Should we charge the U.S. Olympic BasketBall team rent?

[mekannik]

Saw the special on VH1 the other week - the basketball team is staying, for free, on this luxury boat. Estate rooms are over 4k square feet. Something like $12K/week.

Considering their performance thus far and the associated lack of effort - should we really be expected to pamper them to this extent? What about the weightlifters/wrestlers/gymnasts who don't have the multimillion dollar contracts back home? Because the b-ball athletes are "predisposed" to a lifestyle, they can't/shouldn't be expected to pay their own way when they are more than capable?

 

[ChefWide]

Is that for real. Feh. Fuckem. they should be staying at the olympic village, fucking neuveau pricks.

 

[AAP]

Is that for real. Feh. Fuckem. they should be staying at the olympic village, fucking neuveau pricks.

agree.

 

[BileStew]

I say banish them for the lackluster effort they put forth against Puerto Rico.

 

[mekannik]

Now the blame game is being pointed at the selection committee. We wouldn't want to bruise anyone's ego and make them cry (or stand up and be accountable). It might tarnish their diamond necklaces or Rolexes.



http://sports.excite.com/news/08172004/v0157.html

Coming Off Loss to Puerto Rico, U.S. Team to Face Greece
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Aug 17, 1:08 AM (ET)

By CHRIS SHERIDAN

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - The U.S. men's basketball team could have brought a designated 3-point shooter to the Olympics. Instead, it decided on an extra big man.

That choice is coming back to haunt the team after its humiliating 92-73 loss to Puerto Rico, and the man in charge of the selection committee goes on the defensive when he's asked about it.

"It was a collective decision among the coaches and the committee to go that direction, and he was chosen," USA Basketball selection committee chairman Stu Jackson said Monday of Emeka Okafor, who is languishing on the bench as the 12th man.

The committee filled the final roster spot in late June, passing up a chance to add a second pure point guard or a deadeye shooting guard. Even then, it was plainly obvious that the Americans lacked a capable 3-point shooter to deter opponents from packing defenders into a tight zone.

But the committee felt the Americans had enough solid all-around athletes to overcome that weakness - a decision now open to some serious second-guessing.

"At that time, as with every other selection, we had many players that we discussed at many different positions," Jackson said. "The process was what it was, and it was a collective process between everyone involved, and at this time it's not in our best interest to talk about the process.

"It's over. These are our players, these are our coaches, and this is a game where you don't have excuses. We're here, we're in the middle of the tournament and we have to do the best to win the gold medal, so any other questions regarding the process I'm not going to entertain," he said.

 

[Optimus B]

they sure have come a long way from 1992.

 

[coverguy]

A lot of the blame does need to be put on not only the selection committee, but also on the players who turned down the invitation to play. This team was put together just to be a superstar team; they never filled the needs that a team needs. You need role players, superstars and hustlers. This team has a bunch of superstars, but for the most part lacks the others. (Okafor would constitute a role player, but he doesn't really play much.) A player like Michael Redd who would primarily drain every shot created from the zone would have made much more sense than Carmello. Imagine Garnett playing the 3 with Duncan at the 4. Simply, this team is good enough to win, but they need to overcome some team deficiencies. THey should still medal, but Gold might be too much to expect.

 

[-SD-]

A lot of the blame does need to be put on not only the selection committee, but also on the players who turned down the invitation to play. This team was put together just to be a superstar team; they never filled the needs that a team needs. You need role players, superstars and hustlers. This team has a bunch of superstars, but for the most part lacks the others. (Okafor would constitute a role player, but he doesn't really play much.) A player like Michael Redd who would primarily drain every shot created from the zone would have made much more sense than Carmello. Imagine Garnett playing the 3 with Duncan at the 4. Simply, this team is good enough to win, but they need to overcome some team deficiencies. THey should still medal, but Gold might be too much to expect.

Quit making excuses for their sorry asses. Bottom line is these are top tier NBA players and should steamroll all comers.

 

[bluepeter]

Quit making excuses for their sorry asses. Bottom line is these are top tier NBA players and should steamroll all comers.

Guess it depends on your definition of top-tier players but other than Duncan, nobody on this team is a top-tier player in my book.

You cannot send an all-star team to play these other countries anymore. One, because you don't have Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson et al on the team. Two, because these other teams have gotten better. This team as it is composed is likely not good enough to win the gold medal.

That said, if Duncan was flanked by Garnett, Shaq, Bryant, Carter, Mcgrady etc. along with a couple of point guards that can actually distribute like Jason Kidd and some dead-eye 3 point shooters like Michael Redd and Ray Allen, they would roll through this tournament.

 

[mekannik]

Team USA Roster:

PG: Stephon Marbury, Dwyane Wade
SG: Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony
SF: Richard Jefferson, LeBron James
PF: Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire
C: Tim Duncan, Carlos Boozer, Emeka Okafor
Coach: Larry Brown

Allen Iverson is not a top-tier player? He's one of, if not the best, defensive players in the league. The biggest problem with Iverson is the compatability issues with Coach Brown - and that's a weak excuse at this level. And in the Olympics no less.

Lebron and Carmello aren't top tier or at least top tier? Or at the very least heir apparent? Carmello was the top college draft pick with game and heart. Lebron is a man among men in the league - and he's 18. (and believe me, I was waiting to see him get smacked on his ass, but he proved his worth/ability his rookie year).