Get into the Olympic Spirit
So for those that were not lucky enough to attend the Olympic Games this summer I figured why not give us a chance to be seen, be heard, and really find out what’s going on in Beijing. I found this site (www.americascheer.com) where fans of the American team record and submit their cheer to support the athletes over in Beijing. America’s Cheer will be at Tyson’s Corner today from 10:30am-9pm doing recording.
America’s Cheer Video:
Ok so back to basketball… Believe it or not but although China is hosting the Olympic Games it appears that the USA team is becoming the home team. Why do I say this? Maybe because when the USA team played China the crowed gave overwhelming cheers for their lavish win or the overwhelming gratitude that is expressed by the people. There are large investments taking place (for the NBA) and the people of China are taking in the idea that USA basketball is again to be respected. Players like Yao Ming have been given the opportunity on many levels to represent his country over in the states. With a billion plus in population it helps that Ming’s presence is seen by his fellow countrymen. He has played a major part in drawing that attention to the NBA.
The team members of this basketball team continue to build upon this new look; or maybe it’s a flash back to the past when the USA team was respected not only for the game of basketball but because of the country they represented. I believe the team is on its way to a gold medal; and that is as long as they maintain their level-headed playing style that they have been able to establish since the start of the games.
Posted: August 12th, 2008 under Wizards.
Comments
Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 12, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Look who is hoping on the blog!!!!! Wizardsdotcom good to have u back!
There is no question that team usa has faced their two easiest foes of the olympic games. Both of these teams elected to keep the game fast and upbeat something spain, greece and germany will not do.
Team USA has also not shot the ball particularly well thus far and if that continues that will be big problems.
Personally I dont mind the aggressive defense where they try to jump in passing lanes this team needs to get easy baskets off deflections and steals. The biggest concern I have seen is that the team constantly tries to help down in the post even when a defender has good position. Those are mental mistakes that will cost the USA dearly from the outside.
Also they have yet to play the very good pick and roll teams which has been an achilles heel for this team over the past several international competitions
Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 12, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Thanks SportsWiz (by the way, heard about the big “event” next September – congrats!)
My only problem with the gambling is that it won’t work against teams with shooters and good ball movement. I also agree with the tendency to double down low and the poor long-d shooting as of late.
Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 12, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Thank you very much!
I think the gambling is part of the defensive style that they play but there are times when it gets a little out of control. There’s definitely that fine line between getting in passing lanes and overplaying pass lanes.
Who do you think will give them more trouble Greece (who knocked them off in 06) or Spain?
Comment from wizards_fusion
Time August 12, 2008 at 12:09 PM
3 point shooting woes for the “Redeem Team” will continue to allow international competition to stay close. Kobe going 0-for-8 from downtown is an example of exactly what happened with the downfall of Team U.S.A. Seriously, Jason Kapono would be a solid, make that, valuable contributor in international play.
Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 12, 2008 at 1:40 PM
SportsWiz:
I’m going with Spain – They have the depth, experience (both FIBA and NBA), frontcourt size/skill (Pau just dropped 29 on China – http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/men/boxscore?gameId=769) and a reliable backcourt.
Speaking of backcourts, it seems that’s the only thing missing from China’s nat’l team. Once China’s perimeter players start to improve, watch out (although they didn’t do a bad job vs. the Spaniards).
Looking at their names on Spain’s roster, this team would actually be a pretty good NBA squad. They definitely have the chemistry and the all-around skills.
Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 12, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Fusion – good call on Kapono. Someone brought up his name the other day. I think Posey would be a good international player as well.
Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 12, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Didn’t realize that Spain needed OT to beat China – wow. SI’s Alexander Wolfe noted that the game was mostly a half-court affair (scroll to the bottom – http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/writers/alexander_wolff/08/12/us.angola/index.html). I’m sure Coach K. and company made note of that – it will be interesting to see if Team USA will be able to force the tempo and get out in the open floor, or if they’ll succumb to the half court game (as they did vs. Australia in the pre-lim friendlies played before the Olympics).
Comment from SportzWiz
Time August 12, 2008 at 3:26 PM
wizardsdotcom who would win in a game of one-on-one daren jenkins or rob suller?
Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 12, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Depends on
1) how many meals Mr. Suller has eaten before the game has taken place.
2) if Daren can find his bike to get to the game (dude, seriously – take off the training wheels).
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 12, 2008 at 8:25 PM
Hey — great to have you here WiDoCo. Give us an update on what’s going in your life the last few months.
Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 13, 2008 at 9:52 AM
TM – thanks for the welcome. Biggest update is the upcoming birth of my first child (due late October). Other than that, just enjoying what’s left of summer before the leaves start falling. Have you been up to your usual city-hopping travels? By the way, stop giving Nick Young such a hard time 
(j/k!)
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 14, 2008 at 8:17 AM
Great news that you’re going to be a dad! You’ll love it.
Not much travel on my end, no — but a nice summer out here at the beach (I live in Lewes DE, for all you bloggers that didn’t know that).
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Comment from WizardsDotCom
Time August 12, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Anyone who’s traveled to Asia in the last 5-10 years knows how big basketball, particularly NBA basketball, is there (ask Gilbert Arenas about this one. I’ve been to the Philippines many times, including twice in the last four years, and I pretty much knew Gil was going to get the royal treatment there). So seeing the Chinese go crazy about having the biggest and brightest NBA all-stars in there country wasn’t too much of a surprise.
In terms of whether or not this team will win the Gold, I like their chances, but also have my reservations. Yes, they’re 1-through-12 the most talented team there. And they definitely are the favored team – but not by as much as most fans would like to believe. While China and Angola have made HUGE strides in team basketball over the past 16 years, it doesn’t compare to the success and growth Spain, Argentina and Greece have shown in the last decade. Those teams, as most hoops observers know, have absolutely closed the gap (I guess by winning the past two big international tournaments, have eclipsed the gap).
The key word over the next games versus Greece, Spain, etc, will be “Discipline” – will they stop playing the helter skelter gambling defense and play straight up and defend shooters consistently? We’ll find out in a few days.