What the hell is up with that? I did not realize that they still used two officials. No wonder they cannot get the calls right. ;)

Peace

I believe that there is not a country in Europe in which they use three referees. I don't understand why they came up with the idea to use three refs if they don't use them...

I read this:

"Reggie (Miller) brought us together,'' Pierce said. "He said the world is against us. The world, the stands, the refs are all against us. The only thing we can do is go out and play hard the rest of the games and get the gold medal.''

on http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0904/1427403.html

Don't you think that that's a little childish??

ADR

ADR,
No.
I think it is very childish.
... Jock mentality at it's best.
mick

Yes, but so is having 10 guys in their 30's run around in short pants, bouncing a ball :)

chuck

I watched the 2nd half. Because I'm not familiar with the FIBA rules, I can't really comment on the officiating. Didn't seem to affect the game one way or the other.

What I did see was the incredible effectiveness of the Argentinians' offense - spacing, pick and roll, good, crisp passes. Compare that to the NBA-style, one pass, one-on-one, go-to-the-hole style of play. The Argentine team simply outplayed the US in all aspects of the game. Can you say "fundamentals"?

The game continues to point out how far international basketball has come.

Don't you think that the international game has come so far in large part b/c of the influence of the NBA talent in international competition? Many countries used pro players long before the US ever did; and our college boys stilled whipped their butts. But since the US introduced pro players into the competition, other countries have worked a lot harder to reach the higher "bar" set by the NBA talent. Plus the NBA has brought a lot of talented "foreign" players into the league, making them even better when they go home to play for their own countries. That's the theory I've heard. It seems pretty reasonable.

Chuck

Reggie Miller? Childish? Surely we're not thinking of the same Reggie Miller. Are we?? http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/smilie/rolleyes.gif

childish?
 

Well isn't a leader's job to find some way to buck the troops and move forward? Seems to be that Reggie wasn't making excuses -- he didn't say anything to the press, just to his team -- but trying to get them motivated to come back for the next game. I'd call it head games rather than childishness. T'wil be interesting to see if the loss leads to a stronger team going next time.

How about the great move by Jermaine O'Neal after he had a dunk attempt blocked? I saw this one on SC this morning, and if that were a game where I saw that happen, the player would be politely excused from the remainder of the game. Maybe because it was a bigger stage than a HS game, but I do not believe he was removed from the game. Anyone disagree or agree?

For those of you who didn't see what happened, and Argentine player blocked a dunk attempt by O'Neal, the Argintine player fell to the floor, and O'Neal stepped right on the small of his back - definitely could tell it was no accident!

Re: childish?
 

Welcome, hawkk.
I am sure the wake-up alarm is on.
I don't understand why Professionals need that type of fire lit, unless they are not yet real professionals.
mick

I don't understand why they don't just send the Lakers, the Nets, or one of the other great NBA teams??

ER

That would be a PR nightmare:
<font size = +6>"Lakers beat the World" </font>

Very.
 

ADR, not only is it childish, but I guess the world told them to get dunked on continuously. I guess the world told them to miss open looks and give easy layups. I will give you one or two points, but not 15!!! If I am not mistaken, Argentina had 4 players that play or will be playing NBA games this season. No Reggie and the other NBA "No Stars" did what they always do, think they can take everyone by their ability alone. That is why they got their *** kicked.

Peace

Peace

Re: childish?
 

Welcome to the board hawkk. But I think maybe you've been
watching too many good ole' war movies, like Mick says
true pro's don't need to be bucked up by this silly kind of
"it's us against the world" stuff. They know what has to be
done and they do it, getting the job done is motivation enough.

...and this would be worse:

<font size = +6>"World beats the Lakers" </font>

I just went and watched the highlights on SportsCenter. It was dumb, but it was just frustration, I think. The announcer said that it was called an intentional foul, and that seems right to me. It was obviously intentional, but it didn't seem like an attempt to injure the other player. Just an immature reaction to not getting his way. And these are the people that "earn" millions of dollars a year. Sigh :(

Chuck

On any given night...

We beat the Russians in hockey when they were untouchable. Upsets happen against soccer world powers now and then.

The other countries aren't as good as the U.S., but they are close enough that if they play their best and the U.S. underestimates them, we can lose. It isn't that surprising. It will be much more surprising if we fail to win the gold medal now that the wake-up call has been made.

Isn't Jermaine O'Neal still a kid?

Z

I'm not sure you should use "Nets" and "great NBA team" in the same sentence...also, O'Neal is - I believe- 24 years old now...so he may act like a child, but he certainly should know better...after listening to him whine for 4 years here in Portland, nothing he does surprises me...didn't see the game, but the local paper here made it sound like the boys got their butts kicked pretty handily...never led...only one tie...down by 20 at two different times...hmmmm...can you see "big-headed"...

Hey, Chuck.

Interesting theory - never looked at it that way. As I understand it, many European countries have "basketball academies", similar to the prep schools in the US. We in the US are so ignorant of the goings on in the rest of the world. I would like to see an ESPN special on the growth of basketball worldwide, the structure of European leagues, etc, etc.

Hmmmph!
 

Coach,
I bet they look like the YMCA.
mick

Basketball must be a team sport.

OK, now I'm surprised. :-)

Z

I have no words!!!!
 

Your surprised and I am speechless. That never happens. :D

Peace

Yugoslavia won
 

I just read all the messages here. I don't know why all the people are saying Dream team is the best. I am Yugoslav and we won last night. There is nothing more to say about Argentina and Yugoslavia.

USA dream team is just great. But, we were better. There is one question that I would like to ask you: Why the best USA players didn't played? As I read on some USA web sites, they didn't wont to participate to the Championship. Why? Maybe they are thinking that is under their proud. Or, maybe they are afraid to lose and have a filling like Americans players have now. I think that answer is second one. If they never participate, how they can live in lies that they are the best?

Our national television made some survey in Indianapolis streets. Nobody knows that Yugoslavia is actual world and European champion. No watchers, no spirit of competition. Maybe Americans are thinking that there is no basketball in other parts of the world. Well, there is. So people, best regards from Yugoslavia, and I have just one more to say (written on pamphlet): DREAM TEAM - DREAM ON !
That's only about sport. (Sorry for my english)

Ah Bane.
 

We stopped calling the USA Men's Basketball Team the Dream Team about 2 Olympics ago. Not even the best players in America even want to play on this team. Kobe Bryant passed. Shaq is more concerned about not getting injured. Jason Kidd passed. And Allen Iverson did not want to practice (budump budump :D).

Believe me I am not making excuses, but hardly any of these players can make the All-Star team, let alone being major impact players for their teams. Reggie Miller is on the downhill portion of his career. Paul Pierce might be the only true All-Star on this team. Jermain O'Neil is still a punk *** HS player that has done nothing in the pros. There is not true center on this team from the NBA.

Actually I am glad these fools lost. It just proves how overrated these players really are. That is why International Players are getting drafted and we still think Labron James is tne next best thing. Good for Yugoslavia. They deserved it.

Peace

Well, you are right
 

Ok, I am sure that USA have more good players. All names you wrote are just great. But, we have more very good players that wasn't played on Championship. For example: Zeljko Rebraca, Alexandar Djordjevic, Sasa Obradovic ... These gays won world championships about 4 times.
I am not so sure that actual Dream team is bad. Ok, Paul Pierce is the best. I hope that America can collect the best players for next times. Then, we will know who is the best. Maybe we can talk now about our best players who not played in our teams. But true for now is: Yugoslavia won. It wasn't fair from America's players to provoke our Vlade Divac like they does. Hi was played with many of them in NBA. I wont to congratulate Reggie Miller. He is really sportsman. Only he gave his hand to our players, after the match. All of them are people made of blood and flesh. No stars, without the victory. I hope we will can play the match USA All stars against Yugoslavien All stars in the future. That will be really good thing. Best regards from YU.

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.