I'm sure we all heard this before. The US is catching up to the world in soccer and the world is catching up to the US in basketball. We must have heard that a million times. ut are the tables turning? I remember that the last two times we played Argentina, we beat them 3-0 and 1-0. Then Argentina comesback and beats us in basketball.
Well this shouldn't be such a big surprise that the USA basketball team lost. Over the past few years, the best players entering the NBA have come from other countries. Foreign players focus on all aspects of the game were as American basketball players focus on, for the most part, the flashy. highlight reel plays. Look at the Dallas Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings their stating line-ups have several foreign players and quite a few of them were all-stars.
Foreign influential on the NBA game is over-rated. I don't think the tables have actully turned. Its just that table is smaller. Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, and probably England and Spain and Holland are still years ahead of us in soccer. I don't see that changing anytime until we get a legitamate youth system where we have kids playing soccer in a professional system from around the age of 8. Another question is whether we actually want to do that. It makes soccer an industry rather than a game. I like where we are now, always a dangerous team to play with the ability to beat anyone on any given day.
I know this will sound like an excuse (it probably is), but if the US had Shaq and Kobe and all the rest there, things would have been different. That being said, I'm glad they lost. This should be enough to make the superstars who weren't patriotic enough to decide to play next time it comes around.
depends. what do you call youth systems like Ajax and Man U and Real Madrid that find kids that young and start trainging them? Professional or Professionally sponsered?
I remember that the last two times we played Argentina, we beat them 3-0 and 1-0.[/B][/QUOTE] I believe the scores from the last two times we played them were 4-1 and 1-0. It makes no difference, but I had to get it off my chest. Anyway, I agree that we are closing the gap between us and the top soccer powers, but we had it coming to us in basketball. Cocky all star players will be beaten by underdogs anyday, and I think this is just the start of foreign teams beating us at basketball.
Maybe, but the point is we used to say, 'if the Denver Nuggets were playing, or all of the NBA guys that ride the bench were playnig, it would have been different.' Now were basically saying that only our top 5 lpayers in the league being on the floor are the only way to ensure a victory. You're probably corerct that they would have *helped* tremendously to winning, but playing as a team can be much more important. That is what was so amazing about the 1992 team. Magic, Michael, Bird...no one knew about the importance of teamwork more than these guys.
The Olympics in 2 years may just be a watershed moment for US sports. What if the Dream Team does not medal while the US Olympic Soccer Team wins the gold medal. Don't laugh, it is entirely conceivable that this could happen. Just think what these so called sports journalist would have to say.
The fact that we have to have our best players out there and play like a team, when 20 years ago we were winning with college kids, is amazing. It was bound to happen (in fact it took longer then it should) and really will be good for the game. No one likes to lose, but really American bball fans should recognize how good for the game this is. Having the rest of the world succeed at it will only make for better games and tourneys. Last Olympics I didn't even know who was on our team. Now I'm sure to watch. What I find most interesting are the apologists for our loss. The excuses they use (NBA season too long, team didn't have time to mesh) are the same excuses the world soccer powers used in the past world cup.
NBA = Soccer? Exactly. Also the same excuse that the world soccer powers use when they lose to the U.S. in a friendly -- "we sent our B team." A U.S. basketball apologist is a Eurosnob in disguise. The funny thing is, a few of these apologists are also the very same people who rail against the Eurosnobs. Go figure.
It's a good thing that the we lost the BBall championships. Did anyone else not even watch any of the games because they were never competitive? I'd rather watch a competitive tournament and the US lose, but lose in the Finals ,not,the way they did this year, than watch them beat every team by 40 points. The first time it was great to see all of those players on the same team but after Barcelona it got old real quick.