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Am I the only one who thinks this guy is a total jackass?
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/t...ican-americans
Hooray for Angola! Go Greece! Get 'em Germany!
Jeff Miller
You can root for Kobe, D-Wade, LeBron and 'Melo.
We'll be rooting for Francisco, Domingos, Gomes and Horacio.
That's right. When they tip off in Beijing next month, we're pulling for Angola. And Greece. And Germany. And pretty much every basketball player there wearing letters that aren't U, S or A.
We, too, can have an Olympic dream, right?
Sorry folks, but we just can't wrap an embrace around a group of multiple-million-dollar corporations in short pants assembled to deliver glory to American round ball and Nike sneakers.
U-S-A? Ain't No Way!
It's not just the size of the wallets these guys are sitting on, either. In truth, that's barely a factor. Other countries also will be employing NBA players, such Chris Kaman, who will represent his motherland of Germany, a place he might possibly even visit someday.
No, the reason we're siding with the rest of the world in China is even simpler than money:
We can't pull for such a decided over-dog.
Rooting for the U.S. team in these Games will be like rooting for the sun to rise. What's the point? The result pretty much is inevitable either way.
Paying income tax isn't as much a forgone conclusion as Chris Paul beating some Iranian off the dribble.
The Americans haven't won a significant world tournament since 2000, true, but does anyone really think this team will end up being anything but golden?
LeBron James guaranteed a first-place Olympic finish, and some people reacted as if he promised to play wearing lipstick and nothing else. Hold the shock, please. Who needs a guarantee that Christmas is coming?
It's a much better story if the Americans don't win in Beijing. Because of the recent U.S. struggles internationally, international basketball — in terms of interest — finally has eclipsed international plate spinning.
Spain matters. Argentina is a threat. Puerto Rico has a one-game Olympic winning streak going against Team U.S.A. Thankfully for Uncle Sam's boys, the Puerto Ricans didn't qualify for the '08 Games.
Everyone suddenly bolted to attention when the Americans finished sixth at the 2002 World Championships. A bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics only made the story more intriguing.
Aren't the Olympics all about great stories? Aren't the best stories ones of unlikely triumph? Aren't unexpected victories the most memorable kind?
Honestly, whose heart doesn't gravitate toward a team like Angola, which faces the ruthless red, white and blue machine in its second game of pool play?
So does all this make us a bad American? Or just a good basketball fan? Are we a threat to national security? Or just a guy hoping to avoid having to write about Dwight Howard dunking over all of China?
Hey, we only want what's best for the group overall. The U.S. winning games by 55 points — 120-65 in an exhibition against Canada last week — isn't exactly our idea of progress.
It would be less painful frankly watching Shaquille O'Neal make 100 free throws.
Yes, we understand that the rest of the world has closed the giant gap U.S. basketballers once had in their favor. We get it that so many people are pulling for this team to restore order, take back something authentically American.
But such pick-and-roll diplomacy seems a little silly. Our quality of life isn't going to be impacted by Jason Kidd's assist-to-turnover ratio against the Germans.
Another reason we just can't get behind the Americans can be summed up in two words: Mike Krzyzewski.
Seems like a decent guy, all right, but he already has won too often, enjoyed too much success. People who build monster programs at places such as Duke don't need more glory.
What's Krzyzewski going to do with a gold medal anyway? Use it to balance the legs of his dinner table? We're guessing that when he flosses his teeth, basketball trophies fall out.
Going anti-American during the Olympics isn't a popular stance, we know that. But we can't be alone out here, can we? There has to be a segment of our nation that agrees, that sees "Redeem Team" and wants jump into that famous flaming cauldron.
After all, we can't be the only ones who are so right.
So bring on Boozer, Bosh and Bryant. Speaking for the rest of the planet, we're ready to kick some made-in-America tail.
Besides, we've been researching the Angolan squad and genuinely feel a kinship with the bunch. We identify with their outside shooting, transition defense and rebounding.
Seriously, we have been scouting them. Why, just now, we discovered something interesting:
Francisco Domingos Gomes Horacio? That's actually just one guy.
Am I the only one who thinks this guy is a total jackass?
This is seriously one of the worst articles I've ever read. Unintelligent and unprofessional. This guy probably watches 10 minutes of basketball a year. Shock value dom at it's finest.
Ah he's from SoCal....makes perfect sense now.
I read it as a bad attempt at humor. He's got a twisted sense of humor, he covers sports for my local newspaper.
Feel sorry for the people that read the paper
I'm in Lakerland, it's not a fun sports section most of the time.
sad to say but i actually agree with this guy on some points. i always like to root for the underdogs in almost every sport. it also doesnt help the fact that no spurs players are on this US team. this is just my opinion though. i dont believe that rooting for a US team shows true patriotism. its just basketball and you can root for who you want to. i dont want to see the US team blow out every team by 20 points. its boring and unexciting. i want to see a HUGE upset with Manu hitting the game winning shot over Lebron James.
that is great basketball.
I'll be rooting for the US to get no medal. Sorry.
I don't personally like the collective arrogance and at ude of en lement Team USA basketball has had the past few years, and especially this year and is one of the reason's why I wouldn't be too upset if say Argentina, Greece, Spain or someone won the Gold.
good point.
Oh and i want to see Dirk hit a fadeaway three in Dwades face to win the game
haha that would be sweet
plus it would be funny to see Kobe lose two times in 3 months.
lol,he will start hitting people
Some good points in the article. I will also be rooting against team Nike, eventhough they will most definitely win gold
I'd like the games to be exciting instead of simply blowouts, but does anyone remember Greece in 06 or Puerto Rico/Argentina in Athens? Don't root against the USA unless you love supporting terror.
thats the way some people make it out to be...
I think people expecting to see the US dominate this year will be in for a surprise. While we may outclass everyone else in terms of talent, many of these countries are fielding teams that have a lot of collective experience together.
What's up with all the anti-patriotism in this thread?
not anti-patriotism. just basketball fans
when i see a David vs Goliath. i will root for David most of the time.
So when the Spurs play an 8th seed in the first round you root for the 8 seed?
Obviously I will root for some of these weaker teams just to make it close, but there's no way I'm hoping for a Team USA loss.
that is hardly anti-patriotistm and hardly david vs. goliath(see mavs vs. warriors, 2007)
i knew someone would bring that up.
thats why i said MOST of the time. not ALL the time
I got to halfway then I got bored. What'd I miss?
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