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Besides the infamous 1972 Russian rip-off game and the boycott of the 1980 Olympics, the amateur squad fielded by the Americans have won the Gold at every Olympics from 1936 to 1984. Then in 1988, the unthinkable. The college kids lost. This prompted a panic by U.S.A. Basketball and many American basketball fans. Some greedy executives in the N.B.A. took advantage of the situation and threw their hat into the ring. Thus the "Dream Team" was born. A collection of legends, champions, and hand picked role players the "Dream Team" easily dispatched all rivals. U.S.A. basketball breathed a sigh of relief. The following Olympics, a new "Dream Team" comprised of a new generation of talented NBA stars took care of business. However, all was not perfect in Olympic-ville, a disturbing cockiness had replaced the confidence of the original squad. Swagger had replaced sportsmanship. These new players had more to prove than the original squad and soon the "Dream Team" became something to add to a resume for an ambitious NBA player. It can't hurt endorsements to be an Olympian. Then in 2002 the crisis began. A selfish and scattered American team lost crucial games one to Argentina and ended up finishing sixth.
The world was realizing these "all-star" teams were vulnerable. Now a team comprised of too few role-players and too many winners has already been blown out by Italy and Puerto Rico.
It's time to bring TEAM back to the Olympics. It's time to put our best five up against the world rather than putting a hodge-podge "five best" out on the court.
I have played, coached and officiated basketball. I consider myself a student of the game. I have little doubt that the NCAA collegiate championship team would give the foreign teams all they could handle. Assuming the coaching staff was also intact, I think the college kids would do fine. The only caveat I have is the few foreign players who would present match-up problems for inexperienced,young players.
Certainly, an NBA playoff team of the caliber of, say, the Indiana Pacers would walk all over the international competition.
That's because they are an elite team in the country that invented the game. After all, isn't that the point of team sports in the Olympics? Shouldn't America be sending an elite TEAM!?! |
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My name is Steve Seitz and I am an avid basketball player and fan. I am also a student of the game. I firmly believe we should send our best team to the Olympics. |
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