Gold For Usa Basketball?

[huggybear]

Kobe, Lebron, J. Kidd, I mean it's sick isn't it?

I know the European teams have some good players, the Chinese have some NBA big guys, Dirk is with the German team, Manu the Argentines, but is anyone going to stop Team USA Basketball from getting gold?

Will they be blowing everybody out?

Will we get to see any of it here?

[thaibutty]

Of course does the US team have the biggest names and best individual players. But they also had them in 2004 and the World Championships before and didn't win. This puts a lot of pressure on the players. But they are really hungry for gold as stated by lots of the players.

Will be interesting games to watch anyway if we are able to see them here what I also don't know.

[PapiRico]

Of course does the US team have the biggest names and best individual players. But they also had them in 2004 and the World Championships before and didn't win. This puts a lot of pressure on the players. But they are really hungry for gold as stated by lots of the players.

Will be interesting games to watch anyway if we are able to see them here what I also don't know.

Not true, the NBA sent the B class and C class players to the olympics in 2004 (Garnett,Kobe,O'neal,Tracy mcgrady,Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, etc) did not go in 2004, insted they had Stephon Marbury as starting point guard etc, so the world is better than the B and C class NBA players (as you saw Argentina win gold) and then again we sent bums to the world championship were Spain won, so This ime around the best players in the world, the dream team 2 is trying to win, and yes they will get gold.

The European do have good players, but not as many as this basketball team the US sent to destroy opposition. I am sure they will blow out everyone as they are already doing VS russia and turkey etc.

Hey huggybear...i am back...hahahahahahahha

[dclaryjr]

I think the U.S. has shown some signs of true "team play" which is something that has been absent in their international play. But in the game they just played against Australia, they didn't show that. What they did show is that they can play defense when they turn it up. The bottom line--I think they're going to do it this time--but I still ain't betting the house on it!

[Jimjim]

Certainly not a lock. Spain and Argentina are at least two teams who will play a very close game or beat them. I predict the U.S. will medal and will likely be in the gold medal game. Who knows after that? You're a bit high on Dream Team nostalgia, huggybear. No, they won't blow everybody out. They only beat Australia by 11 points today albeit it was just an exhibition. Just as long as they don't lose in the knockout round. They could certainly lose in the group play as it's quite a tough bracket.

[huggybear]

You're a bit high on Dream Team nostalgia, huggybear.

Jimjim-When did I say anything about a Dream Team?

Edited August 6, 2008 by huggybear

[huggybear]

Hey huggybear...i am back...hahahahahahahha

and a much better post that that extremely lame thread you started earlier.

Cheers, HB

[koheesti]

The roster simply isn't nearly as good/deep as in Barcelona in 1992 & the world is much better so don't expect many blowouts - if any. If they don't play as a team they'll be lucky to get the bronze.

[Old Man River]

It depends on the officiating. My guess is that China will be hard to beat.

[TheDon]

They have it in the bag, The last few times they didnt send there best and thought hey could win by just turning up.

Last nights game against australia they were not even trying, you could see when they stepped up there defense Australia was lucky to get past half court. The US was just shooting jumpers and doing shupid plays last night.

But Argentina have a decent chance IMO

[Jimjim]

Jimjim-When did I say anything about a Dream Team?

Remember to include "/quote" with "[]" around the "/quote" when responding to others posts.

You didn't say anything about the Dream Team but your post reeked of Dream Team "nostalgia". Talking about how good this team is and how they will blow everyone out and if anyone can stop them. That's the kind of thing you could say on 1992 but just ain't so anymore.

They'll at least blow Angola out in their group. Otherwise, you never know, they my get some other blowouts but other games will be under 10 points or they will lose them.

Edited August 7, 2008 by Jimjim

[lomatopo]

FIBA rules, at least until they are modified in a few years, favor a slightly different type of game than the NBA. No matter how much they play with these rules in tune-ups it always seems like the U.S.A. never fully adapts. It's faster, with less defense, with outside shooting being favored. It's kind of like the Ryder Cup; often the U.S. has the better individual players, as measured by world rankings, but the Europeans, recently anyway, seem to play, what is normally an individual sport, better as a team in this team competition. Throw in a college coach, albeit the hugely successful Mike Krzyzewski, who's turned down a number of NBA-coaching offers over the years, and I'm just hoping for some hardware.

I guess they looked less than dominating in the friendly with Australia the other night in Shanghai, winning 87 - 76.

Edited to add: FIBA v. NBA rules comparison

[PapiRico]

Woah! woah! woah!.....First of all I hate to sound like a arrogant Maericam but hey its GOLD medal in our pocket. Like I said earlier, in the 2004 Olympics and te 2006 world championships we sent our B and C class players, Yes the world has cought up to those players,but as the years go by we have lebron and dwight howard etc that get better and better, much better than what they were in 2004 or 2006, and now Kobe and the gang, its a wrap, if Kobe decides to do what he promise to coach K (which was he said " I want to guard the other teams best player) then its a done deal, and they have won every exhibition by just playing and having fun, now when it comes to get ready for game time....sorry to tell you but its Gold in our pocket.

And yes this IS the Dream Team of this decade....maybe not better than when Jordan and them played, but its the best team we have sent since.

[huggybear]

Jimjim-When did I say anything about a Dream Team?

Remember to include "/quote" with "[]" around the "/quote" when responding to others posts.

You didn't say anything about the Dream Team but your post reeked of Dream Team "nostalgia". Talking about how good this team is and how they will blow everyone out and if anyone can stop them. That's the kind of thing you could say on 1992 but just ain't so anymore.

They'll at least blow Angola out in their group. Otherwise, you never know, they my get some other blowouts but other games will be under 10 points or they will lose them.

"Remember to include "/quote" with "[]" around the "/quote" when responding to others posts."

Gee maybe you should write a manual for TV

"You didn't say anything about the Dream Team"

Bingo, so the rest of what you have to post is irrelevant

[Jimjim]

Woah! woah! woah!.....First of all I hate to sound like a arrogant Maericam but hey its GOLD medal in our pocket. Like I said earlier, in the 2004 Olympics and te 2006 world championships we sent our B and C class players, Yes the world has cought up to those players,but as the years go by we have lebron and dwight howard etc that get better and better, much better than what they were in 2004 or 2006, and now Kobe and the gang, its a wrap, if Kobe decides to do what he promise to coach K (which was he said " I want to guard the other teams best player) then its a done deal, and they have won every exhibition by just playing and having fun, now when it comes to get ready for game time....sorry to tell you but its Gold in our pocket.

And yes this IS the Dream Team of this decade....maybe not better than when Jordan and them played, but its the best team we have sent since.

I wouldn't be sorry to hear that's it's gold in our pocket, but I know it's not the case. The only difference between this team and the 2006 team is Kobe. Yes, that's a fairly big difference but they still played quite good in 2006 and were not a B team in the least (interestingly we have never dominated the FIBA world tournament, having won it only 3 times). 2004 they were also good but just didn't play as a team and the U.S. still was not taking the whole thing seriously. You also need a good coaching strategy and clear focus and that's what we have now. Best team this decade for sure, but it's just clearly not a lock or in our pocket. That's a disservice to the catching up the rest of the world has done in the last 16 years and underestimates the quality of the opposition. Argentina and Spain are great teams, to just name two. They will be formidable opposition. However, if the U.S. plays to full potential I agree they're the team to beat. But it's hard with different rules and not playing together as much as other teams. The U.S. has made a big effort to get a team spirit and consistent coaching and players in the last three years, though, so that's why we are so good this time around.

"Remember to include "/quote" with "[]" around the "/quote" when responding to others posts."

Gee maybe you should write a manual for TV

"You didn't say anything about the Dream Team"

Bingo, so the rest of what you have to post is irrelevant

It was just a friendly reminder about the quotes. Makes your posts more readable. Don't be so sensitive.

Hmm, just because you didn't say the words "Dream Team" did not mean what I posted was irrelevant. Let's see if you can use your brain power to do anything other than blindly cheer USA. I said your post reeked of Dream Team nostalgia, and that hasn't changed. It did. World basketball has changed and the USA will not blow everyone out. Your OP would have made sense in 1992, but it doesn't know. Yes, they have a good chance of winning gold, but it's not as clear as you liked to imagine when you started this thread.

It doesn't really matter if you were even thinking of the Dream Team. What matters is that your post to start the thread fit the reality of the situation in 1992, but not 2008. That's all. I was using the comparison to show that you were being a bit too optimistic and overstating how good they are in comparison to other teams. They're a very good team, but so are teams like Argentina and Spain. Of course I want USA to win and have a feeling they very well might do that, but I realize it's going to be hard, not easy like 1992 and 1996 and despite them being so "sick" with talent they need to play team ball, need to do a better job defending, and need to play the best they can as a team to beat the other top teams. We'll see if they can do it, and I absolutely know they can. But it would be a false assumption to think nobody can beat them. They could play well below par and just have fun if it was 1992 but if they do that in Beijing they'll get beat. A few teams can and very well may beat them. If they get beat it's not a big deal as long as they don't get beat in the knockout round, obviously. It's just there is very little room for error for them. Saying things like "Can anybody beat them?" and "Will they blow everybody out?" are just wishful thinking, unfortunately.

So if that doesn't make sense to you, then there's no use talking to you about it anymore at all.

[huggybear]

Woah! woah! woah!.....First of all I hate to sound like a arrogant Maericam but hey its GOLD medal in our pocket. Like I said earlier, in the 2004 Olympics and te 2006 world championships we sent our B and C class players, Yes the world has cought up to those players,but as the years go by we have lebron and dwight howard etc that get better and better, much better than what they were in 2004 or 2006, and now Kobe and the gang, its a wrap, if Kobe decides to do what he promise to coach K (which was he said " I want to guard the other teams best player) then its a done deal, and they have won every exhibition by just playing and having fun, now when it comes to get ready for game time....sorry to tell you but its Gold in our pocket.

And yes this IS the Dream Team of this decade....maybe not better than when Jordan and them played, but its the best team we have sent since.

I wouldn't be sorry to hear that's it's gold in our pocket, but I know it's not the case. The only difference between this team and the 2006 team is Kobe. Yes, that's a fairly big difference but they still played quite good in 2006 and were not a B team in the least (interestingly we have never dominated the FIBA world tournament, having won it only 3 times). 2004 they were also good but just didn't play as a team and the U.S. still was not taking the whole thing seriously. You also need a good coaching strategy and clear focus and that's what we have now. Best team this decade for sure, but it's just clearly not a lock or in our pocket. That's a disservice to the catching up the rest of the world has done in the last 16 years and underestimates the quality of the opposition. Argentina and Spain are great teams, to just name two. They will be formidable opposition. However, if the U.S. plays to full potential I agree they're the team to beat. But it's hard with different rules and not playing together as much as other teams. The U.S. has made a big effort to get a team spirit and consistent coaching and players in the last three years, though, so that's why we are so good this time around.

"Remember to include "/quote" with "[]" around the "/quote" when responding to others posts."

Gee maybe you should write a manual for TV

"You didn't say anything about the Dream Team"

Bingo, so the rest of what you have to post is irrelevant

It was just a friendly reminder about the quotes. Makes your posts more readable. Don't be so sensitive.

Hmm, just because you didn't say the words "Dream Team" did not mean what I posted was irrelevant. Let's see if you can use your brain power to do anything other than blindly cheer USA. I said your post reeked of Dream Team nostalgia, and that hasn't changed. It did. World basketball has changed and the USA will not blow everyone out. Your OP would have made sense in 1992, but it doesn't know. Yes, they have a good chance of winning gold, but it's not as clear as you liked to imagine when you started this thread.

It doesn't really matter if you were even thinking of the Dream Team. What matters is that your post to start the thread fit the reality of the situation in 1992, but not 2008. That's all. I was using the comparison to show that you were being a bit too optimistic and overstating how good they are in comparison to other teams. They're a very good team, but so are teams like Argentina and Spain. Of course I want USA to win and have a feeling they very well might do that, but I realize it's going to be hard, not easy like 1992 and 1996 and despite them being so "sick" with talent they need to play team ball, need to do a better job defending, and need to play the best they can as a team to beat the other top teams. We'll see if they can do it, and I absolutely know they can. But it would be a false assumption to think nobody can beat them. They could play well below par and just have fun if it was 1992 but if they do that in Beijing they'll get beat. A few teams can and very well may beat them. If they get beat it's not a big deal as long as they don't get beat in the knockout round, obviously. It's just there is very little room for error for them. Saying things like "Can anybody beat them?" and "Will they blow everybody out?" are just wishful thinking, unfortunately.

So if that doesn't make sense to you, then there's no use talking to you about it anymore at all.

So I guess brevity is not in your vocabulary. Sorry, no time to read your current novel, currently reading Tai Pan which is quite good.

[lomatopo]

Keeping it simple for huggybear ...

U.S.A. v. China, Men's Basketball 9:15 PM local (Bangkok) time tonight, August 10, 2008.

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/Schedule/BK.shtml

[huggybear]

Keeping it simple for huggybear ...

U.S.A. v. China, Men's Basketball 9:15 PM local (Bangkok) time tonight, August 10, 2008.

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/Schedule/BK.shtml

cool, thanks!

[jfchandler]

NBT, formerly Channel 11, seems to be carrying the bulk of the Thai TV coverage...

Has has anyone seen/located a schedule of what hours their coverage will be day-to-day, and even more, which events they're planning to televise hour-to-hour... You'd think it would be online somewhere????

[jfchandler]

See related post....but... no schedule of events by hour....

[koheesti]

NBT, formerly Channel 11, seems to be carrying the bulk of the Thai TV coverage...

Has has anyone seen/located a schedule of what hours their coverage will be day-to-day, and even more, which events they're planning to televise hour-to-hour... You'd think it would be online somewhere????

Maybe here?

http://nbttv.prd.go.th/th/programs.php

I don't read Thai but if you mouse over links and look at the bottom frame of your browser you'll see the page name in English.

[lomatopo]

If I understood the correctly the USA China hoops game will be shown on NBT, at least that's what I think I heard while watching the broadcast now (Women's Weigthlifting 53 Kg). I'm planning on going to a bar to watch it with English commentary via Malaysia satellite.

[koheesti]

Well, pretty sloppy play but still a blowout. Is China supposed to be pretty good?

[dingdongrb]

It depends on the officiating. My guess is that China will be hard to beat.

"Hard"?????

[jfchandler]

They (USA) literally ran away with the game... outran and outshot the Chinese team...

At one point late in the game, the broadcasters showed a graphic saying the USA had a 12-2 lead over the Chinese in steals...

It certainly wasn't perfect play, but the USA guys actually looked like a TEAM...instead of just a bunch of superstars playing as individuals... That was kind of heartening...after some past years...

Despite some miscues, there was some great ball handling to be seen.... making me remember why basketball is an American sport at heart... Some of those plays...I found myself saying... HOW'd he do THAT????

PS - Speaking as a white guy former basketball player, were there any white guys who made it into the game on the USA side???

[dingdongrb]

It was a close game during the first period however the USA team stepped it up thereafter. Since Yao Ming was signed into the NBA I have personally seen (living in China for 2 years) how the Chinese are taking the approach to learning and enjoying the American game of basketball. It seems that in some places its popularity will outgrow table tennis.

I think that one thing the Chinese will need to do is to condition their bodies better. I mean did you notice the muscles on the USA players versus the lack of on the Chinese players? Basketball is not just a game of heights.

Living in China I had the privilege to watch the Dongguan Tigers (National Champions of China) play a couple of games. They have some great players and I saw where another recently (last year or two) signed into the NBA. I'm sure as the years go on you will be seeing more Chinese players sign into the NBA just as we have seen with the Japanese and the MLB.

[lordofdelusion]

They (USA) literally ran away with the game... outran and outshot the Chinese team...

At one point late in the game, the broadcasters showed a graphic saying the USA had a 12-2 lead over the Chinese in steals...

It certainly wasn't perfect play, but the USA guys actually looked like a TEAM...instead of just a bunch of superstars playing as individuals... That was kind of heartening...after some past years...

Despite some miscues, there was some great ball handling to be seen.... making me remember why basketball is an American sport at heart... Some of those plays...I found myself saying... HOW'd he do THAT????

PS - Speaking as a white guy former basketball player, were there any white guys who made it into the game on the USA side???

All us white guys are playing hockey in the winter! As such I haven't watched much NBA in recent years. I must say these guys are amazing! Maybe I should watch more NBA. Speed, power and athleticism. Did anybody get a count on the number of slam dunks the US threw down? Geez!

[lomatopo]

U.S.A. breaks 100, free corn dogs for everyone! (see "Semi-Pro"). The international game is so different from an NBA game; shorter (40 min. v 48 min), quicker, less defense, fewer fouls, fun to watch. The Malayasian satellite feed had really good U.S. commentators.

Next up, Angola, Tuesday, 12 August 19:00 local Bangkok time.

Lithuania beat Argentina, Croatia beat Autralia.

The U.S. Women's basketball team plays China today at 19:00. The U.S. Women's team is excellent; Gold for them I'd say.

[maccaroni man]

They (USA) literally ran away with the game... outran and outshot the Chinese team...

At one point late in the game, the broadcasters showed a graphic saying the USA had a 12-2 lead over the Chinese in steals...

It certainly wasn't perfect play, but the USA guys actually looked like a TEAM...instead of just a bunch of superstars playing as individuals... That was kind of heartening...after some past years...

Despite some miscues, there was some great ball handling to be seen.... making me remember why basketball is an American sport at heart... Some of those plays...I found myself saying... HOW'd he do THAT????

PS - Speaking as a white guy former basketball player, were there any white guys who made it into the game on the USA side???

All us white guys are playing hockey in the winter! As such I haven't watched much NBA in recent years. I must say these guys are amazing! Maybe I should watch more NBA. Speed, power and athleticism. Did anybody get a count on the number of slam dunks the US threw down? Geez!

Jason Kid went in and di some great play making IMHO he is who really got the ball rolling in the right direction.

[huggybear]

"PS - Speaking as a white guy former basketball player, were there any white guys who made it into the game on the USA side???"

Now, now, easy, lets not get into a "race card" slinging match here. It is what it is. Other than Vijay Singh, did you see any black guys on the leaderboard in the PGA Championship? No, lets leave this stuff alone, it's more a societal factor (hoops in inner city playgrounds) then a race matter.