Mike Monroe: Team USA pays for Coach K's idiotic decision

[Solid D]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/columnists/mmonroe/stories/MYSA090206.03C.COL.BKOmonroe.bowen.2fab2b9.html

Web Posted: 09/01/2006 10:24 PM CDT

San Antonio Express-News

According to a reliable USA Basketball snoop, Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski decided the final roster spot for the FIBA World Championships was center Brad Miller instead of Spurs' forward Bruce Bowen.

Bowen supposedly got the ax because Coach K wanted one more big man for the tournament in Japan and because Miller had shot the ball better from 3-point range in exhibition games in Asia.
Hindsight, of course, is flawless, but in light of Team USA's 101-95 loss to Greece on Friday, that was an idiotic decision because Coach K did not see fit to even play Miller in the game that ended America's dream of regaining the top spot in world basketball.

Among the 24-man cadre from which the USA roster was filled, Bowen was the only member of the NBA's first-team All-Defensive unit available to play in Japan. Kobe Bryant, the only other member of the group who has made an All-Defense first team, was injured.

So think about it. One of the premier defensive players in the world was not good enough for a team that stressed defense. Krzyzewski had insisted it was Priority No.1.

Greece won Friday's game by running the same play, a high pick and roll, over and over and over.

John Stockton and Karl Malone never ran it better.

And Krzyzewski never made the right adjustment to stop it.

How stubborn do you have to be to not try a little zone defense when you're being eaten alive by a pick and roll?

Krzyzewski said something else after the first day of training camp that was both surprising and unsettling. He said he had been greatly impressed by Joe Johnson; that before seeing him in practice he didn't know how good Johnson was.

It was the first clue that the accomplished college coach needed someone to clue him in about the NBA personnel on his roster.

Team USA's head coach needs to know his own personnel better than Krzyzewski did during the FIBA tournament.

Bowen discovered that Coach K was clueless about his own defensive versatility when the coach questioned Bowen's ability to defend Puerto Rican point guard Carlos Arroyo in an exhibition game. Bowen suggested he consult assistant coach Mike D'Antoni, well aware the Phoenix Suns head coach had seen Bowen defending Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and, occasionally, Steve Nash.

After Friday's loss Krzyzewski said Team USA needed to learn the international game better.

Perhaps D'Antoni, who coached in Italy for eight years and obviously knows NBA personnel better than Krzyzewski, would have been a better choice for head coach.

Now the U.S. has to qualify for the 2008 Olympics in the Tournament of the Americas next summer in Venezuela. I wonder how many of the 12 who have to play for the bronze medal, instead of gold, in Japan, are going to want to spend another long summer overseas.

Bowen promises he will be back in the cadre when it convenes for practice next summer.

Perhaps his defensive prowess won't be wasted then.
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[jmard5]

Bowen's defensive mindset was really sorely missed.

[Louis]

Oh please!!...now it's coach K 's fault?...LOL

Bowen is not the difference maker...

They were better off without him....

[Zunni]

Oh please!!...now it's coach K 's fault?...LOL

Bowen is not the difference maker...

They were better off without him....
That's funny. You were SO ready to blame Popovich, an assistant, for 2004, yet K, the head coach is blameless for this? Both of your faces are showing, Louis.

[THE SIXTH MAN]

Oh please!!...now it's coach K 's fault?

Well by your logic it was Pops fault as an assistant coach that the US lost in the olympics. So now who are you blaming Nate McMillan, or let me guess Mike D'Antoni?

[milkyway21]

and because Miller had shot the ball better from 3-point range in exhibition games in Asia. and Bowen can't hit from that location, Coach K?

Greece won Friday's game by running the same play, a high pick and roll, over and over and over.

John Stockton and Karl Malone never ran it better.

And Krzyzewski never made the right adjustment to stop it.

it was during this time that I closed my eyes bec they made it so easy..


Team USA's head coach needs to know his own personnel better than Krzyzewski did during the FIBA tournament.

Bowen discovered that Coach K was clueless about his own defensive versatility when the coach questioned Bowen's ability to defend Puerto Rican point guard Carlos Arroyo in an exhibition game. Bowen suggested he consult assistant coach Mike D'Antoni, well aware the Phoenix Suns head coach had seen Bowen defending Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and, occasionally, Steve Nash.

:wtf :cry


Now the U.S. has to qualify for the 2008 Olympics in the Tournament of the Americas next summer in Venezuela. if Bowen goes he's a yr older and might not be effective as today.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Oh please!!...now it's coach K 's fault?...LOL

Bowen is not the difference maker...

They were better off without him

You've said it's Pop's fault (as an assistant) Team USA lost last time, so using the same logic it's not much of a reach to hang this one on Coach K, especially when he couldn't come up with any way to defend the fundamental play of basketball (pick and roll).

Louis, do yourself a favor and reach over and hit the power button on your computer. You're not even a good troll any more, just Houston's village idiot who managed to find a keyboard.

[Tek_XX]

Is there a way Bowen can get back on the team for the Olympics?

[Kori Ellis]

Is there a way Bowen can get back on the team for the Olympics?

Yes. He'll be old by then. But all 25 guys who were invited to try out this summer are eligible to make the Olympic team.

[Tek_XX]

Yes. He'll be old by then. But all 25 guys who were invited to try out this summer are eligible to make the Olympic team.

He's old now, but that's not stopping him. And he's got some "i told you so's"

[Streakyshooter08]

I don't know if they would have won with Bruce in there but it would have been good to see him on Spanoulis while he got hot and started killing the US. Having one of the best 1-1 defenders for this situation would have been nice AND he is able to shoot 3s... but is it pointless because we will never know but I am sure he would have helped the team in this situation.

[Dex]

On the rare occasion, I really don't mind saying I told you so. Team USA forgot its priorities, and it backfired on them the same way it did in Athens.

And before all you patriots go getting your panties in a wad, I'm not saying that Bruce Bowen would've SAVED the World Championships.

But I think it's obvious, finally, that him not being there (or even getting a decent chance to play!) was part of the big-picture problem.

[T Park]

Pop wouldn't have won either.

I mean, according to Aggie and others he can't coach an offense against a zone D.

I mean you need to consult a college coach for that.


oops.....

[Winnipeg_Spur]

Coach K made some fairly idiotic decisions, but I don't know if I'd put leaving Bowen off at the top of the list. He could've helped, but Krzyzewski wouldn't have played him anyway.

What was truly puzzling was how they could be so poorly prepared to defend pick and rolls and what more did Dwight Howard have to do to earn playing time? Grabbing every rebound and making lots of easy dunks didn't seem to be enough...

[ALVAREZ6]

I still wonder how the fuck "Krzyzewski" is pronounced shuh - SHEF - skee


:wtf

[picnroll]

Oh please!!...now it's coach K 's fault?...LOL

Bowen is not the difference maker...

They were better off without him....
Coach K is a dipshit who couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag.

[SpurYank]

It was a difficult game to watch. I wanted the three Spurs to do well, and I wanted our USA team to win at the same time. As I reflect on the game, I still see our team composed of a lot of individual stars (Anthony, James, and Wade, and today they prevailed against a somewhat deflated and unmotivated team whose star sat on the bench a great deal of the time.

I saw Scola and Oberto playing significant roles for their team and now wonder if they could do the same with our Spurs.

Also, there is now little to choose between international teams, that is, doesn't everyone see parity? Delfino's dunk down the lane could just as easily have been similar to James', Wade's, or Anthony's.

We have nothing to be ashamed of. We play great basketball here in America. And now, so does the rest of the world. I think it's great.

[polandprzem]

I still wonder how the fuck "Krzyzewski" is pronounced shuh - SHEF - skee


:wtf


You can't do that :)
It's a polish name

[DirkAB]

Coach K is a dipshit who couldn't coach his way out of a paper bag.


Obviously, what tipped you off? His 10 Final Four appearances? His 7 NCAA Championship game appearances? Or his 3 NCAA championships? Can't coach his way out of a paper bag, but he sure can coach some basketball.

[BeerIsGood!]

You can't really expect a bunch of guys to come together and practice for a couple of weeks, then play some exhibition games, then get ready to win 9 games in a row against increasingly better competition. This team did about as well as it could seeing how there was talent but no chemistry.

The NBA is NIGHT and DAY different from FIBA - it's almost like playing a variation on the sport. The only real way the US team would be able to get it down would be to practice and play as a unit often between now and the Olympics - which won't happen.

[BrianBird]

Obviously, what tipped you off? His 10 Final Four appearances? His 7 NCAA Championship game appearances? Or his 3 NCAA championships? Can't coach his way out of a paper bag, but he sure can coach some basketball.


Apperently there are a few slight differences between the college game and professional international competition :rolleyes

Steve Spurrier was no slouch of a college coach but boy did he do a marvelous job in the NFL. Same can be said of Rick Patino and the gem of an NBA coach he became.

Let the great NBA coaches lead THEIR players in international play, and leave the college coaches on campus where they're supposed to be.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Pop wouldn't have won either.

I mean, according to Aggie and others he can't coach an offense against a zone D.

I mean you need to consult a college coach for that.


oops.....


Coach K is one of the worst coaches they could have picked. Did anyone watch the NCAAs this year? His whole offense consisted of running Redick through 25 screens a possession til' he got open.

When LSU adjusted and took that out, Duke never could adjust. Coach K gets by because he generally puts more talent on the floor than any team he faces, and he has the refs in his back pocket.

They couldn't have picked a worse college coach to head this team, and you still miss the point of my original argument - Team USA needs a college coach *as an assistant* to help with things. Like it or not, NBA players will never respect a college coach in situations like this. You need an NBA coach as head coach to juggle the egos of the squad, you just need some college insight to make it all work.

The perfect coaching staff for Team USA would be Pop or Phil Jackson as HC, with Jim Boeheim as assistant #1. You could fill out the coaching staff with members of Spurstalk and be set.

Thanks for still not getting it, Tfart.

[Bruno]

As a foreigner, I don't care about what he has done with Duke and I'm quite neutral but this K guy has been horrible on this tournament. Some example :

1) Third quarter of the Greece game : USA are -6 at the half and he wait to be at -16 to take a Timeout :lol.

2) As said before, he hasn't used Dwight Howard in the second half while he was playing great in the first half.

3) At the press conference, he has called Greek players by their jersey number and not by their name. Either he is lazy as hell or he thought that USA was way better than other countries but he hasn't really scouted Greece that was one of the best team in the world.

4) A defense based on steal and on cuting passing lanes :lol. Maybe it works in NCAA against 20 years old players but if this guy had a clue about world BB, he would have known that there are some teams like Greece that take care of the ball with solid ballhandlers.

[Slinkyman]

Obviously, what tipped you off? His 10 Final Four appearances? His 7 NCAA Championship game appearances? Or his 3 NCAA championships? Can't coach his way out of a paper bag, but he sure can coach some basketball.

He's good at paying off ACC refs, DUKE = CHEATERS

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Obviously, what tipped you off? His 10 Final Four appearances? His 7 NCAA Championship game appearances? Or his 3 NCAA championships? Can't coach his way out of a paper bag, but he sure can coach some basketball.

He gets by because he generally is trotting out 10 high school All-Americans to play ball against at most 2-3 of them, and because he gets to say whether or not a ref works in his conference or at the DI level the following year.

The idea of him being a successful national team coach is a joke.

I think deep down the NBA suits wanted to put a college coach in charge in case the national media formed the lynch mob that they did after teams led by Karl and L. Brown bombed out.

If the head coach has to take a fall, it's better to have a college guy as the scapegoat instead of the media trashing an NBA guy, that's bad for David Stern's business.

[T Park]

with Jim Boeheim as assistant #1. You could fill out the coaching staff with members of Spurstalk and be set.


He was the number 1 assistant.

With D'Antoni and Mcmillan

two pretty good NBA coaches. Of course McMillan is a good defensive coach.

[Kori Ellis]

As a foreigner, I don't care about what he has done with Duke and I'm quite neutral but this K guy has been horrible on this tournament. Some example :

1) Third quarter of the Greece game : USA are -6 at the half and he wait to be at -16 to take a Timeout :lol.

2) As said before, he hasn't used Dwight Howard in the second half while he was playing great in the first half.

3) At the press conference, he has called Greek players by their jersey number and not by their name. Either he is lazy as hell or he thought that USA was way better than other countries but he hasn't really scouted Greece that was one of the best team in the world.

4) A defense based on steal and on cuting passing lanes :lol. Maybe it works in NCAA against 20 years old players but if this guy had a clue about world BB, he would have known that there are some teams like Greece that take care of the ball with solid ballhandlers.

Good analysis of his mistakes.

Also his crazy shuffle of the lineup in the 4th quarter of the Greece game was ridiculous. Shuffling players in and out aimlessly is going to help anything when you are trying to win a game.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

He was the number 1 assistant.

With D'Antoni and Mcmillan

two pretty good NBA coaches. Of course McMillan is a good defensive coach.

Boeheim was the #1 on paper only. The main assistant with any influence for Team USA was D'Antoni.

If Nate is such a good coach, how come he didn't chime in when Team USA was getting shredded by the pick and roll?

There was absolutely nothing resembling a zone offense run by Team USA. Just isos and jacking up threes whenever teams sprung the zone on them.

That tells me Boeheim didn't have any input on the team's offense, because the man knows the zone forwards and backwards on both ends of the court.

[polandprzem]

I tell you one thing. VS Greece they had no offense.
There were few gives and goes and screenrolls inside. But that's it.
How come more athletic americans couldn't use that adventage? (fastbreaks)

And again. Krzyrzewski, D'Antoni and Boehim had a history with zones. I do not undrestand why the americans weren't prepare the right way.

[ChumpDumper]

4) A defense based on steal and on cuting passing lanes :lol. Maybe it works in NCAA against 20 years old players but if this guy had a clue about world BB, he would have known that there are some teams like Greece that take care of the ball with solid ballhandlers.That was the height of arrogance and disrespect IMO, and was simply an extension of the "dominate with athleticism" mentality that led us to earlier defeats. It's as if they thought the rest of the world would Beno away the ball if they just ran at them and said "Boo!" Once a team knew how to get past halfcourt, the USA's defense was practically nonexistent.

[mabber]

That was the height of arrogance and disrespect IMO, and was simply an extension of the "dominate with athleticism" mentality that led us to earlier defeats. It's as if they thought the rest of the world would Beno away the ball if they just ran at them and said "Boo!" Once a team knew how to get past halfcourt, the USA's defense was practically nonexistent.


Reminded me of defenses on pre-Avery Mav teams.

Maybe the USA will finally get it now. I too think they fell back into that "how can we not win since we have the more athletic players" mode. They talked a good game going into the tryouts, then they cut Bowen. They played a little bit more pressure defense (college type that the pro's on the good teams ate up) but in the end nothing really changed. Coach K basically just hoped that LeBron, Wade & Melo would be good enough offensively to win the gold. I don't blame the players at all. This one is entirely on the coaching staff.

[Kori Ellis]

The whole time I was watching the USA games, it reminded me of when I watched the All-Star Game practices. In the All-Star game, they just run "summertime" as Pop calls it. Which basically means just freestyle or ISO's for whoever has the ball after the intial pass. It was kind of disgusting after all the preaching by Colangelo, Coach K, etc. about preparation, there were no plays. Even if they called a timeout and ran a play, it was just a ISO up top for one of the big 3.

Lame.

[pjjrfan]

Well, Mike Monroe makes some valid points and I don't think he was saying that Bruce would have made a difference in that game, but that his prescense on the team would have made a diffenrence on the mindset and focus of the USA team. And I think he is correct in his assumption. I have nothing against Coach K, but obviously when he questions Bowen's ability to guard quick players he has no idea what Bruce is all about. Most times when you talk about great defenses you talk about chemistry, tenaciousness and toughness. Bruce would have helped bring all those qualities to this team. I think that in the end, Coach K still settled for an all-star team.

[GrandeDavid]

It sounds as if Bruce Bowen never got a completely unbiased shot at making this team. That is ultimately on Coach K. But nobody is perfect and at least Team USA salvaged third place over a high quality team in Argentina.

[boutons_]

"lame"

All-star 1-on-1/urban street ball and disruptive defense worked on shitty teams (aka uncompettive filler invited to draw their countries' veiwers and promote basketball), but it failed on competitive teams.

[TDMVPDPOY]

cry me a river?

sumwhere in south africa, bruce bowen looms in the shadow :D:D:D:D

[mabber]

The whole time I was watching the USA games, it reminded me of when I watched the All-Star Game practices. In the All-Star game, they just run "summertime" as Pop calls it. Which basically means just freestyle or ISO's for whoever has the ball after the intial pass. It was kind of disgusting after all the preaching by Colangelo, Coach K, etc. about preparation, there were no plays. Even if they called a timeout and ran a play, it was just a ISO up top for one of the big 3.

Lame.

If it really matters to the US, they'll figure it out and win the Olympics in 2 years. It's not like they still don't have the best players (just not the best team(s) yet). I'm still not convinced that it really matters to them. I really don't think the majority of NBA basketball fans really care about it as well. Americans (I being one) are very arrogant so it will only take the some of the foreign players, fans to start saying that maybe the USA is not the best in basketball anymore for them to really care about. Yes, the players and coaches are saying things that make it sound like it really matters to them but I think it's still just talk.

[TheSanityAnnex]

Miller was essential to this team because he can do what a big man needs to do in international ball: pass & shoot.

Bowen can defend, that is all. He has no shot, he wasn't needed. End of story.

[Kori Ellis]

Miller was essential to this team because he can do what a big man needs to do in international ball: pass & shoot.

Bowen can defend, that is all. He has no shot, he wasn't needed. End of
story.

If Miller was essential, why didn't he play?

I don't even think Bowen was that essential on the court, but I think his presence, leadership, focus and professionalism would have helped in regards to the maturation of the team.

[TheSanityAnnex]

If Miller was essential, why didn't he play?

I don't even think Bowen was that essential on the court, but I think his presence, leadership, focus and professionalism would have helped in regards to the maturation of the team.
I couldn't tell you why he didn't play? I didn't give two shits about this tournament and didn't watch a game this year. But I know how international ball is played and Bowen would not have had that much of an impact. He is too one dimensional. And I like Bowen too.

I still think Artest should have been on the team.

[Kori Ellis]

I couldn't tell you why he didn't play? I didn't give two shits about this tournament and didn't watch a game this year. But I know how international ball is played and Bowen would not have had that much of an impact. He is too one dimensional. And I like Bowen too.

I still think Artest should have been on the team.

Artest = Too risky.

Can't send mental players on international ground :)

[TheSanityAnnex]

Artest = Too risky.

Can't send mental players on international ground :)That is the fun part of it. Many more people would tune in just to see if he'll blow up.

Who fucking cares if it is a risk. Did we win gold without him?

[spurschick]

"We're still on top. We still have the best players in the world and we're gonna prove that next summer (at the FIBA Americas Championship)."
USA's Carmelo Anthony promises his team will be back


I'm sorry, but Carmelo Anthony really gets on my last nerve. There is nothing wrong with team pride and I expect them to have confidence going into next summer, but his delivery sounds very arrogant.

[TheSanityAnnex]

"We're still on top. We still have the best players in the world and we're gonna prove that next summer (at the FIBA Americas Championship)."
USA's Carmelo Anthony promises his team will be back


I'm sorry, but Carmelo Anthony really gets on my last nerve. There is nothing wrong with team pride and I expect them to have confidence going into next summer, but his delivery sounds very arrogant.

He does speak the truth.


A couple more tweaks to this roster (chemistry) and they should kill the Olympics.

[mabber]

"We're still on top. We still have the best players in the world and we're gonna prove that next summer (at the FIBA Americas Championship)."
USA's Carmelo Anthony promises his team will be back


I'm sorry, but Carmelo Anthony really gets on my last nerve. There is nothing wrong with team pride and I expect them to have confidence going into next summer, but his delivery sounds very arrogant.

And you're surprised by his arrogance (called confidence when Manu talks like this about his Argentina team-lol)? This is why they still may not get it. The players probably think it was just a fluke that they lost.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Miller was essential to this team because he can do what a big man needs to do in international ball: pass & shoot.

He was so essential he saw significant time in the Greece game. Good fucking call Kings troll.

[TheSanityAnnex]

I'm not the fucking coach now am I? How essential was Bowen?
He was so essential he saw significant time in the Greece game. Good fucking call Kings troll.

[polandprzem]

Third fluke in a row

[dbestpro]

Brad Miller is so important that the Kings were trying to figure out a way to unload him after the season, but could find no takers. Yes he's the best the NBA could find. Coach K is a great college coach and has done an excellent job with the media and refs at the college level. To recognize how well he really coaches you can just look at all the blue chip recruits who became superstar NBA players. Why there's Grant Hill and... and.... and... wel there was Grant Hill.

K is right about one thing. The USA team needs to learn how to play as a team in international play. First, they need a coach who knows the international game, players included.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'm not the fucking coach now am I? How essential was Bowen?

Moreso than Coach K ever could know, but then again you're talking about the HC who didn't think Bowen could guard Carlos Arroyo either.

Coach K = Coach Clueless.

[picnroll]

Coach K is a dipshit.

[TheSanityAnnex]

Brad Miller is so important that the Kings were trying to figure out a way to unload him after the season, but could find no takers. Link please.

[SequSpur]

Please tell me this is not a Bruce Bowen whiner topic?

[judaspriestess]

I did not watch one game, I for several reasons was just not interested.

I'm glad I did not watch the games, sounds to me like I would have been disappointed in the performances. Although I am not surprised at the results.

[Kings241]

Bowen wouldn't make a difference in this tournament. International Basketball is all about small ball and shooting. The Phoenix Suns would have been a perfect team to go out in the olympics and win the gold.

Brad Miller should have gotten more PT because he can go outside and hit threes all day against the opposing bigs.

[mabber]

Bowen wouldn't make a difference in this tournament. International Basketball is all about small ball and shooting. The Phoenix Suns would have been a perfect team to go out in the olympics and win the gold.

Brad Miller should have gotten more PT because he can go outside and hit threes all day against the opposing bigs.

I'm not sure if Bowen being on the team would have made a difference in the outcome but he surely could have helped those guys guard the pic 'n roll vs. Greece. That was ridiculous!

[ChumpDumper]

This talk about Brad Miller being great for the international game would be fine and dandy if we had actually run something resembling an international-type offense. Miller in the offense team USA actually ran would be a fucking joke. They would have been better off picking Tony Battie for the team.

[TheSanityAnnex]

So coack K is to blame no?

[Dalhoop]

1) Third quarter of the Greece game : USA are -6 at the half and he wait to be at -16 to take a Timeout . Waiting for a team to make a 10 point swing is standard, I have no problem with that. One of the reasons for waiting is to see if your players can figure something out on their own, and hang them out to dry if they don't.


2) As said before, he hasn't used Dwight Howard in the second half while he was playing great in the first half.This is a problem, the coaches and other players need to know that the coach will stick with the hot hand. One of the weaknesses of bring a team of stars is that everyone feels they should get minutes, it is up to the coaches to let all the players know "the hot hand gets the minutes"


3) At the press conference, he has called Greek players by their jersey number and not by their name. Either he is lazy as hell or he thought that USA was way better than other countries but he hasn't really scouted Greece that was one of the best team in the world. I would not want to embarace myself by trying some of those names either, there is a difference between not knowing a players name and not pronounsing it correctly on world T.V.


4) A defense based on steal and on cuting passing lanes . Maybe it works in NCAA against 20 years old players but if this guy had a clue about world BB, he would have known that there are some teams like Greece that take care of the ball with solid ballhandlers.

It is the "flashier" play and can be effective against most teams. He should have went Zone though

[Bruno]

Waiting for a team to make a 10 point swing is standard, I have no problem with that. One of the reasons for waiting is to see if your players can figure something out on their own, and hang them out to dry if they don't.

A 10 point swing isn't a big deal when it's from +5 to -5 but it was from -4 to -14 (I've checked with play by play). When you wait to be at -14, 15 min before the end of the game, to take a timeout, it's a mistake because the game is almost lost. USA has played together for one month, you had to coach them more and you can't expect that they find a tactical answer alone. You don't wait to take 22 points in 5 min (it makes 211 points in 48 min :spin ) to make adjustements with your defense. And no need to keep timeouts for the end of the game like in NBA, timeout at the end of the game are less usefull with FIBA rules than with NBA rules.



This is a problem, the coaches and other players need to know that the coach will stick with the hot hand. One of the weaknesses of bring a team of stars is that everyone feels they should get minutes, it is up to the coaches to let all the players know "the hot hand gets the minutes"

Howard was the hot hand : 10 points, 7 rebounds and some good paint defense in 13 minutes.



I would not want to embarace myself by trying some of those names either, there is a difference between not knowing a players name and not pronounsing it correctly on world T.V.

When you scout a lot a player and discuss a lot with your assitants about him , you know how to pronounce his name. Spanoulis and Papaloukas aren't impossible to pronounce. The name story isn't a big deal by itself, the big deal is that he didn't know enough greek team. By seing this game, it was obvious that USA coach and players were clueless about Greeks strengh and weakness. He has been arrogant, clueless or lazy.



It is the "flashier" play and can be effective against most teams. He should have went Zone though

USA can't easily win and be flashy at the same time now. It's no more 1992 when the dream team won without taking a timeout duting the whole tournament. This defense isn't effective against good teams and it's either arrogance (as ChumpDumper said) or lack of international BB knowledge to think that all international teams aren't good enough to break a defense like that.

BTW, the 3 years deal is a good idea but I don't see the point if they don't work on offensive and defensive schemes.

[leemajors]

And you're surprised by his arrogance (called confidence when Manu talks like this about his Argentina team-lol)? This is why they still may not get it. The players probably think it was just a fluke that they lost.

manu's team has actually won some signifigant international competition lately, the US and namely teams with carmelo on them haven't. but i agree with you.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Waiting for a team to make a 10 point swing is standard, I have no problem with that. One of the reasons for waiting is to see if your players can figure something out on their own, and hang them out to dry if they don't.


You don't wait when you're already down 6 to start the run. For someone whose a Mavs fan, I don't get why you're on your knees for Coach K. Avery has pulled the trigger on timeouts when his team gave up 4-0 runs to start the second half.



This is a problem, the coaches and other players need to know that the coach will stick with the hot hand. One of the weaknesses of bring a team of stars is that everyone feels they should get minutes, it is up to the coaches to let all the players know "the hot hand gets the minutes"


So now the inmates were running the asylum? Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Coach K the coach? This isn't little league, where everyone gets to play equal minutes.



I would not want to embarace myself by trying some of those names either, there is a difference between not knowing a players name and not pronounsing it correctly on world T.V.

Yeah, how could a coach who is responsible for scouting teams and players ever figure out their names when half the people on Spurstalk know how to pronounce them?



It is the "flashier" play and can be effective against most teams. He should have went Zone though

The only time that defense works is against poorly disciplined teams (like All-Star teams). Any structured offense rips it to shreds.

Dallas callled, they want their village idiot back - put down the keyboard and go home.

[Sway]

Here is a good article on Coach K's WC performance:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/kelly_dwyer/09/02/us.argentina/index.html

[Solid D]

I am currently reading Sun Tsu's "The Art of War" again. It has excellent application in competitive situations, whether in athletics or in business situations (or nation v. nation naturally).

I am reminded of Coach K and his staff when reading something from Chapter 3 in "The Art of War". The chapter comes to a close with the following:

"Therefore I say:

One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be in danger in a hundred battles.

One who does not know the enemy but knows himself will sometimes win, sometimes lose.

One who does not know the enemy and does not know himself will be in danger in every battle."

These are certainly words to remember.

After Greece defeated Team USA in the WC Semifinals, Coach K had the following quote:

"I though number 4 was spectacular in the first half, number 7 was spectacular in the second half, and number 15 in the second half hit huge shots for them at the end of the clock. Their offense beat our defense. I will take responsibility for that."

These are also certainly words to remember.

[ShoogarBear]

Here is a good article on Coach K's WC performance:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/kelly_dwyer/09/02/us.argentina/index.htmlI saw that article before and thought it was the typical expected fluff piece on K that we've come to expect from the national media.

If Larry Brown had just laid that horrendous coaching egg on Greece, do you think anyone would be saying "he needs another chance"?

[Solid D]

Meanwhile, at least one US National Team can take care of business in the World Championships...

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/090606dnspoworldsoftball.1a1a578.html

Former Longhorn lifts U.S. to world softball title

04:18 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Associated Press


BEIJING – Former Texas standout Cat Osterman pitched two complete games Tuesday to lift the U.S. team to the gold medal at the world softball championships.

Jessica Mendoza and Crystl Bustos hit back-to-back homers as the U.S. beat Japan, 3-0, in the title game. The U.S. team beat Australia, 5-1, earlier Tuesday to reach the gold-medal game. The Americans avenged a 3-1 loss Monday to Japan, which ended the Americans' unbeaten streak at the world championships.

Mendoza hit a two-run homer in the sixth that was followed by a solo blast by Bustos, who also homered against Australia.

Osterman has 10 strikeouts against Australia and 14 in the final against Japan.

"Cat was the key," U.S. coach Mike Candrea said. "She got stronger as the days went on. And we knew that would be huge for us. She started up and Crystl Bustos was great."

The U.S. team finished 10-1 in the tournament. Softball has been dropped from the Olympics after the 2008 Beijing Games. The Americans have won all three gold medals since softball became an Olympic sport in 1996.

[Kamnik]

I am currently reading Sun Tsu's "The Art of War" again. It has excellent application in competitive situations, whether in athletics or in business situations (or nation v. nation naturally).

I am reminded of Coach K and his staff when reading something from Chapter 3 in "The Art of War". The chapter comes to a close with the following:

"Therefore I say:

One who knows the enemy and knows himself will not be in danger in a hundred battles.

One who does not know the enemy but knows himself will sometimes win, sometimes lose.

One who does not know the enemy and does not know himself will be in danger in every battle."

These are certainly words to remember.

After Greece defeated Team USA in the WC Semifinals, Coach K had the following quote:

"I though number 4 was spectacular in the first half, number 7 was spectacular in the second half, and number 15 in the second half hit huge shots for them at the end of the clock. Their offense beat our defense. I will take responsibility for that."

These are also certainly words to remember.

i liked art of war a lot

nice comparisons :)

[gus]

Let me tell you something, after the losses Larry Brown´s Team was starting to play together. Look they beat Spain ( who was undeafeted like in Japan ) and loose to a super inspired Argentina.

I had the idea that US team in Greece with a couple more of games would habe been unbeatable.

Coach K's team looked to me at the end very beatable. I mean very beatable. After what I saw with Greece and 1st Q against a unmotivated, exhausted and Depressed Argentina I would say they would not beat Spain (contrary to my predictions before WC) , and I really doubt that they would beat Argentina in normal situations.

With regard to basketball the balance is inferior. With regard to class, this is a better team.

A single person (Bowen) would have not changed shit.-

Gus.

[bdictjames]

Bowen must be really proud of himself when U.S. lost.. He didn't want to contribute in the scoring he just does what he does best - man-to-man defense. Like the red guy down there
:madrun

[ShoogarBear]

Let me tell you something, after the losses Larry Brown´s Team was starting to play together. Look they beat Spain ( who was undeafeted like in Japan ) and loose to a super inspired Argentina.

I had the idea that US team in Greece with a couple more of games would habe been unbeatable.
I agree with this.

The 04 team was playing a lot better at the end than when they started.

This 06 team was not.

I'm not saying that Brown did a better job than Krzyzewski. But there no way in hell you can say that K did a better job than Brown.

[gus]

I agree with this.

The 04 team was playing a lot better at the end than when they started.

This 06 team was not.

I'm not saying that Brown did a better job than Krzyzewski. But there no way in hell you can say that K did a better job than Brown.


The issue was that Larry Brown took the long way, that is a team playing with the fundamentals. Maybe Mr. Brown could have make his team play with a little faster pace and the problems in Preliminary rounds could have been avoided, but in the end when you face the tough guys ( Spain etc. ) he proved to be wiser. The problem is that Mr. Brown has some attitude problems. If Pop were the coach none of these attitude problems would have been ocurred.

I repeat the team in the Olympics beat the crap out Spain when they were playing at a similar level than this year.- I think now that if Coach K have faced Spain they would have loose for 30 points.

Let's see what coach K does in the Olympics.

Just a thought.-

Gus