"Dream Team"

**QLD** · 09-06-2002

Well, I know a lot of people here don't care about basketball, but I wanted to see if anyone else felt this way about the "dream team".

In case anyone doesn't know. They suffered their first loss in international competition (since using NBA players) the other day. They then followed that performance, by losing their second straight game today. They will not even get a bronze medal. This is the worst performance by a USA Men's basketball team in decades.

I am embarrassed.

I have already been severly disappointed with the lack of professionalism in most NBA players today. Now, most of the "best" players don't even want to play for their country. They got their medal, and don't want to do it again. It's a "waste of their time". The result is, we get people on TEAM USA, that wouldn't even make the NBA All-Star Team, let alone that shouldn't even come close to being on the USA Team.

At this point, they have a decision. Do they put pressure on the "best" NBA players to play.....

OR, do they go back with people who "WANT" to play, such as college and amateur players. I would rather them send the best we have from college teams, than the second string "Dream Team" that we have been sending lately. It's sad.

The funny thing is too, that each team always says they are better than the original. I find that laughable.

Anyway, I thought I would rant on this. I wonder what they will do for the next Olympics. What do you guys think?

**Beast** · 09-06-2002

I think the Dream Team did a great job when they defended O. J. Simpson.

Oh come on, like you didn't expect someone to be silly and say it.

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

**QLD** · 09-06-2002

*whips a basketball into Jar Jar's face*.....

Oh come on, like you didn't expect me to do that!

**Lowly Bantha Cleaner** · 09-06-2002

I think the funny part is that a near majority of United States citizens rooted against the Dream Team in the last couple of Olympics. Even there own fans were sick of them winning all the time.

I didn't even watch Olympic Basketball during the Atlanta and Sydney games. Like there was any doubt or suspense as to which team was going to win the Gold. It's like watching a bunch of high-schoolers beating on eight-year old kids.

I'm glad, frankly, they lost. Give some other teams a chance.

**QLD** · 09-06-2002

If it was the NBA, I guess I would feel the same way. But in international competition, I would prefer the USA to win. Now don't get me wrong, I like watching teams like Yugoslavia, and Germany play ball, mostly because that is the only way you can see "fundamental" basketabll played now.

**2-1B** · 09-07-2002

I have no interest in international hoops, in fact a few nights ago I came across one of the games and thought, "what is George Karl doing on a basketball court with nobody in the stands . . . "

I wouldn't care if they stopped using NBA players alltogether, or even mix in a few collegiate players. My biggest reason for supporting the 1992 Dream Team's inclusion was the fact that several other countries used pro players but the US wouldn't.
Now that it's been done several times, I don't think you can call it a "Dream Team" anymore - especially as QLD points out, the US isn't even using their "best" players.

**AdmiralPiett** · 09-07-2002

Originally posted by Quite-Long Dong
I have already been severly disappointed with the lack of professionalism in most NBA players today.

To add to this argument, many players don't take practice seriously anymore. The truly great ones always took practice very seriously. They knew that anything worth having could only be obtained with hard work and discipline. And by "great ones" I am referring to most of Dream Team 1, among others.
Piett