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You must have missed the threads that argued this when Manu was deciding if he could play. It went both ways here, people pissed that he's playing and people defending his right to play for his country and try to defend his Gold.
Mark Cuban has complained, a lot of people have complained, but why does it still happen?
Foreign players in the NBA ....
What happens when a star NBA player that is under contract for an NBA team decides to play for another country during the summer? The reasoning behind traditional use of NBA players in the Olympics was : Well, they are representing the good old US of A. It's OK.... but that's not the case now. The player could risk injury and further wear and tear on the body that has absolutely no benefit to the NBA or to the United States. This is exactly the case with Manu Ginobili and Yao Ming.
Manu Ginobili will once again play for the Argentine National team in this year's Olympic games. Manu is suffering from an ankle injury which prevented him from playing to his full potential during the San Antonio Spurs playoff run. It was evident that Manu was not Manu as the Spurs were tossed out of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers. You would think that Manu would rest and prepare himself for the 2008-2009 NBA season, right? The Spurs are paying him millions of dollars to do just that, after all. Instead, Manu is going to play on his bum ankle and risk further injury to play for the Argentine National team. What happens if he suffers an injury that ruins his 08-09 season for the Spurs? It's not just about the money here. This is another year of Tim Duncan's legendary career. It could mean another championship. If The Spurs have millions in salary cap tied to with Manu, they expect Manu to be healthy. Manu does not seem to care. He is here in the USA on a work visa. He has never applied for american citizenship and never will. He has dual citizenship in Argentina (birth) and Italy (his family history gave him rights to Italian citizenship).
This same situation goes for Yao Ming, who resides in the USA with a temporary visa. Yao suffered a season ending injury, forcing the Houston Rockets to play without him once again. McGrady had to take the blame, once again. What happens if Yao goes down with another serious injury because he spent his time playing for the Chinese national team instead of resting for the 2008-2009 NBA season?
The NBA might not want to talk about this right now, but many owners have complained about it. The day will come that a foreign NBA star such as Manu or Yao that play for an important team will suffer a severe injury while playing for another country and ruin the season for the NBA team that feeds him. Then maybe, the NBA will want to talk about it. After all, the NBA and it's logo might say red, white, and blue, but we know it's all about green - no matter what country it flows from.
What do you think about this issue?
As a fan, I would be pissed off if my favorite NBA team had to suffer because of this. He didn't play for my country and he ruined my NBA team's season...... oh boy. I don't understand why there aren't MORE american fans angry about it
You must have missed the threads that argued this when Manu was deciding if he could play. It went both ways here, people pissed that he's playing and people defending his right to play for his country and try to defend his Gold.
His right to defend his country is a viable point. Another counterpoint is the Spurs right to hold out on extending Ginobili past the 2010 season. He is getting old fast and his style of play doesn't bear well for his future if he continues to play 100 plus games a season.
I understand that there are a lot of Argentine fans that post on the Spurs board.
My question is to the american fans.
We get no benefit from them playing for their own country. If they play for the USA, that's one thing.... but if they ruin the 2008-2009 NBA season by getting injured or showing up tired and they DIDN'T play for USA, then what the do we american fans benefit from?
This is a big problem in my eyes.
Their contracts says nothing about not playing for their own country...so, live with it.
Non-American players have the same amount of rights to play in the Olympics as American players. Will it be tragic for their NBA teams if Manu or Yao or LeBron or Bosh get hurt? Absolutely. However, whether that risk is taken with red, white, and blue on your back or not shouldn't make a difference.
If the NBA and its owners don't want their players participating in the Olympics, fine. Make it a league-wide rule against international play, and the entire American team will be college kids again. But there's no reason to discriminate against foreign-born players just because they happen to play professional ball in America. These teams aren't owned by the American government, they're just owned by Americans. That could easily change in the next 5-10 years. If Belgians can buy Anheuser-Bush, then rich Spaniards could buy the Lakers. How would you feel if these new owners said Pau Gasol could play for the Spanish team, but Kobe Bryant couldn't play for the American team?
It absolutely 100% makes a difference. NBA pro's playing in the Olympics started in 1992 and the reasoning was because hey, they are representing our country.
In this case, they are not. The NBA is an american business that mostly caters to the american fan.
It makes a huge difference when your favorite team loses a major player because they were playing for Team USA. That's not so bad. When it's because they are playing for another country, now it's bad. I'm an american and I don't give a about their country. They are paid to play in the NBA. That's it. If they want to play in the Olympics, then represent Team USA. Anyone else, and it's not in my interest as a basketball fan to see the NBA season ruined.
Something i have said before, is the damn system is just set up for players like Manu to go over their and play, and not have to worry about anything financially. Once you sign that big money deal, it's guaranteed. So if you get hurt playing in the Olympics it does not cost you one cent. I think this is enough of a problem that ownership in the future will likely push for, stipulations in the contracts that will cost, these players money if they get hurt playing over the summer. If that day comes, you will see almost nobody in the NBA playing in the Olympics. For 95% of athletes it is all about the money and that is being generous.
This must be news to you, NBA wants to go global. What better way than to display NBA talents in the biggest world stage?
that's the answer you seek. It's a business.
Hollinger said the same last season... u still guys don;t get it don;t u?
so now its alright for American basketball players to play in the Olympics but foreigners shouldn't be allowed?? Seriously, are you ing re ed?
That's a serious question by the way
This issue of playing for the NT is something very controversial around the world and in many others sports such as soccer.
Personally I think that it's something that has to be discussed with your team, both player and coach have to agree. It's not a matter of who pays you and you being an employee as a player, becouse also you have rights. The player has to show that he's will is good enough to play and sacrifice his body a whole summer and also the player has to understand the risks he's taking.
Last edited by MmP; 08-02-2008 at 06:53 PM.
Yes he is !
That's a serious question by the way
And it's not funny to laugh at somebody who suffer from congenital mental deficiency.
An argentine and a french fan uniting forces. Not surprised.
If an american NBA player wants to risk injury by playing for TEAM USA, then I support him.
if a non-american NBA wants to risk injury by playing for another country, I don't support him.
I don't give a about Argentina. I give a about the United States of America and the National Basketball Association. This does NOT benefit the american fan AT ALL. The best we can hope for is that the player does not get injured and LOSES.
1) I don't want that player beating Team USA, so I root for TEAM USA.
2) The best I can hope for is that this player does not get injured.
What is the point?
So another country that has nothing to do with USA benefits from this? So the player is happy? Boo hoo. You have your millions to console you. It's about the FAN. And the american fan wants NBA players to play for TEAM USA or be healthy for the NBA.
well, that would be all well and good if the NBA was owned by the American government. As it stands, the NBA is privately owned, which means American national interests have absolutely nothing to do with whether foreign players get to play in the Olympics or not. The fact that you think they should shows you have absolutely no ing clue how your own culture works. What you are describing is something a country like China would do, something a country like Cuba would do. Think about that.
Jesus you are one re ed mofo.
+1
Couldn`t have said it better!
Owners wouldn't have the power to do that because that type of rule would be enforced by the league, not individual teams.
American fans buy tickets to games, not spaniards.
yeah tell that to the people who purchase season tickets, and i promise they will tell you............thats why manu is just another 3 point shooter, if he makes 5 or 6 we may win, if he doesnt chances are we lose, havnt you been watching manu play as of late....his ankle isnt gonna get better, ankles never do
I doubt the Olympic committee would EVER disallow professional athletes from competing. If NBA owners ever did, it would make it less attractive for foreign-born players to play in the NBA.
The decision to play is Manu's and Yao's alone. It's not for us or anyone else to decide. These guys face an immense amount of political and social pressure to represent their country. Besides that, they all have an extraordinary sense of personal and patriotic pride. They should not be derided for that.
There's no question that it's a risky proposition and it sucks for us fans. Perhaps as they get older, they'll compete less in the offseason. In the meantime, let's all simply cross our fingers and hope that no one gets injured.
Last edited by SenorSpur; 08-02-2008 at 09:00 PM.
next one manu should
if they can keep them from surfing and other sports
they can put clauses not to allow them to play in the stupid games
Just my 2 cents:
The NBA is not a typical example of a "corporation." It is the most renowned basketball league in the world. The super stars that play here - international or not - should count their blessings every second, because they make more money than 99% of people can ever hope to make and are made incredibly famous because of the league.
To be fair, I am not sure if Ginobili and Yao would be as famous and rich today, were it not for the NBA. If, hypothetically, the NBA wanted to make a rule saying that its international players could not compete in the Olympics but that its American players could, then, as Cherry said, everyone should just "live with it."
The Spurs don't think the games are stupid. So they'd never make that clause. Of course, they don't want Manu playing if he's hurt. But they aren't going to just start banning players from playing in the offseason.
If he wasn't playing in the Olympics, he'd be playing somewhere. Manu (and most NBA basketball players) don't just lay down for the summer. They play in Grgurich's camp, they play organized games at Pauley Pavillion, they play at the practice facilities, local gyms, whatever. They are basketball players.
Like most people, if Manu is hurt, I don't want him playing in Beijing. But I don't think anyone should tell him (or anyone else) that they just can't play.
If it makes Spurs fans feel better, I have a feeling this is Manu's last international compe ion. At the very least, it'll probably be his last Olympics.
Kind of a side note to the hypothetical I presented earlier. If NBA players were to be banned from this year's Olympics, would Josh Childress be the star of the United States team?
I'll answer my own question here. Assuming none of the 2008 draft picks signed in the NBA immediately, knowing that they could only play in the Olympics if they weren't in the NBA, here's my team:
PG - Derrick Rose / DJ Augustin / Jerryd Bayless
SG - OJ Mayo / Eric Gordon
SF - Josh Childress / Brandon Rush / Chris Douglas-Roberts
PF - Michael Beasley / Joe Alexander (not sure of his citizenship...but could be an interpreter for the team in China)
C - Brook Lopez / Kevin Love
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