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That analogy was more forced than a date with Ruben Patterson.
I hope for the team's sake that they don't get lit up by any of the superstar players they will face that they haven't faced in the warmup games. Considering that Bruce was the poster boy for the "new" concept of team USA, I have to say I'm disappointed, if not remotely surprised. Bill Walton said in the Korea game that Bruce wouldn't be team USA's defensive stopper because he "hadn't scored". That's kind of like selling your car and driving to work on your lawn mower because the car won't cut the grass.
That analogy was more forced than a date with Ruben Patterson.
Bruce has gone from Scrub to one of the most respected players in the league. How can you not be happy with that.
Guy has had an Awesome career! Not to mention he's made millions!!!!!
thinks he could buy one if he likes s
The cut makes sense, so it dont bother me one bit.
Looking foward to Argintina vs. France and Manu against USA as well.
So Battier beats out Bruce... why? Better offensive player, but if we wanted offensive players there are tons out there better than Battier. Therefore he must be there for his D... Battier is a better perimeter defender than Bruce? I think NOT!
Bad luck Bruce. As someone else said, overlooked and underappreciated as usual...
Go England!
you forgot overrated.
Battier= Ex Duke player
Raise the bar.
i wouldnt say thats dumb at all. what would be dumb is taking someone like Lebron or Wade off the team, or putting allen iverson, vince carter, and stephon marbury on the court at the same time. only a complete homer would say that taking the weakest player off the team, just because he plays for the spurs, is a dumb move.
He'll be the waterboy...
probably because Battier is a more balanced player, just a better basketball player period, and wouldnt likely foul out in 5 minutes, like bowen probably would. if duncan is going to foul out quickly in every game under the FIBA officiating, then what makes anyone think that Bowen is going to fare any better? i dont think that tripping people, grabbing jerseys, and trying to sneak in a bunch of dirty little tricks that the NBA lets people get away with, will do too well in international play.
Jesus, just when you think the Mavs trolls can't get any stupider.
How about 'short-sighted' then? What you call the 'weakest player' I call the 'best defender' on Team USA. We'll see how it plays out when we play teams with alot of offensive firepower. You'll be singing a different and more enlightened tune.
I agree....
I think I honestly hope the US loses the World Championships now. And I hope they do it by getting burned on the perimeter. Maybe then they will get the lesson. USA Basketball apparently didn't learn from Athens. It's cool though. We can watch the national team alley-"oops" its way back to a 3rd place finish.
Don't get me wrong. I get the logistics of the whole situation and why he got cut. I still it's ridiculously short-sighted to have 12 offensive players and be kicking off the one credited defender you have on your team.
Sure, you may have to get rid of a better guy to keep him on the bench. At least you still had a plan B to throw out on the occasions that the offense stalls. And it will, just wait and see...Even All-Stars cant make shots sometimes.
uggghhh. you don't need balance from your 5th best offensive player on the floor. i don't give a crap how "BALANCED" he is, if battier is taking any significant number of shots for the team, we're in a of a lot of trouble. that last wing player should compliment the other guys in other areas. again, battier is a solid defender, but far from bowen's class in that regard.
besides, i don't think it should have even come down to bowen v. battier. just because jamison has been hot for a couple of games doesn't mean he brings more to the table than the other 2. yeah, he can score decently, but do you want him taking his usual number of shots in crunch time? or would you rather have carmelo & james shooting the ball and bowen guarding the other team's best player on the other side of the court? i rest my case.
I am embarrassed that people actually root against the US because no Bruce...and on top of that, think that because Bruce is that much of an impact player that we could actually lose because of him not being on the team. Seriously people, as I said in the other thread, his defense, is not so much better that it out weighs a more balanced attack from other people on the squad.
This isn't war we're talking about, this is a game of basketball. To me, its not going to make a single lick of difference whether we win or lose these World Championships. I'll ro0t for the US during the Olympics, but I didn't care about the WCs 4 years ago, and I'm finding myself caring less and less now.
I don't WANT the US to lose. Obviously, this is why I'm pissed off, is because I see them setting themselves up for a failure that could be eerily reminiscent to Athens.
We got stuck with third two years ago because of:
A) lack of shooting
b) lack of defense
c) too much individual play
I'm not just upset that they cut Bruce. It's the fact that they haven't stuck to anything they said they were going to change, alter, or fix the program.
Team USA makes this BIG production this year about how its going to be all about team play and defense and role players...then they go and throw together another ing All-Star team, chip in Brad Miller and Shawn Battier, and we're supposed to think things are going to go any different this time around? Because they gave these guys an extra two weeks practice and told them to play like a team? I'll believe it when I see it.
Do I want the US to win? Yes, for sure.
Do I think they've set themselves up to do so? Obviously not.
And if I want to about that, it's protected by my first amendment rights. God bless America.
I really hope that lack of role players would not hinder USA chances.
Battier is a healthy supplement, but i really think NT should need at least one more. There is just too much stars on one team, but at least I hope some of them are humble.
I Think the choice was between bruce and jamison.
battier, like miller, is a perfect kind of player for the kind of game they're gonna play...means, more than all, that he has a reliable outside shoot (and he could become a very good option having the chance to play power forward).-
So, I'm a little disappointed 'cause I think that Bruce was, by far, the best defender on the team, and, in that sense, a lot more an impact player, when needed real defense, than all of the others... I measdn not only individually, but also for the spirit of team's defense.
Imho, it should have been easy to understand that he brings something others don't have and that he could be capable to elevate the defensive standard of the team's defense...(now, this role goes to Battier).
Instead, in this team there are better options than Jamison at pf (I don't see him like a sf in this kind of compe ion) for the things he could give ...one for all...Battier.
However, I hope he take this in the right way and use the time and experience given
at his and spur's advantage!!!
My probably not so accurate breakdown of the USA team...
Carmelo, D-Wade and King James ar no brainers, they are working insanely well together and seem to have a team mindset, not a "me" mindset and were obvious locks for the team.
Bosh, Brand, Howard and Miller they needed to play against big-men... as numerous as the people are that were against Miller he is a good roleplayer for this team and seems to mesh well. I have seen and taped all the games thus far and watched them at least 5 times each to see how everyone played together and Miller really impressed me as far as how well he works with this team SO FAR. I think he will do fine in the middle against anyone less than 7 feet, Ming will be a challenge for him though if he is on his game.. which if you watch the Rockets play, doesnt seem to be very oftne in my opinion.
Hinrich and CP are doing incredible, and I would even say that Hinrich has flashes where he is performing better than CP... not always but at times he is on fire running that floor to perfection.. of course with Wade and LeBron backing you up its hard to it up.
That leaves us with Johnson, Jamison and Battier.. all of which are good players and better than most of the International players they will come against in the first round... but I think Battier is the expendable one.
Battier was good, and he had nmore minutes than Bruce, but Bruce isnt an all around defense guy... he is a lockdown defender on a specific player.... every team in the WC has one great-to-brilliant pg or sg... and outside Battier is nothing compared to Bowen... they should have kept Bowen on one hand because he is the premeir perimeter defender in the NBA.. almost everyone agrres... and when Manu, Tony and the rest of the slashing driving guards match up against team USA get ready for some spectacular baskets and early foul trouble for our team.
The exhibition games did nothing to highlight Bruce's prowess... but when Kobe and Wade say there is no one they would rather face less than Bowen.... Coach K should have listened.
As it is... good job Bruce, they didnt use you as much as they should have, but when you have massive blowouts like all the games except Brazil... you arent really needed... they will regret it soon.
GO USA!!!
Arenas didn't get cut, he got injured.
and why don't u like Arenas?
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