OT - NBA players dont want to play in the Olympics.

[rabidwolf]

Ok, the following players are not interested in representing the US team with a diversity of excuses. Mike Bibby, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Elton Brand, Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin and Jason Kidd.

- I'll admit Kobe's got a legit excuse.

But what about the rest. Are these guys getting to big for their britches.

[Ze-man]

Many of them are on record for saying .. that with the Olympics in Athens.. they fear for themselves, and their families safety.

Since America will most likely be a possible target for numerous Terrorism attacks.Which while possible.. is just an easy way for them to politely say .. "Thanks.. but no thanks"

 

Others are nursing injuries..that require time, and or surgery.

 

And others just dont have a sense of pride.. or a responsibility for paying back what they can, to earn the right to live in the good ol. U.S.A.

 

 

Makes me sad.. there should be a long list of who wants to play..

[awe4one]

Ok, the following players are not interested in representing the US team with a diversity of excuses. Mike Bibby, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Elton Brand, Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin and Jason Kidd.

- I'll admit Kobe's got a legit excuse.

But what about the rest. Are these guys getting to big for their britches.

 

Maybe....but I suspect they want to protect their "image" and marketing status since US Basketball has gotten embarrassed in international play over the last few years. They don't want to be associated with a "losing" Olympic US team if that in fact is the result....

 

Jim

[BachelorOfComix]

Too many bad attitudes among the players in the NBA.

[joe_collector]

Well, I think you can take out the guys who have already played and won a Gold, as they're already stood up for their country in international play.

 

I remember when Vince Carter played, lead the team in scoring and then jumped over top of that 7-footer for a dunk, he got nothing but "he's got too big an ego" slams from the media, so once you've been under the spotlight, it may not be as easy to go back.

 

As for the rest....

 

[delekkerste]

I really couldn't care less. Olympic basketball became a total freakshow as far as I'm concerned once they started letting NBA players play. It's a joke and a total mockery of the Olympic spirit. Whether these overpaid, undereducated whiners and thugs want to play or stay home, I don't care - I won't be watching in either case.

[joe_collector]

IIt's a joke and a total mockery of the Olympic spirit.

 

Usually I agree with you, but the Olympic brass are even bigger fatcats than NBA players.

[Murph]

The problem is the NBA doesn't support players to play in such events. If they're injured playing in events like this they're screwed as far as compensation is concerned. Not to mention the teams practice during these periods and competing takes away from team ball and conditioning, or what they're paid to do. With the risk of injury a deterrant, and no real motivating factor to play in the event, it's really no mystery why they choose to skip the Olympics.

 

Brian

[FlamingCarrot]

I really couldn't care less. Olympic basketball became a total freakshow as far as I'm concerned once they started letting NBA players play. It's a joke and a total mockery of the Olympic spirit. Whether these overpaid, undereducated whiners and thugs want to play or stay home, I don't care - I won't be watching in either case.

 

I couldn't agree more! When those wanna be gangsters in Europe, South America, Russia and others started allowing PROFESSIONAL basketball players to play in their olympics, I was disgusted as well. We seriously do not need mere high school graduates to dummy down the intellectual collective of the weight lifters, shot putters, track and field athletes, baseball/hockey players, etc we have participating in the Olympic movement.

 

 

 

[fantastic_four]

I really couldn't care less. Olympic basketball became a total freakshow as far as I'm concerned once they started letting NBA players play. It's a joke and a total mockery of the Olympic spirit. Whether these overpaid, undereducated whiners and thugs want to play or stay home, I don't care - I won't be watching in either case.

 

It was also a joke NOT letting them play. The Russian team that won the Gold the last Olympics they didn't let NBA players in was entirely made of up experienced, professional basketball players. A bunch of guys from that Russian team later went to the NBA, some for many years such as Arvydas Sabonis.

[Red Hook]

I really couldn't care less. Olympic basketball became a total freakshow as far as I'm concerned once they started letting NBA players play. It's a joke and a total mockery of the Olympic spirit. Whether these overpaid, undereducated whiners and thugs want to play or stay home, I don't care - I won't be watching in either case.

 

I agree with you 100% on this Gene. I know that foreign countries have paid professionals on their teams too, and with the influx of foreign players into the NBA the lines have gotten blurred even further.

 

All I can say is I generally find basketball pretty interesting, but I find the Dream Team approach to Olympic basketball utterly boring. I'd even think that going back to a 50-50 mix of pro and college players would perk it up a little.

[uclapeterg]

Ok, the following players are not interested in representing the US team with a diversity of excuses. Mike Bibby, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Kobe Bryant, Elton Brand, Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin and Jason Kidd.

- I'll admit Kobe's got a legit excuse.

But what about the rest. Are these guys getting to big for their britches.

 

I really think it's the security issue that's scaring them off. They just don't want to say.

[uclapeterg]

What I think is also funny is that every other country allows pros to play b-ball, so don't be dissin' the Dream Team for that reason.

[Red Hook]

If you reread my post you will note that I specifically mentioned that other teams have been sending paid professionals for decades. If you mean I'm dissin' the Dream Team because of their abillities, uh, you misunderstood what I said.

 

The majority of the best players on the planet are home grown Americans. I'm just saying that in order to add a little more risk to the mix, a little more competition, and a little more interest, let's actually send a mix of pros and college players. Or even an all-NBA-rookie team. Use a little imagination.

 

The Dream Team concept was really interesting the first time around. But when it became apparent that they were the full court version of a neutron bomb (leaving the boards and baskets intact, but basically atomizing the competition), it quickly became boring. Sure there will be the occasional stumble (more likely due to lack of focus and boredom), but most of the time it's a matter of seeing how many multiples the US can beat the other team by.

 

Let me ask you a question....

 

What was one of the greatest moments in US Olympics team sports? .....

 

The 1980 Miracle on Ice.

 

Why?

 

Because it was a bunch of college kids going up against a hardened Soviet pro team. That's the kind of competition I love to see. Seeing Shaq and Kobe or whoever stomping everyone into the ground is not my idea of "fascinating". By allowing pros to fill out the rosters of basketball and hockey....we've guaranteed we won't ever have as exciting a moment in Olympic team sports again as we did in 1980.

 

And it's a shame too, because I'll bet there are plenty of now-ineligibile college players who would jump at the chance to compete for the US in the Olympics.

[Aman619]

If you reread my post you will note that I specifically mentioned that other teams have been sending paid professionals for decades. If you mean I'm dissin' the Dream Team because of their abillities, uh, you misunderstood what I said.

 

The majority of the best players on the planet are home grown Americans. I'm just saying that in order to add a little more risk to the mix, a little more competition, and a little more interest, let's actually send a mix of pros and college players. Or even an all-NBA-rookie team. Use a little imagination.

 

The Dream Team concept was really interesting the first time around. But when it became apparent that they were the full court version of a neutron bomb (leaving the boards and baskets intact, but basically atomizing the competition), it quickly became boring. Sure there will be the occasional stumble (more likely due to lack of focus and boredom), but most of the time it's a matter of seeing how many multiples the US can beat the other team by.

 

Let me ask you a question....

 

What was one of the greatest moments in US Olympics team sports? .....

 

The 1980 Miracle on Ice.

 

Why?

 

Because it was a bunch of college kids going up against a hardened Soviet pro team. That's the kind of competition I love to see. Seeing Shaq and Kobe or whoever stomping everyone into the ground is not my idea of "fascinating". By allowing pros to fill out the rosters of basketball and hockey....we've guaranteed we won't ever have as exciting a moment in Olympic team sports again as we did in 1980.

 

And it's a shame too, because I'll bet there are plenty of now-ineligibile college players who would jump at the chance to compete for the US in the Olympics.

 

I agree 100% with Hook. the Dream Team concept has been done! Awesome the first time to trounce everyone else with NBAs best. But its not teh same anymore. And I'm hoping this doesnt get political, but IMO It's never REALLY been all about representing the good old USA as it was Selling the good old NBA to the rest of the world!! Winning the gold by a wide margin was a feel-good bonus, but it was all about selling David Sterns dream and Nike sneakers.

 

The players just dont see it that way anymore... injuries, contracts, faded glory, tougher competition, the possibility of (gasp!) losing fair and square have all taken them out of it. I dont blame them. Too much to lose, and too little to gain!

 

Let the amateurs go at it again, and if we go back to losing to foreign professionals...so be it.

[FlamingCarrot]

But Hook, our most recent 'dream team' lost MULTIPLE games in last years Pan Am games. Gone are the days of the US mens team showing up for a tournament and winning by 50 against everyone else. There is actual real competition should our team play down to the opponents level. Last years group of all-stars showed that the rest of the world has really closed the talent gap with us. Do I still think the US has the best basketball in the entire world? Absolutely, but in addition to utilizing the enormous talent we bring against international competition, we need to bring total teamwork as well. We can't assemble a team of 10 all stars that all slash to the bucket and dunk without playing sound defense and team offense (ie, actually running plays that involve more than iso and taking it to the hole). We need sharpshooters to go along with the interior players to form a cohesive team. The players have to actually play together for months at a time. Our guys play a few exhibitions before the Olympics and lack the team chemistry other countries enjoy by playing together for years.

 

I'm not a big fan of letting our collegian players face 30-35 year old professional players from other countries. Just doesn't seem fair to me. Why should we purposely send less than our very best? We don't do it in figure skating, weightlifting, skiing, track and field, swimming, etc, so why do it in basketball (yes, yes, I know we don't send our best in baseball, but there are reasons for that)?

[Murph]

International basketball is leaps and bounds beyond what it was when the original Dream Team was assembled. International players are more fundamentally sound players then most high level college players. To send a group of college players as our "best" would just mean we don't want to win. The Pan Am games were evidence of this, other countries sending their BEST players and us sending medicure players resulted in multiple games lost. We NEED these NBA players in order to compete. These college kids get frustrated with these european players as they've been brought up learning "style over substance" while the european players are purely substance. Their footwork is superb, they know the fundamentals soundly and can ALL play multiple positions with a solid knowledge of the game. Not to mention that USA is the team to beat, all these other countries are going to give us their best shot so why send our C team when everyone else brings their A team? Doesn't make sense. Should we send worse athletes in other competitions we are really good at so it makes for a better "story" if they win? No. So why should we do it here? The Olympic games are designed for the best in the world. Let's send our best.

 

Brian

[Aman619]

International basketball is leaps and bounds beyond what it was when the original Dream Team was assembled. International players are more fundamentally sound players then most high level college players. To send a group of college players as our "best" would just mean we don't want to win. The Pan Am games were evidence of this, other countries sending their BEST players and us sending medicure players resulted in multiple games lost. We NEED these NBA players in order to compete. These college kids get frustrated with these european players as they've been brought up learning "style over substance" while the european players are purely substance. Their footwork is superb, they know the fundamentals soundly and can ALL play multiple positions with a solid knowledge of the game. Not to mention that USA is the team to beat, all these other countries are going to give us their best shot so why send our C team when everyone else brings their A team? Doesn't make sense. Should we send worse athletes in other competitions we are really good at so it makes for a better "story" if they win? No. So why should we do it here? The Olympic games are designed for the best in the world. Let's send our best.

 

Brian

 

you say WE a lot... but the players are saying No thanx. My understanding is that these foreign professional players are national teams who ONLY play in international tournaments. Maybe this is no longer true since the growth of basketball around the world. To compete, we would need a national team as well, guys who play together all year long. But that would never be our BEST players. Our best go straight to the NBA for tens of million of dolars.

 

I suppose they could be shamed into playing in the Olympics, for free, risking their livelihoods, etc , but that doesnt sound very "American" does it? Personally, I dont care much about the Olympics anymore, at least in some sports, basketball being one of them. Swimming and track and field yes. Basically Olympics basketball is now in stage 3 and needs to be redefined for America. Originally, we always won. Then Russia squeaked by and it was a challenge for 20 years. Then we responded with the Dream Team, with our best players, the best in the world!! and kicked acccss. (Boy didnt that feel great!) Now, the world has caught up again and our profesionals dont wanna play anymore, too hard, no pay, and failure is probable.

 

SO whats the answer? I dont know. But if they dont want to play, we shouldnt "make them". Its not a big deal. We win more medals than anyone anyway, if thats , meaningful given the size of our national teams compared to the rest of the world.

 

The Olympics are/were a great idea: that nations compete on the sportsfield, and not miltarily. It still is...but I think the USA needs to figure out a new approach to basketball.

[Murph]

Read my prior message for WHY they're saying no.

And the players on those national teams are guys like Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, etc etc. Over half the players taken in the first round of this years draft will be from the European professional leagues.

 

Brian

[Aman619]

The problem is the NBA doesn't support players to play in such events. If they're injured playing in events like this they're screwed as far as compensation is concerned. Not to mention the teams practice during these periods and competing takes away from team ball and conditioning, or what they're paid to do. With the risk of injury a deterrant, and no real motivating factor to play in the event, it's really no mystery why they choose to skip the Olympics.

 

Brian

 

this one right?

 

I agree with every point, and didnt want to retype it all....