Italy v USA

[MannyIsGod]

This is awesome. I love how all of you are salivating at the thought of the US going down. Well, you can hope all you want, but it isn't going to happen.

[johngateswhiteley]

...i hope the lack of a half-court game does not come back to bite the USA in this tournament. they have shown ZERO signs of an efficient half-court game in any of the WBC games....and i am sick of seeing one on one plays. you cannot win just b/c you are more athletic. this is borderline pathetic....so far.

[Pero]

what good is being out of foul trouble if you're down 30 in the last quarter?

True.

[MannyIsGod]

ok even if USA wins in the end....



MUVAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAA

some modesty and respect to others once in a while wouldnt hurt teh gringos

i gtg to work now but i sure hope Italy defats USA even though they defeated us!


p.s.

why arent players saluting today?

The gringos? Man, I'm not sure if you know what the word means because I think gringos is the last way anyone would try to describe our team.

[Kamnik]

This is awesome. I love how all of you are salivating at the thought of the US going down. Well, you can hope all you want, but it isn't going to happen.

i still think at tops italy has 20% chance of wining in the end

but if they do-GOOD

showboating and stuff like that in games against inferior teams makes it hard to like them

the guy i like most in this team is actually Battier

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I doubt the U.S. is gonna play as sloppy in the 2nd half. They missed a bunch of their freethrows.

[Kamnik]

The gringos? Man, I'm not sure if you know what the word means because I think gringos is the last way anyone would try to describe our team.

it was meant to be a joke or something

i know what the word "gringo" stands for

[MannyIsGod]

I think its funny, Brazil showboats to the greatest extreme of all time in football and it is called flair. The US throws around a few salutes and we're supposed to wonder why the rest of the world hates us.

The simple fact is that there are people out there who love to hate the US for varius reasons right now, and this is simply another facet of that.

[Pero]

This is awesome. I love how all of you are salivating at the thought of the US going down. Well, you can hope all you want, but it isn't going to happen.

Hmmm, actually I`m not so sure if I want the US to lose this time. I`d rather see them crush Italy, because they beat us.
But if Italy wins, that will be also good.
Win win situation for me either way.

[ro_50]

How can you say Italy has a 20% of chance of winning the game. THEY WON THE SILVER IN ATHENS AND DEFEATED THE US TEAM, ALBEIT A DIFFERENT CAST OF AMERICANS, IN AN EXHIBITION THAT SUMMER AS WELL.

I cant believe you think they have a 20% of a chance of winning when they have proven they are a damn good team.

[Pero]

you cannot win just b/c you are more athletic.

Maybe not, but athleticism is the biggest advantage the US has, they would never be so good without it.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

I think its funny, Brazil showboats to the greatest extreme of all time in football and it is called flair. The US throws around a few salutes and we're supposed to wonder why the rest of the world hates us.

The simple fact is that there are people out there who love to hate the US for varius reasons right now, and this is simply another facet of that.

I don't think the world hates this team as much. They'll keep rooting for them to fall, until more teams narrow the gap.

[velik_m]

This is awesome. I love how all of you are salivating at the thought of the US going down. Well, you can hope all you want, but it isn't going to happen.

The problem with this USA team is they have average C's so the teams don't need to play zone d. Italians are not giving them open threes and they take care of the ball better than we did. They also opened the game more phisical and the refs are forced to call fouls and to avoid the blatant foul discrepancy they call them on both sides - this reduces the USA pressure defense. It might bite Italy in the ass and they won't have their best man for the finish, but at least they'll be close(r) and maybe they can spring a surprise. Once again our players were out of foul trouble at the end, but what good did that do us?

[Spurologist]

team USA needs to pack up if they are going to be playing this one on one garbage against a mediocre team. Those assists were overrated because they came in transition.

Italy have gained confidence has the game has gone on. They are going to be jacking three all night. Some D would be nice. Coach K needs to post up Howard more and take advantage of the massive strength inside. This would get good shooters like J Johnson and Henrich some looks. This one on one is really sadenning with all that talent. How can coach K allow that to happen throughtout the first half?

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

How can you say Italy has a 20% of chance of winning the game. THEY WON THE SILVER IN ATHENS AND DEFEATED THE US TEAM, ALBEIT A DIFFERENT CAST OF AMERICANS, IN AN EXHIBITION THAT SUMMER AS WELL.

I cant believe you think they have a 20% of a chance of winning when they have proven they are a damn good team.

Do they have that same coach from the Olympics?

[velik_m]

Hmmm, actually I`m not so sure if I want the US to lose this time. I`d rather see them crush Italy, because they beat us.
But if Italy wins, that will be also good.
Win win situation for me either way.

if Italy loses the second spot is still up for the grabs for us (with a little help from Puerto Rico)

[Kamnik]

I think its funny, Brazil showboats to the greatest extreme of all time in football and it is called flair. The US throws around a few salutes and we're supposed to wonder why the rest of the world hates us.

The simple fact is that there are people out there who love to hate the US for varius reasons right now, and this is simply another facet of that.

what brazil does and the mentality of brazil players is much diferent than of these guys

Brazil's foreign policy and the situation is also very very diferent from USA's

but lets leave the politics out of this



but that saluting wasnt very liked by oposing teams and fans-guaranteed

u were also ticked off by the Italian " talking"

[Pero]

if Italy loses the second spot is still up for the grabs for us (with a little help from Puerto Rico)

Really? Didn`t know that. So we`d have to beat China, and PR would have to beat Italy? If they lose today of course.

[Pero]

One thing, how come all US games are at 12.30 our time? And we have games in the morning?...

[Kamnik]

Really? Didn`t know that. So we`d have to beat China, and PR would have to beat Italy? If they lose today of course.

i didnt know that either

lets hope for the best

[sendman]

Italy doesn't stand a chance, it's just the matter of time when they will start fading away.

I'm talking about elimination round, when refs will really start calling things by FIBA rules.
USA team will really suffer. First they will be amazed, then they will get nervous and then things can get ugly. I'm not saying they will, but there is a good chance of that happening.

[johngateswhiteley]

Maybe not, but athleticism is the biggest advantage the US has, they would never be so good without it.

...its probably the biggest, but it won't win the tournament. time to play smart AND use athleticism. btw, though this team has great wings they really needed to get a true center or power forward with a real post game (i know thats not news to anyone).

[ro_50]

Finally they wake up.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Belinelli idolizes Kobe.

No wonder why he keeps chucking 3's.

[ro_50]

It will be nice if Coach K teaches his players to BOX OUT.