Glutton for punishment: Colangelo to talk to TD about Olympics

[CubanMustGo]

From the Philly Daily News (http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/sports/13553223.htm), quoted on ESPN.com:

Iverson Wants A Gold Medal
"Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the Phoenix Suns, met with Allen Iverson before last night's game, and came away with Iverson very much on a preliminary list to be invited to try out for the U.S. National Team that will compete in this summer's World Championships in Saitama, Japan and, hopefully, in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. 'It went great,' Iverson said of the meeting. 'He asked me if I was interested, and I am. I want to play. I had a good experience in 2004, but we won the bronze. I really want to win a gold medal.' Colangelo intends to interview 30 to 35 players. ... Colangelo already has met with numerous candidates, and plans to meet this week with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat and Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs."

Good luck with that ...

[boutons_]

Tim's lack of adjustment to, and perhaps his coaches not preparing him for, intl refereeing was really stupid.

Made him look like a fool, and of course ineffective due to foul trouble, and wasted his summer.

[TDMVPDPOY]

Mind u those refs at the olympics were freakn amatuer refs, not the ones that does euro elite tourneys

[Phenomanul]

Those refs were out to embarrass Duncan... (and U.S. Basketball...) it almost seemed like that was their agenda....

[TDMVPDPOY]

And lookin at how this team is assembled, looks freakn identical to the athens team just with kobe added to it, these fags still havnt learnt their lesson, they need shooters.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Tim's lack of adjustment to, and perhaps his coaches not preparing him for, intl refereeing was really stupid.

Made him look like a fool, and of course ineffective due to foul trouble, and wasted his summer.

Nice insight.

I'm sure the U.S. coaches and Tim did their best to prepare for the international rules and the refs. He couldn't relearn the way he's played the game for the last dozen years and he couldn't control the refs either. People need to get off his back regarding his Olympic performance.

[TDMVPDPOY]

The refs clearly took him out of the games, but he still manage to avg a double-double though.

[Walton Buys Off Me]

Forget FIBA, why would Duncan go play for three stooges that have won a total of ZERO NBA championships?

[boutons_]

"He couldn't relearn the way he's played the game for the last dozen years"

The NBA-Intl rules aren't that dramatically different to requiring re-learning the entire game.
He's not that stupid, nor that robotic, nor "retarded". :)

He makes adjustments in every NBA game to teams and players and his own foul trouble.

[spvrs]

This was a screw job. Every time TD stepped on the floor their was a touch foul. People were tired of big bully USA so got to take the best player in the world out of the game

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Colangelo hasn't learned jack shit about building a team, still going with a bunch of all-stars.

Where are the shooters? Where are the PGs? Where are the defensive specialists?

Colangelo will fuck it up again for Team USA. Put Pop in there next time to fix things, if you want it done right (dude knows the international game).

[ahb]

Colangelo's never done anything worthwhile or well except helping David Stern ruin the NBA. I doubt he'll make the US a gold-medal team anytime soon.

[smeagol]

Those refs were out to embarrass Duncan... (and U.S. Basketball...) it almost seemed like that was their agenda....
Yeah . . . that worldwide conspiracy to embarass "Los Americanos".

Sure, there is no way the US NT can lose if the playing field is leveled.

The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had nothing to do with their demise.

:rolleyes

[angel_luv]

I don't think Timmy was planning on continuing his olympic career.

[diego]

the US got special treatment alright. They were the only team that didnt go through drug testing, and they were the only team that didnt stay in the olympic village.

The refs sucked for everybody, and if duncan fouled out more in 10 games than in his entire NBA career, it probably had something to do with there being one less foul to give in the international game.

Duncan is IMO the best player in the world but that alone doesnt make you champs, just ask the 03-04 spurs, etc. You need a lot of teamwork and a bit of luck. USA had neither in Athens.

and its the coaches fault for letting guys like richard jefferson and stephon marbury take more shots than duncan.

[Marklar MM]

Do they have the current roster out yet, or are they doing that around the All-Star game.

[Phenomanul]

Those refs were out to embarrass Duncan... (and U.S. Basketball...) it almost seemed like that was their agenda....




Yeah . . . that worldwide conspiracy to embarass "Los Americanos".

Sure, there is no way the US NT can lose if the playing field is leveled.

The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had nothing to do with their demise.

:rolleyes


"It almost seemed".....

[smeagol]

Those refs were out to embarrass Duncan... (and U.S. Basketball...) it almost seemed like that was their agenda....
As I said in my previous post, that was a conspiracy if I ever saw one!

:lol

[leemajors]

they should go after rip hamilton, he has the mid range shooting touch that team needs. also ray allen or michael redd, a pure shooter. they should also think about unleashing artest in the international game...

[smeagol]

they should go after rip hamilton, he has the mid range shooting touch that team needs. also ray allen or michael redd, a pure shooter. they should also think about unleashing artest in the international game...
Agreed. Rip, Ray-Ray and Redd would be awesome playing under FIBA rules.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

they should go after rip hamilton, he has the mid range shooting touch that team needs. also ray allen or michael redd, a pure shooter. they should also think about unleashing artest in the international game...

I think Artest could enter the Olympics under his own flag because that guy's from another planet.

[Obstructed_View]

Yeah . . . that worldwide conspiracy to embarass "Los Americanos".

Sure, there is no way the US NT can lose if the playing field is leveled.

The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had nothing to do with their demise.

:rolleyes
You must be blinded by that gold medal. USA basketball assembled a team of top jersey sales out of the guys that didn't beg out at the last minute. The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had everything to do with their demise, but that wasn't a team that was there, it was a marketing show for the NBA. The fact is the Hawks or the Raptors would win 19 times out of 20 against Argentina, and ten of those by double digits. Tim Duncan got hosed by the refs in the olympics, and then got bad-mouthed by the bandwagon USA fans after the team lost.

P.S. FIBA sucks

[Marklar MM]

You must be blinded by that gold medal. USA basketball assembled a team of top jersey sales out of the guys that didn't beg out at the last minute. The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had everything to do with their demise, but that wasn't a team that was there, it was a marketing show for the NBA. The fact is the Hawks or the Raptors would win 19 times out of 20 against Argentina, and ten of those by double digits. Tim Duncan got hosed by the refs in the olympics, and then got bad-mouthed by the bandwagon USA fans after the team lost.

P.S. FIBA sucks

Raptors got beat by Maccabi.

[Marklar MM]

Also, I believe Colangelo talked with Hamilton and Prince earlier in the season.

[raspsa]

I don'tknow how workable a 3-year commitment will be..maybe they should just send the NBA champion or one of the top-tier NBA teams to represent the US at international competitions.. Maybe Detroit would do a good Job; the Spurs would lose too many international players.

[Obstructed_View]

Raptors got beat by Maccabi.
Maccabi Tel Aviv is a pro team, and they hit a shot at the buzzer to win in the Raptors' pre season, after the Raptors led for most of the game. They beat the Washington Bullets in 1978, too. You aren't telling me anything that comes close to changing my mind.

[exstatic]

Good luck, Jerry. I can't see Tim agreeing to piss away three summers. I think this could be a time where Pop would actually step in and ask him not too. I believe that repeated international play shortened David's career.

[diego]

You must be blinded by that gold medal. USA basketball assembled a team of top jersey sales out of the guys that didn't beg out at the last minute. The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had everything to do with their demise, but that wasn't a team that was there, it was a marketing show for the NBA. The fact is the Hawks or the Raptors would win 19 times out of 20 against Argentina, and ten of those by double digits. Tim Duncan got hosed by the refs in the olympics, and then got bad-mouthed by the bandwagon USA fans after the team lost.

P.S. FIBA sucks

so now its the CABB's responsibility to pick team USA? thats your own damn fault. if dirk didnt get injured in the 03 WCF, maybe the spurs lose. If duncan didnt get injured in 01, maybe the spurs dont lose. on and on we can go with ifs, bottom line, team usa was assembled by the americans in charge and they sent a crap team of former mvps, allstars and other nba has beens :rolleyes
playing FIBA rules the hawks would get raped by argentina, to the tune of 30 pt blowouts. they cant shoot, defend, or rebound, we would obliterate them.
the raptors actually have a frontcourt, but lack the experience to execute against a versatile, veteran team like argentina. In fact, the only NBA teams that argentina has no chance against in FIBA rules are Detroit, the Spurs, and Miami (shaq), we can definitely give teams like the mavs and the suns a run for their money. dont even pretend a joke like the hawks would come near to giving us trouble.
now under NBA entertainment rules with your refs who dont know what a travel is and let superstars do whatever they want, then maybe argentina would have a hard time. bottomline though, both teams would be playing with the same refs, so you can keep that whine all to yourself
:cry

[smeagol]

You must be blinded by that gold medal.
Not really.

I’m tired of guys such as Hector or you who downplay the rest of the world’s basketball accomplishments by saying shit like: “The US NT team was assembled six weeks prior to the Olympics and had not time to practice”, “Our best players did not go”, “TD got rapped by the refs”, or “FIBA sucks”.


USA basketball assembled a team of top jersey sales out of the guys that didn't beg out at the last minute.

And whose fault is this?

You are so arrogant you think the US deserves to gold medal just for presenting a team. Who cares about proving their dominance in the court? The US is the US and they should always walk away with the gold.


The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had everything to do with their demise, but that wasn't a team that was there, it was a marketing show for the NBA.

Another lame excuse.


The fact is the Hawks or the Raptors would win 19 times out of 20 against Argentina, and ten of those by double digits.
Under FIBA rules? What kind of drugs are you on?



Tim Duncan got hosed by the refs in the olympics,

Whatever floats your boat.


P.S. FIBA sucks

Sure, the minute your team lost, FIBA sucks. You sure do come across as a crybaby. “Timmy got raped”, “FIBA sucks” buaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

[WalterBenitez]

H e r e w e g o a g a i n ! ! ! :blah


1. Constellation = An arbitrary formation of STARS ( :oops ) perceived as a figure or design, especially one of ... recognized groups named after characters from classical mythology and various common animals and objects.

2. TEAM = A group organized to work together. :angel

so ... some thoughts to share

1. TD is not a Magician he won't be able to invent a team where there's no teamworking, USA BBall can't put a bunch of stars and still believe they could get the gold. Not anymore. :nope

2. USA BBall is working well this time ...they are following a plan ... they got a full time Coach, they are calling players, asking for a 2 years commitment, etc ...

3. They (USA BBall) is showing intentions to create a TEAM which is really good for everyone ... NBA, FIBA and fans ;)

4. FIBA's refs are not consistent ... I DO AGREE with that, in Intl tournament they are inconsistent, you know in Olimpycs there are refs representing countries with no BBall tradition or not good competitions, anyway they sucks for everybody ...

5. STAR treatment, for me this is the key to understand FIBA's esence ... perhaps only a few players could have any extra help, but the rules are followed for everyone ... in NBA games you see that Lebron, AI, Kobe, etc has their own way of playing and in any doubt the refs will consider them, just because they are STARS ...in FIBA for get of that. :eyebrows

6. Perspective ... IMHO for NBA's players (Americans) they respect more NBA than Olimpycs or Intl Bball, which is very different in FIBA's world ... ask people from S&M, Spain, Brazil, Argentina (just to mention some countries), for us Intl tournament are more important, so everyone consider an honor to be called for National Team ...follwing the news the only NBA's player that has shown that respect is AI ... he answered YES .. .it'll be a honor .... an I also remember his red eyes looking at US flag in Olimpycs (in "coronation" ceremony) ...that man was pretty close to cry ... because he felt respect for the thing he was doing ... :tu

7. Fair play ... even wining the next Olimpycs ... they will be a final issue ... what about Intl antidoping rules ... why that isn't mandatory for them!!?? :wow

[Phenomanul]

Not really.

I’m tired of guys such as Hector or you who downplay the rest of the world’s basketball accomplishments by saying shit like: “The US NT team was assembled six weeks prior to the Olympics and had not time to practice”, “Our best players did not go”, “TD got rapped by the refs”, or “FIBA sucks”.



Why Smeagol Why????

Why call me out when I only implied that it "seemed" as though the IOC wanted to make a point about USA Basketball.... I never made any of the other excuses or assertions.

You do know that there is a bitter debate between FIBA and the NBA, don't you??? The fact IOC sides with FIBA is irrelevant right???

IT's not an excuse. The U.S. did not assemble a "team" and that was their problem... they shouldn't feel like they are entitled to a gold medal simply because they step on the court.

If you're tired of guys such as myself... take a step back and try to be a little more objective.... It's not like I'm taking anything away from Argentina... They deserved the Gold Medal and played like they wanted it. The U.S. didn't. And to Duncan's misfortune, who actually played like he 'wanted it', the refs held him back with ticky-tack fouls....

If you still claim to know what I 'think' and the thought of it makes you 'tired' respond on the smack forum... not this one. I simply don't think I warranted your explicit 'calling me out'...

[smeagol]

Why Smeagol Why????

Why call me out when I only implied that it "seemed" as though the IOC wanted to make a point about USA Basketball.... I never made any of the other excuses or assertions.

You do know that there is a bitter debate between FIBA and the NBA, don't you??? The fact IOC sides with FIBA is irrelevant right???

IT's not an excuse. The U.S. did not assemble a "team" and that was their problem... they shouldn't feel like they are entitled to a gold medal simply because they step on the court.

If you're tired of guys such as myself... take a step back and try to be a little more objective.... It's not like I'm taking anything away from Argentina... They deserved the Gold Medal and played like they wanted it. The U.S. didn't. And to Duncan's misfortune, who actually played like he 'wanted it', the refs held him back with ticky-tack fouls....

If you still claim to know what I 'think' and the thought of it makes you 'tired' respond on the smack forum... not this one. I simply don't think I warranted your explicit 'calling me out'...
Sorry dude, I'm not tired of you. I did not express myself correctly.

What I'm tired of is the excuses. I have been reading about excuses why the US lost since July 2004.

You are cool and I have no problem with Hector the person.

[Phenomanul]

Sorry dude, I'm not tired of you. I did not express myself correctly.

What I'm tired of is the excuses. I have been reading about excuses why the US lost since July 2004.

You are cool and I have no problem with Hector the person.


^^^ Thank you. Those who can admit their own errors are admirable. It's was direct and frank and in doing so you have kept my respect.

[SirChaz]

Relax people the team is not even assembled yet.


He is just interviewing players to gauge interest and to inform them, face to face, of the expectations that come with being on the team.


Duncan has every right to decline to participate.

[smeagol]

If the US picks the right players and commits to its NT, there is no question they will win whatever internatinal championship they play in. But first they have to commit to this with a long term plan.

Indianapolis 2002 and Athens 2004 have proven that showing up with a bunch of stars is no longer enough to walk away with the glory.

I look foward to a 2006 World Championships with a strong US NT.

[smeagol]

^^^ Thank you. Those who can admit their own errors are admirable. It's was direct and frank and in doing so you have kept my respect.

:tu

[CubanMustGo]

So here's a question: everyone else in the world essentially plays by FIBA rules. Why don't we (the US) get off our proud "the game was invented here by a Canadian, we'll make our own rules" kick and use the same rules as the rest of the planet?

[Phenomanul]

So here's a question: everyone else in the world essentially plays by FIBA rules. Why don't we (the US) get off our proud "the game was invented here by a Canadian, we'll make our own rules" kick and use the same rules as the rest of the planet?


My take.... again it is only my opinion.... is that NBA rules allow for a more entertaining show.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

If the US picks the right players and commits to its NT, there is no question they will win whatever internatinal championship they play in. But first they have to commit to this with a long term plan.

Indianapolis 2002 and Athens 2004 have proven that showing up with a bunch of stars is no longer enough to walk away with the glory.

I look foward to a 2006 World Championships with a strong US NT.

I agree. I just don't know how committed NBA players will be to this cause even with this supposed "commitment" to Team USA basketball. I think there's enough U.S. talent outside of the NBA that if the U.S. fielded a team that could practice and play together for a year or two that they might do better than a non-cohesive bunch of NBA guys who just show up to play Olympic pickup ball.

Argentina had the best chemistry, and I think the best international player in Super Manu so they deserved to win. I love how Manu can will himself up a couple of notches when the pressure's on. He's a freaking winner and I'm so glad he's a Spur.

They won the gold medal because they deserved it. End of story.

[Obstructed_View]

Not really.

I’m tired of guys such as Hector or you who downplay the rest of the world’s basketball accomplishments by saying shit like: “The US NT team was assembled six weeks prior to the Olympics and had not time to practice”, “Our best players did not go”, “TD got rapped by the refs”, or “FIBA sucks”.



And whose fault is this?

You are so arrogant you think the US deserves to gold medal just for presenting a team. Who cares about proving their dominance in the court? The US is the US and they should always walk away with the gold.



Another lame excuse.


Under FIBA rules? What kind of drugs are you on?




Whatever floats your boat.



Sure, the minute your team lost, FIBA sucks. You sure do come across as a crybaby. “Timmy got raped”, “FIBA sucks” buaaaaahhhhhhhhh!
FIBA sucks was a Duncan quote, and was intended as a joke. If you cheat, I'm going to call you a cheater whether you win or lose. Get over it.

Only a fucking moron thinks that Duncan wasn't getting hit with touch fouls. Only a fucking moron thinks that the olympic team was the best that the US could send. Only a fucking moron thinks that pointing out the truth that, as bad as the US team was, it still took 8 on 5 basketball to beat them means that I have no respect for the huge improvements by the rest of the world.

There are a number of foreign players that I think are fantastic, and most of them lack the sense of entitlement that the majority of the US players and their fans have. I admire that so it doesn't bother me that deserving classy teams do well. It sickened me when a friend of mine called me after the olympics and said what a fucking loser Tim Duncan is because he was too good to stay in the olympic village with everyone else, something that he wouldn't have said if the US team was beating everyone by 30. It killed me to see the US team lose, and I'm not going to throw them under the bus just because they lost. The officiating would have been terrible regardless of the outcome of the game. Realistically, the games shouldn't have even been close enough for it to matter. It pisses me off that Duncan had to sit there on the block while Carlos Boozer stepped all over him and the rest of the guys stood around waiting to go in for a dunk or put up a brick. That performance was bad all around, and shows the arrogance and incompetence of those that assembled the team, a lesson that they obviously hadn't learned from the previous couple of forays into international competition. Argentina was the classiest, humblest, best TEAM that was at the olympics, which is all that matters, and what makes the competition great. They deserved that gold medal completely, and I'm glad they got it. It doesn't suddenly mean that they hold a candle to the Spurs, or that the officiating was anything approaching good.

None of this changes any of the facts that I mentioned above. ANY NBA team in a meaningful game would destroy any international team under any rules you'd like unless you want to employ officials who can't get around their bias, which you obviously do, because you care more about thumbing your nose at the bad old superpower than you do about competing. Sarunas Jasikevicius hasn't set the league on fire like all the world basketball defenders predicted, and if he's the best that the non-NBA world has to offer, then I rest my case.

[smeagol]

Crying about refs is weak. And that's what you are doing.

And that shit about cheating. Explain that to me again. Who was cheating?

[polandprzem]

Crying about refs is weak. And that's what you are doing.

And that shit about cheating. Explain that to me again. Who was cheating?
Talking about cheating.... Remember Mr. Frodo, smeagol? Hm?

[diego]

only a fucking moron lives in a hypothetical fantasy world. seriously, stop crying, your embarassing yourself and your country. Did you celebrate the previous olympic/wc success of USA? cause if you did you are a fucking hypocrite. you diss fiba refs as if NBA refs were perfect when they dont even follow their own rulebook, much less the one used in 98% of basketball competitions around the world.

duncan wasn't able to work because he had no shooters around him, so international teams were able to crowd him out with zones and triple teams. same thing happens to him in the nba when the spurs are off/lack shooters. the refs are the same for all teams. team usa got beat handily by argentina, by the second quarter we had control of the game. one or two calls on duncan, who fouled out much later, had nothing to do with it.

in any case, if you think teams like the hawks or the celtics can come close to hurting a team like argentina, you have zero credibility, so go back to your la la land, we'll be waiting for you here in reality.

[SLOVENIAN 8]

You must be blinded by that gold medal. USA basketball assembled a team of top jersey sales out of the guys that didn't beg out at the last minute. The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had everything to do with their demise, but that wasn't a team that was there, it was a marketing show for the NBA. The fact is the Hawks or the Raptors would win 19 times out of 20 against Argentina, and ten of those by double digits. Tim Duncan got hosed by the refs in the olympics, and then got bad-mouthed by the bandwagon USA fans after the team lost.

P.S. FIBA sucks


:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

The fact is the Hawks or the Raptors would win 19 times out of 20 against Argentina, and ten of those by double digits.
:lmao :lmao :lmao :lmao

[SLOVENIAN 8]

I cant wait for WC 2006. I would love to see USA in same group with Slovenia :spin
And if we would beat USA -----> :owned :owned :owned :owned

:lol :lol

[angel_luv]

I cant wait for WC 2006. I would love to see USA in same group with Slovenia :spin
And when we would beat USA -----> :owned :owned :owned :owned

:lol :lol

;)

[GO SPurs Go]

I Agree

[smeagol]

Talking about cheating.... Remember Mr. Frodo, smeagol? Hm?
Yep, that Frodo dude cheated me out of My Precioussssss!

[Trainwreck2100]

Only a fucking moron thinks that Duncan wasn't getting hit with touch fouls. Only a fucking moron thinks that the olympic team was the best that the US could send. Only a fucking moron thinks that pointing out the truth that, as bad as the US team was, it still took 8 on 5 basketball to beat them means that I have no respect for the huge improvements by the rest of the world.




That is the biggest load of Bullshit I have seen about this subject from either side. There were only two refs, so it was seven on five.

[Pistons < Spurs]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2284166


Duncan won't play for U.S. at worlds, '08 Games

PHOENIX -- Tim Duncan has officially notified USA Basketball that he will not be a part of the U.S. team that will compete at this year's world championships and the 2008 Olympics.

Jerry Colangelo, managing director of USA Basketball, said Saturday that Duncan's agent, Lon Babby, had called with the news earlier this week. Because of the call, Colangelo did not meet with Duncan when the San Antonio Spurs were in Arizona this weekend.

Colangelo, chosen to form a team to bring the U.S. back to world prominence in the sport, is requiring players to make a three-year commitment. The commitment includes a training camp in July, probably to be held in Las Vegas, as well as exhibition games in China and South Korea leading to the worlds in Japan in August.

There will be another training camp next year, followed by another and more exhibition games prior to the 2008 Games in Beijing.

Colangelo said has met with 15 to 18 players, and Duncan was the first to say he would not take part. Some, including Shaquille O'Neal, have said they were still considering it, while others, including Allen Iverson, have said they were willing to make the commitment.

Duncan was part of the U.S. team that won the bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics. He was selected for the U.S. team at the 2000 Olympics but had to withdraw with a knee injury.

Duncan played for the U.S. teams at the FIBA Americas qualifying tournaments in 1999 and 2003.

Colangelo, who has said the team will include role players and not be simply a collection of superstars, plans to announce the first batch of camp invitees by the NBA's All-Star break in mid-February.

[dbreiden83080]

I don't blame Timmy one bit for not wanting to play in the olympics again. It is never going to be like it was when all the great star players in the NBA signed up to go play. In that past if you chose to play it was a fun easygoing experience. Star players like Duncan could show up play like 12 min a night, team USA would win by 35 pts and go home. Now with the advancement in international competiton it is a serious committment. You have to log major minutes, playing in close games, under international rules, with dreadful officiating that is vastly different from that in the NBA. I am sure the Lebrons and the D-Wades of the NBA will go play, but already Duncan has said no, Shaq has said no, i doubt KG will do it since he blew it off last time. So assuming KG is out the 3 best big men in the NBA right now are not going. Timmy has been more injury proned in offseasons without rest anyway. He will be 32 years old at that point so i say stay away, from team USA.

[Catharsis]

Colangelo hasn't learned jack shit about building a team, still going with a bunch of all-stars.

Where are the shooters? Where are the PGs? Where are the defensive specialists?

Colangelo will fuck it up again for Team USA. Put Pop in there next time to fix things, if you want it done right (dude knows the international game).
I didn't realize the list was already posted. Who are the non-shooters, non-PGs and non-defensive specialists going?

[Catharsis]

Tim's lack of adjustment to, and perhaps his coaches not preparing him for, intl refereeing was really stupid.

Made him look like a fool, and of course ineffective due to foul trouble, and wasted his summer.

Nice insight.

I'm sure the U.S. coaches and Tim did their best to prepare for the international rules and the refs. He couldn't relearn the way he's played the game for the last dozen years and he couldn't control the refs either. People need to get off his back regarding his Olympic performance.
And don't forget that Pops was on the Team USA coaching staff.

[Marklar MM]

I didn't realize the list was already posted. Who are the non-shooters, non-PGs and non-defensive specialists going?

Those are players that have said they will play. They haven't made the team yet I am pretty sure. The roster comes out around all-star break.

[Obstructed_View]

That is the biggest load of Bullshit I have seen about this subject from either side. There were only two refs, so it was seven on five.
Wow, all the stuff I said, and that's the best you can come up with? Well, I stand corrected and deeply regret my mistake. :rolleyes

[DieMrBond]

At least you guys can bitch about 'only' getting a medal! How about us who didnt even get to the medal round!... check out our team... i wish we could complain about only getting the bronze!

* Centers: David Andersen (#13), Paul Rogers (#15)
* Forwards: Andrew Bogut (#6), Martin Cattalini (#7), Matt Nielsen (#14), Anthony Ronaldson (#4), Glen Saville (#12), Jason Smith (#10)
* Guards: C.J. Bruton (#9), Shane Heal (#11), Brett Maher (#5), John Rillie (#8)

Heck, we didnt even have Andrew Gaze! ;)

[Brutalis]

Yeah . . . that worldwide conspiracy to embarass "Los Americanos".

Sure, there is no way the US NT can lose if the playing field is leveled.

The fact that the US, as a team, played like crap had nothing to do with their demise.

:rolleyes

Yes USA played like crap I agree.

But what I think you don't see is the treatment USA got by the fans, the teams they played and the refs. Aside from Argentina's nasty good team, the rest of the teams we played were just dirty. You could watch them all on NBC here in America and it was pretty obvious what was going on. Why do you think several fights almost broke out? VC getting tripped, Duncan getting hacked... it was a mess. And this is why TD isn't coming back. Because a)NBA Title is a lot more important, b)why risk injury? and c)im sure he doesnt want anything to do with that ever again cause of how he was done.

In the end, Argentina proved to be the best team in the world. And I'm sure that's all that matters to you anyways.

[Trainwreck2100]

Wow, all the stuff I said, and that's the best you can come up with? Well, I stand corrected and deeply regret my mistake. :rolleyes

Well, I agree with all the shit you said, but we must accept that the world has caught up to America's B team

[Brutalis]

Well, I agree with all the shit you said, but we must accept that the world has caught up to America's B team

I don't think America's arrogance will allow that to happen. :rolleyes

[smeagol]

[
Yes USA played like crap I agree.

But what I think you don't see is the treatment USA got by the fans, the teams they played and the refs.
1) I don’t think the fans have any influence in the result of any given basketball game.

2) Teams played rough because they want to do well when playing in the Olympic Games. They probably want to beat the US more than any other team, therefore, when playing Team USA, they played more determined. I saw the USA vs PR game. Pretty normal game, if you ask me. The only odd thing was how Arroyo played out of his mind.

3) I already went over the ref issue.



Aside from Argentina's nasty good team, the rest of the teams we played were just dirty.
C’mon man, quit with the excuses. If all the teams you played against played dirty (which I don’t believe was the case), assemble a better team that can play through that and bring the gold home in 2008.



Why do you think several fights almost broke out? VC getting tripped,
VC? Vince Carter? He was not part of the US roster.



Duncan getting hacked... it was a mess.
Getting hacked? Do you mean players from other teams were purposely trying to injure him? That’s BS! Look, Olympic games are competitive. Teams want to win and shit happens. I think this argument of yours that teams were out there playing dirty against the US is BS. If you recall, Marbury hacked Oberto in the US-Argentina game, breaking a bone in his hand. Oberto could not play the gold medal game against Italy and had to wear a plaster for a couple of months. Shit happens. Plain and simple.



And this is why TD isn't coming back. Because a)NBA Title is a lot more important, b)why risk injury? and c)im sure he doesnt want anything to do with that ever again cause of how he was done.
I respect TD’s decision not to play again for team USA. It must be hard to play under b-ball certain rules and all of sudden play under a different set of rules for one competition a year.

[Trainwreck2100]

[
1) I don’t think the fans have any influence in the result of any given basketball game.



But there have been moments of obvious ref screwjobs, see 1972 Olympic Games





I respect TD’s decision not to play again for team USA. It must be hard to play under b-ball certain rules and all of sudden play under a different set of rules for one competition a year.

I don't blame him either when he says a whole governing body sucks, there really is no point to go, cause that will most assuridely guarantee that he gets the same treatment

[smeagol]

But there have been moments of obvious ref screwjobs, see 1972 Olympic Games
But you are quoting my fan comment (that fans have no influence in the outcome of a game (unless you are playing in the Palace :spin )) and mixing it up with comments about refs.

[Obstructed_View]

Well, I agree with all the shit you said, but we must accept that the world has caught up to America's B team
I think the rest of the world is full of terrific basketball players, and basketball is truly no longer just an American sport. Since it's my favorite sport, I love the competition, and it only makes international competition more fun to watch. Argentina was an incredible team, and it would have been nice, as a basketball fan, to see the games fairly reffed, because they clearly weren't. I'm not crying about it, because I don't take it as seriously as some apparently do. It's just that I'm not blind.

I doubt the US team that was sent would have been able to get out of their own way enough to hang with Argentina when they were rolling under any circumstances, but it might have been nice to see. The fact that Duncan didn't really bitch about it when playing for the US team was so important to him just shows his class, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let anybody get away with saying that the only reason he was in foul trouble is because he somehow didn't adjust to the international rules. That shouldn't take anything away from Argentina's gold medal, because they beat everybody that was put in front of them.