USA Dream Team

There have been alot of NBA players dropping out of the Olympics. Names Like Shaq, Tracy Magrady, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Kevin Garnett. First, is there any way possible our US national team can win a gold medal this year. And, if you were in their postion, would you not want to support your country proud after all the tragedy that happened on September 11. Now I understand that some of the players might fear for there Lives with the bombings and things, but if you were in the position, would that phase you descion in any way?

[qb8stunner]

Honestly, I dont understand why they wouldnt want to partake in such a thing. I remember when playing on the Olympic team was such an honorm now it seems like these players view it as something in their way or whatever. I can understand the dear, but the whole idea is to also represent your country. These players need to stop being the Superstars they feel they are and start being a little bit more American. I dunno, I dont know all their full stories and I am sure some are legit, but I just dont understand athletes anymore.

I think some of them might feel that if they play, then they won't get the rest they need in the off season. But it seems that they might want to support their country. But like you said, some of their reason for not going to Athens could be legit. Good point Qb8stunner.

It doesn't suprise me at all. Look at the attitude of pro sports, it's all about money, we pay these guys who can run fast and jump high insane amounts of money. Some of these guys make more money then the gnp of some countries, while you average school teacher makes barely enough money to get by. If they aren't making millions of dollars for it why should they do it? These guys today may be good, but they aren't special like the guys who made up the origonal dream team, those were icons. I'd like to see the "Dream Team" get beat this year, knocked out in the first. :new_blueg

[SlickRick1382]

Lint..... spoken like a true American.... j/k ...

Anyways I hate to admit it but getting knocked out early wouldn't be such a bad thing.... I mean back in the day (like others just said) being on the Dream Team meant something. You would watch the greats like Micheal, Magic, Bird, Barkley, Clyde, Hakeem, Isiah etc play and they would show the same intensity they would show if it were a Championship game. Now a days its a joke... I mean when we lost last Olympics i can honestly say i did not watch one game nor care.

Being on the Olympic team will probably never again be what it used to be.... and its unfortunate... well maybe will we start losing to the European nations and we once again feel the need to prove ourselves

[titansrule]

honestly that is pro sportss for you, it makes me sick...at least AI is there..right?

[cashpath]

The problem is that they just don't care.. even if our Dream Team got knocked out in the first round.. the NBA players wouldn't care....

Besides the fact this is no "dream team" anyway...

the original question had a question about if I would do it... Considering I have done many things that actually directly put my life in danger for my country, of course I would go play a GAME for it.....

[titansrule]

same...they are annoyingly foolish and selfish.

[SlickRick1382]

I think once it becomes an embarrassment maybe some players will once again join and feel the need to prove themselves and this country, but then again with all the money these players make now a days they may never care.

I wish some of the stars in NBA felt the sentiment, that some of the guys on this board show. I agree totally with the idea that some of the players just don't care. It doesen't matter if we win or lose to them.

If I were in that postion, I would play in a heartbeat. A chance to represent the country in which I live. I would do it in a split second.

[titansrule]

well clearly money gets to their heads, as they bask in their glory, it frustrates me so much.

Speaking of which Titansrule, what if we had a national football team, would someone like Terrell Owens go?? Talk about money getting to someones head, and basking in their glory. WOW. he would be the leader of that group

[cashpath]

Wow that would be the day.. the day other countries would play us in football... in the olympics...

[SlickRick1382]

lol.... we would injure their whole starting team. Besides other contries don't play football, closest thing is rugby.

That would awsome, but I know it will never happen

I mean that would be awsome.

[titansrule]

ive always thought that, itd be like the pro bowl, but the other team being...hmmm, SD. thatd be funny.

Yeah, I can hear Pat Summeral now, and the final score..... Germany 3....the United States 114....

Or Al Micheals... or who ever they had doing the commentary

[ItalianStallion]

Uhh... what makes you think it's the players not wanting to go? Don't you think the owners and GM's aren't letting their players go? I mean, what if the Magic let T-Mac go and he breaks his leg? Out for a season. Yeah, good choice.

[cashpath]

Cause the players are the ones saying it.. the only owner that has voiced that opinion is the Mavs owner.... but the owner has no choice if the player wants to go he can go...

And I think the players are at risk of getting injured everytime they step on the court. T-Mac would be at just as much risk during a regular season game than he would in the olympics. But I see your point Stallion, if he goes over there and plays and gets hurt and misses the next season because of it, its hurts his team dearly

And to add on what Cashpath said, I have only heard players make statements saying that they did not want to play in the olympics, I don't think I have heard an owner come foward and say that he would not allow one of players to play.

IS, the owners and GM's have little to nothing to do with it. It is totally up to the players. I could see maybe if a guy has an injury that he needs to let recover a GM stepping in and maybe telling him he should withdraw, but thats it. If it were up to the owner and GM, Yao Ming wouldn't spend the whole offseason each year playing with the Chinese National Team. The guy doesn't get a break from basketball...and you can bet the Rockets wish that he did, but it's not up to them.

As far as these guys dropping out, it definitely looks selfish but they could have good reasons. I think I remember one of these guys pulling out because his wife is having a baby, that might have been Carter. Kobe obviously has the court thing. I'm a little upset that my man Steve Francis hasn't been named, after FIVE guys have dropped out. Steve has been a starter on the all-star team twice, and Dwayne Wade is put on the team???

Just imagine the team we could put together,

PG -- Steven Francis
Jason Kidd
SG -- Kobe Bryant
Ray Allen
SF -- Vince Carter
Tracy McGrady
PF -- Kevin Garnett
Tim Duncan
C -- Shaq
Ben Wallace

And we could play LeBron James anywhere, or at any postion
Then our bench, Allen Iverson, Richard Hamilton, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Jermaine O'Neal, and many more. The US would be just fine.

That's definitely a great team on paper, but who knows if they'd be able to all play together. You would think that they would realize that they are playing for their country and not be selfish, but you never know. Personally I would rather not have Shaq, Mcgrady, and Martin...but thats for my own personal biases. I think Shaq has lost a step and Duncan would be better at C, Mcgrady is somewhat of a selfish ballplayer, and Martin is just plain immature.

With the nature of the players in the NBA today, there will never be another true "dream team".

[ItalianStallion]

Originally Posted by mboss03

IS, the owners and GM's have little to nothing to do with it. It is totally up to the players.

You don't think in any way that any GM's are telling their players not to play on team USA?

[titansrule]

honestly, would you rather represent your team or your country?

[ItalianStallion]

I'd rather represent the team that pays me.

thats a tough choice to make

[cashpath]

Originally Posted by ItalianStallion

You don't think in any way that any GM's are telling their players not to play on team USA?

NO I don't think that.. I mean come on.. don't you think if a player wanted to go but the GM was like no don't go that it would get leaked and he would be marked as an ANTI - American? And that simple fact is what makes most owners keep thier mouths shut even if they do feel that way because it would make them look REALLY bad... Unless of course you are Mark Cuban... then you can say and get aaway with whatever you want....

I mean if they are going to hold thier players out of something wouldn't it make more sense to hold them out of the All-Star game? It happens in the middle of the season....

The owners also want to spread thier product, sending players to play in the olympics creates awareness of those players and brings more revenue for the team...

No, it's clearly and definitively the players that are copping out here.. not the owners (except Mark Cuban... but isn't he Cuban or something anyway??)...

Originally Posted by titansrule

honestly, would you rather represent your team or your country?

Both.. the problem is there are people who take the benefits of this country for granted and would only rather represent the team that pays them, and ingore the fact that it is this country that gives them the ability to be paid... So I would like to represent both, and if I was a player the caliber of the athletes that are copping out on this and my owner or GM told me I couldn't go I would tell them I want to work for a owner or GM that has a little freakin patriotism.... and demand to be traded.... and at least let the media know my owner is an anti american/communist/NAZI

Oh by the way I would much rather represent my country by playing a game of basketball and having millions of people watch me and call me a hero, than to represent my country by being shot at and killing people to have nobody ever know who you are and what you have done...

Semper Fi

[SenorMatt24]

cash, mainly i agree with what you are saying but can u really blame cuban, i mean everyone on teh mavericks is from a different country with people dropping out like they are finley mite have to play for teh US , nash will play for canada, nowitzki for germany abdul-wahad for france i mean the mavericks cant afford to lose those people. cuban cant keep anyone from going but if your an owner paying tens of millions to each of these players, would you like to see them injured. with the lakers bein dismantled this is the first year the mavericks could have a legitimate chance on makin the playoffs because they have proven they can beat san antonio and sacremento but w/o nowitzki or nash or any of those guys.
last year at the world championships cuban didnt want any of his players to go and neither did the malloof brothers (sacremento) but cash can u tell me in your right mind u would really want to risk letting your players get hurt.


i dont think in any way teh owners are anti american or anything they are trying to protect there players and frankly it all comes down to teh players choice, not the owners so i dont see how u can say that if u were a player and an owner ASKED you not to go how can u label them anti american

even if cuban or maloof prevented players from going it would only help the americans so tehy might not lose to germany or yugoslavia

[cashpath]

Obviously if the oner asks a player that is not american not to go then thats not anti american.... I'm not dumb you know...

But if they ask a player that would be playing for the american team not to go then they are... selfish, rich, and anti american...