The group of players representing the United States in basketball in a highly competitive and close game in Gold Medal game

Submitted by mGrowOld on

Up only 3 with under 2 minutes to go in third with the refs blowing the whistle on seemingly every possession for both teams so anything is possible.  

Kobe has to wondering where this version of Pau Gasol was hiding during the NBA season.

Edit: Title changed

 

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Tulip Time

August 12th, 2012 at 12:36 PM ^

It almost seems like the announcers are trying to convince themselves that this game is a big deal.

"This is Coach K's biggest accomplishment in his career."

Really? You REALLY think that helping a bunch of NBA stars coast to a gold medal is the most rewarding moment of his career? I think not.

Joined: 01/05/2012

MGoPoints: 1503

JT4104

August 12th, 2012 at 12:48 PM ^

Not a lebron guy by any means..........however, there is no one close in the world to him at this point. By far and away the best in the world.

Joined: 10/25/2008

MGoPoints: 12331

umalum16

August 12th, 2012 at 1:39 PM ^

This tournament has merely confirmed my belief that Durant and Lebron are the two best players in the world, but Durant still has a ways to go to catch Lebron, and he might not ever do so. Durant is probably the best off the ball offensive player in the world, but he can't completely take over a game as a facilitator like Lebron can. There's nothing wrong with that, Durant has been incredible and will will win plenty of games and a couple titles I bet, but he'll just never be the passer or cerebral player Lebron is right now. If Lebron isn't shooting well he can still have a huge impact on the game whereas Durant would probably not be able to overcome a terrible shooting game. Regardless, they are easily the best in the world, and would be unbeatable if they ever played together in the NBA. It's crazy how many three pointers Lebron assisted Durant on in the tournament.

Joined: 03/12/2012

MGoPoints: 175

BeatOSU52

August 12th, 2012 at 1:44 PM ^

There was a discussion of this on ESPN radio this morning, and it was that this team really hasn't gotten the support from the general public here in the U.S. like past men's basketball olympic teams have.  I think people flipped out a little too much on Kobe's comments about taking on the '92 Dream Team.  All he was saying is that could beat them in one game.  I would hope that one of the team leaders has that kind of confidence.

Joined: 11/13/2011

MGoPoints: 14554

mackbru

August 12th, 2012 at 2:11 PM ^

I don't think the country gives a crap what Kobe said. The country doesn't want to watch a bunch of rich, pampered nba stars in the olympics. It was fun for a while. But now, I think, the country would rather see our college guys out there. .

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 34196

BoFan

August 12th, 2012 at 2:53 PM ^

in Olympic BBall with an NBA all star team that's going to blow away all the competition. Who cares if they pretend to make it close for the ratings. The original dream team was fun mostly because we hadn't been winning and because of the way those guys carried themselves. Kobe is the polar opposite of that team. KBROG.

Joined: 03/09/2012

MGoPoints: 20149

Tater

August 12th, 2012 at 2:28 PM ^

Congrats and thanks to all of the players and coaches who decided that it was important to represent their country.  The best part of this for me was seeing stars subjugate their egos to bring home a gold medal.  LBJ and 'Melo got a lot of bad press the last couple of years, but I don't think either of them can be called "selfish" anymore.  

I hope everyone who participated gets a "free pass" from media criticism for awhile.

Joined: 08/13/2008

MGoPoints: 30584

BIGBLUEWORLD

August 12th, 2012 at 2:55 PM ^

Anyone who steps up and plays for America deserves some credit. They could be kickin' it in Figi or the south of France.

Joined: 07/14/2012

MGoPoints: 4239

BIGBLUEWORLD

August 12th, 2012 at 10:08 PM ^

Figi pronounced "figgy" is an extremely exclusive resort that is 500% more exotic and glamorous and expensive than the Pacific island of Fiji.  It is so exclusive I can't even give away the location, to you poor fok who can only afford to go to Fiji.  That's my story and I'm stickin" to it.

Joined: 07/14/2012

MGoPoints: 4239

chatster

August 12th, 2012 at 3:23 PM ^

Thanks to NBC’s multi-casting and live streaming, this Olympics gave us the chance to see every game of what may be the last Olympics basketball tournament with any "Dream Team" from any nation.

Unlike the years before 1992 when only so-called amateurs were allowed to play and the USA team was selected only weeks before the tournament began, following a tryout/selection camp that included as many as 92 players, we’ve seen the advantage that the USA gained with this current group of players by having had many of them play together before in international competition.

With talk that future Olympics basketball tournaments might involve U-23 teams without any over-age players (unlike soccer where three over-age players can be added to the Olympic roster), the disadvantage will come from having little player continuity and long-established chemistry among teams that qualify for the tournament.  It could make it a more wide-open tournament, even if the overal quality of play declines.

For those who care, here’s a link to the story about the USA’s U-18 team (some potential Olympians in 2016 if it becomes a U-23 tournament) winning the 2012 FIBA Americas tournament with a win in the championship game over Brazil, the host country: http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/u18/12_mu18_game05.html 

Joined: 09/14/2010

MGoPoints: 27059

Alton

August 12th, 2012 at 6:51 PM ^

Let's not forget that all of this U23 business is coming from David Stern right now, and they have absolutely no say in the decision.

FIBA and the IOC would have to agree to change the nature of the Olympic tournament.  Right now, I don't see any incentive for either organization to do so.  The U23 situation with soccer is because FIFA has a premier event and it doesn't want the Olympics overshadowing it, not to mention the fact that FIFA has more power in the sports world than the IOC.

FIBA just doesn't have the same bargaining power, and they don't have any property to protect--nobody pays any attention to the world championships in basketball, and any hypothetical world cup would not be any different.  FIBA needs a showcase for its sport, and that showcase has always been the Olympics.

As much as the NBA owners and their pet commissioner want it, nobody is going to let the Olympic basketball tournament become some minor U-23 event like the Olympic soccer tournament.

 

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 13338

ChiCityWolverine

August 12th, 2012 at 7:39 PM ^

FIBA already has decided to change the name of their world championships to the FIBA World Cup and the NBA and USA Basketball intend to begin sending U-23 teams to the Olympics, while throwing full support behind the World Cup tournament. It may still be the same in 2016, but their is too much support for the idea amongst Stern and the owners for it to stall in the long-term. 

Joined: 07/08/2011

MGoPoints: 3757

snarling wolverine

August 12th, 2012 at 3:23 PM ^

So we ended up beating Spain by basically the same margin Brazil did.  Anyone doubt that Spain rolled over in that one?  (If they'd won, they would have had to play us in the semifinals instead of the finals.)

FIBA needs to change the rules to a random draw in the knockout stage - at least for the teams that didn't win their pools.  "Strategic losing" should not be part of the competition.

 

 

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 98780