Greece? We can’t beat Greece? Forget Argentina or Spain or even Germany.
We can’t beat Greece?
The U.S. basketball team lost to Greece in the semifinals of the world championships yesterday 101-95. Most of the U.S. team sulked back to the locker room, with only coach Mike Krzyewski and a handful of U.S. players venturing to mid-court to congratulate the Greeks. We lost in diplomacy and good sportsmanship, too.
When I first heard the score, my initial embarrassment turned to amusement. I actually think America’s inability to win a world championship in basketball, even with a team loaded with NBA all-stars, is a good thing, though I doubt it will ever get through to all those youths copying their favorite NBA stars.
I’m a life-long basketball fan, but the game has turned into a show. Go to any playground in America and you can see all the behind-the-back dribbles and no-look passes you can stomach. But, you won’t see anybody hitting a free throw. And precious few good three-point shooters. Or blocking out. Or defense. In other words, you won’t see any fundamentals.
Any notion about America’s world dominance in basketball should be well put to rest by now. It’s the third time the U.S. has lost in major international championships. Actually, there aren’t that many sports left where we dominate the world.
Oh well, we always have Tiger Woods in golf. That should last for a while.
For god’s sake – Greece?
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Katharine Dyson:
The Accidental Golfer:
Brandon Tucker:
Mark Nessmith:
Perhaps if you did a little research you would know that Greece has been European champions and a world force in basketball for quite some time.
Your "For god's sake – Greece?" attitude is exactly the sort of thinking that has kept the US without a world title since 2000.
I am well aware of all these fact. Perhaps if you did a little research you would know that most Americans do not exactly think of Greece when they think of world basketball dominance, despite their prowess.
That's my point, and thank you for blaming by attitude on the downfall of American basketball.
So are we talking about the same Greece here?
I was not referring to the fact that most of their women have unsightly hair under their armpits or under their noses.
Or its high public debt, inflation or unemployment.
Or its dislike of the U.S. because they think the U.S. is on Turkey's side on the issue of Cypress.
Or the increasing crime rate Greeks blame on immigrants from Albania, Bulgaria and other former Communist countries.
No, I was not talking about any of those things.
Love the way you managed to raise the ire of both of the Grecian Basketball afficianados. If USA Basketball would simply send an intact NBA team (one that didn't have any international stars), the US would win every single one of these tournaments. The problem is that they keep sending these selfish, prima donnas to "represent the country" (red flag) just to market the merchandise and jerseys. They're not there to WIN. USA basketball (the organization) is out to make money, not to win tournaments. If the NBA can sell thousands of Cavalier jerseys with LeBron's name, USA basketball wants a piece of that.
The only fact here is that you posted an idiotic comment, with tottaly irrelevant 'facts', demonstrating your ignorance.