The year was 1992 in Barcelona, Spain. Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, John Stockton, David Robinson, Karl Malone, and Christian Laettner headed a star-studded cast that easily won gold in the Olympics, finishing without a loss. Too bad players don’t care anymore. Here were the results of their games:
USA 116-Angola 48
USA 103-Croatia 70
USA 111-Germany 68
USA 127-Brazil 83
USA 122-Spain 81
USA 115-Puerto Rico 77
USA 127-Lituania 76
USA 117-Croatia 85
There hasn’t been a more dominating basketball team in the Olympics. The best part was that the players wanted and loved to represent America.
The past few times out, though, the USA hasn’t been putting out very good teams. 2000’s team had stars on it, but none of them wanted to cooperate as a team, and the U.S. didn’t even place in basketball. So now with the NBA being taken over by Europeans who know the fundamentals of the game, it looks as if the Olympics might be headed in that same direction.
This year isn’t looking too great, either. Such names as Kobe Bryant, Shaq, KG, and Duncan were supposed to bring the U.S. of A back to where it belongs, at the top, but many players have backed out.
Mostly citing safety reasons in Athens, guys aren’t willing to support their country, and they should be ashamed. I know it sounds trite, but soldiers are over in war zones every day risking their lives, and NBA players are too afraid to play basketball for their country. The latest to bail have been Ben Wallace and Rip Hamilton from the NBA champ Detroit Pistons. So now Larry Brown and management are scrambling to find some guys to put on the roster, with names like Michael Redd of the Bucks coming up to fill spots.
It seems like the younger players want to represent at the games much more than the veterans. Guys like Lebron James, Amare Stoudemire, and Carmelo Anthony (who pretty much begged to go) accepted without hesitation. Other older guys whose careers are coming to an end have declined invitations, and in my opinion that should be punishable by law. I may be going off the deep end, but if you’re drafted to be a soldier in a war, and refuse, you’d be put into jail. Athletes have the same responsibility to their country, and are acting unpatriotic by refusing.
3 replies on “Ashamed Americans”
oh crap, there’s a draft? i don’t think the best athletes have a responsibility to represent their country in international competitions, any more than the biggest and strongest people (or the best markmen, etc.) have a responsibility to represent their country in a war. (last i checked, no one is “drafted to be a soldier” anymore.)
as you point out, the 2000 team was an abysmal failure despite the presence of “stars”. what you want is for the players who do represent their country to do it because they want to. if that means you get the very best players and they really want to play together, that’s great, but there was only one real Dream Team because it was the first time a team like that could play together. now that it’s not such a unique opportunity, not everyone wants to make that commitment. that’s fine – i’d rather see a bunch of college players who play their hearts out than a bunch of NBA “stars” who are only playing at half speed.
my favorite sporting memory of all time was the 1980 Miracle on Ice. it was great because (1) the players formed a cohesive team that was better than the sum of its parts, and (2) the US wasn’t favored. who says the US has to win all the time? sure, it’s great when they do, but doesn’t it get more interesting when there’s some doubt about the outcome?
playing (or fighting) for one’s country might be patriotic, but the failure to do so doesn’t make one “unpatriotic”.
Bill Conlin stole your article! Bill Conlin | No dodgers allowed
NATIONAL TEAM SERVICE SHOULD BE MANDATORY
WHEN I’M King of the World…
No military draft, but all athletes will be required at age 18 to register for SSS – Selective Sports Service…That way, when Uncle David or Uncle Bud summon you to Olympic basketball or World Cup baseball service, you will serve a grateful nation with every sinew of your drug-tested frame. This comes up because the NBA, which began the Dream Team concept by sending a roster of future Hall of Famers to Barcelona to keep the hoop world safe from Angola, has had so many refuse-niks for Athens 2004, coach Larry Brown could wind up starting a Catnap Team.
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/9008526.htm
Conlin will pay! Thanks for pointing that article out. It’s good to see that somebody agrees with me, even if they stole my idea.