Who else can't wait for USA Basketball?

[MVP]

Yeah boy!!!! Kobe and Kidd WON'T allow anything less than a gold medal from the rest of the squad.

 

[japanair21]

Looking at LeGold and D12, them Chinese dudes probably thinking the NBA players on roids too.

 

[darthska]

JapanAir21:

---

Looking at LeGold and D12, them Chinese dudes probably thinking the NBA players on roids too.
No joke, something ain't right about them two.

True story about when I was watching the FIBA qualifying tourney with my wife's two little cousins last summer: one was 13 (Jalen) and one was 17 (Caleb).The 16 year old had seen Dwight Howard and knew he was a beast, but he had only seen him from far away camera angles, nothing close up (like an interview wherethe camera is right up on him). And the 12 year old had never heard of Dwight, never seen him, nothing.

So we're watching the game, and at one point, they started fighting with each other (you know, playing around, socking each other, pushing each other,blah, blah, blah). Dwight gets fouled and Jalen had Caleb's face smushed into the couch, and the camera shows a straight on shot of Dwight from theshoulders up. I don't know if you've ever seen this angle, but dude looks like a freaking giant from a straight-on camera angle.

So Jalen has Caleb's face smushed into the couch when the camera shows astraight-on shot of Dwight, and Jalen screams "OH MY GOD!!!" and starts cracking up, letting go of his older brother. So Caleb looks at the t.v. andHE starts cracking up, and he asks me, "Dude, WHO IS THAT?!" So I'm cracking up at their reaction, and I just go 'You've never heard offreaking Dwight Howard?" he goes, "Yeah, but I didn't know he did steroids!"

The funniest part (that you all probably had to be there for) was Jalen's reaction as soon as he looked up and saw Dwight's freaking broad-as-heckshoulders: "OH MY GOD!!"

 

[rolla808]

Not quite yet but as soon as the season is over I can't wait.

 

[verdykt]

Hate watching Kobe abuse the Jazz, but can't wait to see him destroy the comp in the Olympics. He will not allow a loss.

 

[kdwallace]

Originally Posted by PharelFor3

I wonder how the time converts to things this year. I mean I dont want to be watching games at 7 in the morning again. lol

I think you're out of luck - Beijing is GMT +7 hours - which makes it EST +12 - so if the games are in the evening over there it's going to beearly morning for you. Lunchtime games will be late night - or really late if you are on the West coast.

 

[gko2408]

Originally Posted by JapanAir21

Too bad golf isn't considered an Olympic sport, we'd have that on lock too.

Imagine how many gold's Tiger would get,

We've been getting whooped in the Ryder Cup

 

[srvballer]

I can't wait too see how badly we dominate the competition.....

we better not lose ANY games.

 

[User 15002]

In the tournament of the Americas' did the other teams send their first string players? I don't remember seeing Ginobili or Nocioni.

 

[darthska]

^ Some did; some didn't.

Argentina's best player (and their go-to guy, and the tournament MVP [I think]) was Luis Scola, now on the Houston Rockets.

 

[2wenty thre3]

i CANNOT wait for the '08 olympics. the unity and camaraderie between all the players is so fun to see. i remember waking up at 5am to watch the '04olympics, and that was terrible to watch. this USA team that was built 2 years ago is a machine that is built to destroy word to oj

24K + LBJ + D12 + CP3

 

[seymore cake]

My only issue is that I wish they would've let A.I play with this crew... He deserves it seeing as what he went through last outing. He was thee onlyplayer on that team who was out there with any heart every play

 

[darthska]

^ From what I understand, he was invited 2 years ago, but he wasn't willing to commit to the full 2 years required.

It wasn't a contract, because that would be against the rules.

But everyone on the team right now was told 2 years ago, when they were invited, that their acceptance of the invitation would be taken very seriously, andthat their acceptance of the invitation means that they are committing to the full 2 years, regardless of what happens. So basically, if you thought 2 yearsago that you might be getting married around the time of the FIBA tournament last summer and you would miss it, that's fine, but they didn't want youon the team. They wanted a team that had practiced with each other for two FULL years, and had played a FULL tournament together (which happened last summer).

And everyone on the team has honored their commitment so far; the ONLY time that has been missed has been for injury (and obviously, that's perfectlyacceptable).

So that's the thing with Iverson (from what I understand). He wasn't willing to make that commitment.

And except for Kidd, NO ONE that quit last time was asked back (and I'm fairly certain that the reason he quit last time was because of the birth of hisvery large headed son).

And I know some are going to say 'Well hey, he shouldn't be playing then! If they're supposed to remain committed, then how come... " Stop it.They were asked two years ago to be committed through 2008; they weren't asked 6 years ago to be committed through 2008.

Those that quit last time and were not asked back this time because of it:
- Garnett
- T-Mac
- Pierce
- Shuttlesworth

Shaq was asked to participate in '04, but had some excuse for not playing.

Kobe was asked to participate in '04, but I can not remember at ALL why he didn't. Was that the time of the rape trial? Was he injured or something inearly '04? I can't remember. Of course there were rumors that he was declining because he thought Shaq would play and he didn't want to play withShaq, but neither Shaq or Kobe said anything even close to that.

 

[mustbetheshoe58]

gold medal all the way!

 

[2wenty thre3]

Kobe was asked to participate in '04, but I can not remember at ALL why he didn't. Was that the time of the rape trial? Was he injured or something in early '04? I can't remember. Of course there were rumors that he was declining because he thought Shaq would play and he didn't want to play with Shaq, but neither Shaq or Kobe said anything even close to that.
yeah i think it was cause of the legal issues going on that summer...

 

[dn590]

watching the fiba tourny in the summer was like usa vs middle schoolers

 

[jdb1523]

I seriously hope LeBron throws on down on Varejao. He's starting to annoy ME. There is seriously no way Kobe and LeBron are going to let this team getanything less than gold.

And if the USA somehow does lose, I hope Z hits the game-winner for Lithuania in the Gold medal game.

 

[ac4three]

It's going to be sweet!

 

[dyyhard]

not really thinking about it...in fact boycott the olympics.

 

[Shanegerous]

very excited for the olympics.

 

[airjordan1217]

can't wait for the gold to return to the USA

 

[mrmossyman84]

Those that quit last time and were not asked back this time because of it:
- Garnett



I don't think Garnett quit, he just decided because he won the Gold Medal with the '00 squad he felt he had nothing else personally to accomplish byjoining team USA again.

Anyway...I'm still being cautious about the whole tournament, I was very excited when the FIBA tournament was going on last summer but with the intensityof the NBA season being one of the fiercest seasons I can ever remember watching, I have a feeling that could take a toll on the team. We didn't reallyplay against top-notch competition in Vegas, either.

I'll get more excited when the NBA playoffs are over...I do have my Kobe USA jersey ready to go though...

 

[darthska]

^ He was the first one to quit. Next was Ray Allen, then T-Mac and Pierce.

The issue they had was security. Remember? A few were complaining about security, and that began with Garnett's interview about being afraid of terrorists,which lead to his subsequent resignation.

 

[zk1mpls]

^ I remember that...

 

[paidndade]

Are they taking any college players this year ?