What, no Olympics thread?

[drothgery]

A hard-fought game indeed, and I have serious doubts that US will win these Games. The Dream Team doesn't look unbeatable anymore; Team Lithuania does.

They only beat the US by 4, and the Americans led for most of the game. I wouldn't bet on that happening again.

 

[Crothian]

A hard-fought game indeed, and I have serious doubts that US will win these Games. The Dream Team doesn't look unbeatable anymore; Team Lithuania does.

Well, its not even close to being a Dream Team, its just a team. And while the tema is looking better, I do expect the coach to have them ready.

 

[Lichtenhart]

A hard-fought game indeed, and I have serious doubts that US will win these Games. The Dream Team doesn't look unbeatable anymore; Team Lithuania does.

We will play against them tonight and, frankly, I don't think we have many hopes. Still, I think our team has been great in reaching the semifinals.

And if you liked so much Itay-Brazil volleyball match, what about a replay on Sunday? I hope this time we will be the ones getting a couple points ahead.

 

[LizardWizard]

81:89.
Team United States has lost to Team Argentina in the semifinals.
Rest in pieces. I doubt competing for the bronze medal was in the team's plans.

 

[drothgery]

They only beat the US by 4, and the Americans led for most of the game. I wouldn't bet on that happening again.

... but I really expected the rematch to be for Gold, not Bronze.

I'm rather suprised Italy made it to the gold medal game, but that has to make the US loss to start the pre-Olympic tour look a lot less bad, I'd think.

 

[Lichtenhart]

I'm rather suprised Italy made it to the gold medal game, but that has to make the US loss to start the pre-Olympic tour look a lot less bad, I'd think.

I'm surprised too. It's been 24 years since our last olympic finals, and many countries did not take part to the Moscow 1980 games. I was really expecting the final to be Usa-Lithuania (and then I would have bet on the Lithuania).

We're on the final of both basketball and volleyball. Not bad for two sports that are considered minor in Italy.

 

[Ranger REG]

A hard-fought game indeed, and I have serious doubts that US will win these Games. The Dream Team doesn't look unbeatable anymore; Team Lithuania does.

Oh, please! Team USA Basketball don't even deserve the title of "The Dream Team." 2004 Allen Iverson's Crew are nowhere near the caliber of 1992's Magic Johnson's Crew.

I feel sorry for the average American kids who look to these guys. We oldtimers have to remind them of the Hoop Trinity (Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson).

 

[drothgery]

Oh, please! Team USA Basketball don't even deserve the title of "The Dream Team." 2004 Allen Iverson's Crew are nowhere near the caliber of 1992's Magic Johnson's Crew.

I feel sorry for the average American kids who look to these guys. We oldtimers have to remind them of the Hoop Trinity (Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson).

That's not really fair; the 1992 team had the best players in the NBA, and the 1996 team was close to that. The 2000 team was really the beginning of the downslide; that team wasn't close to the best players in the NBA, and had three games they won quite narrowly. Still, despite having worse talent (or at least less mature talent; I expect in 2008 or 2012 people who forget how young this team was will wonder how a team with 'Melo, Wade, and LeBron could possibly lose) than the 2002 World Championship team that finished 7th, they're going to be no worse than 4th. A 2004 team on the level of the 1992 would certainly have Shaq, Kobe, Kevin Garnett, and at least one player from the team that just won the NBA title (Rasheed Wallace's game is just about perfect for international basketball; Billups can shoot; Big Ben would be another reliable inside player beyond Duncan).

I mean, I think the "Dream Team" moniker should be reserved for the 1992 team, but USA Basketball didn't have the option of sending the best Americans in the NBA this year.

 

[Ranger REG]

I mean, I think the "Dream Team" moniker should be reserved for the 1992 team, but USA Basketball didn't have the option of sending the best Americans in the NBA this year.

And you know the reasons why, right, though a few of us (including myself) have joked about them a few pages ago?

You're right. It is unfair ... to have the best American born-n-bred NBA players refusing to play in the summer and opt to shack up in their mansions, not returning calls from their illegitimate children's mothers and her lawyers about late support payments and admiring their latest acquisition of bling-blings.

 

[Krieg]

.../snip/...opt to shack up in their mansions, not returning calls from their illegitimate children's mothers and her lawyers about late support payments and admiring their latest acquisition of bling-blings.

Well at least you aren't overgeneralizing or stereotyping at all.