/dev/null Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Anyone else kind of hope the Redeem team flops? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet baboo Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 beating up on third world countries..yay! the NBA died to me after the first dream team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveRalph Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Anyone else kind of hope the Redeem team flops? I voted NO on #1, I want them to win. I also voted NO on #2, I don't think you are wrong for wanting them to flop, because I kinda wanted the 2004 team to flop. And they did. Badly. In 2004, playing for the national team was a burden. Players were turning down invitations to play. There was a bunch of young, entitled hotshots. They played the game the wrong way...And they were not only losing, they were losing big and looking like the 2nd-best team on the court. They were young, unprofessional, and pouted during games. Somehow they mustered enough pride to win the bronze, and pride wasn't much of an asset on that team. This year, you have a core group of players who have played together for 3 years. They put together a roster of players who committed to 36 months together, thru Beijing '08, which also included a third place finish in the World Championships in '06. Only Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett said "No thanks" to the three-year committment in '05, compared to 14 players who turned down Uncle Sam before the Athens Games, resulting in an average age of 23.6 on the roster in 2004. The good foreign teams spend a full four years together before the Olympics. They have played in international tournaments together since they were teenagers. Before the Athens games, the US team practiced 15 times and played 6 exhibitions. The current US team has worked out over 70 times together, and played 29 games before the opener against China. They are playing hard, they have accepted the rule differences rather than crying about them, they are playing as a team, and they are humbled. On offense, they may get a little "comfortable" at times, and try for the highlight reel. But if you have any doubts what it means to the players, watch the intensity on the defensive end. They are talking, trapping, challenging shots, and hitting the boards hard. I'm pulling for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongLiveRalph Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 US is playing Greece right now, with some revenge on their minds...Greece schooled the USA in the semi-finals of the World Championships in '06 with a very efficient pick-and-roll offense. The USA is playing lights out defense, running the fast break, and passing well. They exploded in the 2nd quarter and take a 51-32 lead into halftime. You can tell they really want this game. They are fired up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I wasn't rooting for that punk team in '04, but it's time to put the cocky Euros back in their place. Go USA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffOrange Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I wasn't rooting for that punk team in '04, but it's time to put the cocky Euros back in their place. Go USA. I think these sentiments sum up 90% of the country; which sorry to bring it up but, kinda shoots a hole in all those racist theories in '04. How that punk ass Marbary was ever on the team I'll never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Anyone else kind of hope the Redeem team flops? I voted that you are a horrible human being anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 I voted that you are a horrible human being anyway So did I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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