Greece beats USA in FIBA semis 101-95

[LockedOut]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/wbc200...ory?id=2568543

Sweet!! Not cause Greece won but cause, well you know....

[Resolute 14]

Bahahahahahahahahahaha! :d

[habernac]

you mean there's more to basketball than slam dunks and trash talking? Say it ain't so....

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Now, would the USA be better served if they sent the Miami Heat to these Worlds as the all star teams never seem to mesh properly.

[socalwingfan]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Now, would the USA be better served if they sent the Miami Heat to these Worlds as the all star teams never seem to mesh properly.

You could never convince Snaq O'Meal to give up his precious off-season, the dude won't even get surgery done in the offseason

[octothorp]

The US approach was right (to form a national program rather than just pick the best players every year), but this was year one of that program, so it's not surprising to see it fizzle. But this was a good first step; with three captains who average just two years of pro experience and 22 years of age, I was surprised that they got this far. Even a lot of basketball experts in the US weren't picking the US to win this tournament. It'll do them good to be put through a qualifying tournament for the next Olympics; two tournaments every four years just isn't enough for these guys to pick up the international game.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by octothorp

The US approach was right (to form a national program rather than just pick the best players every year), but this was year one of that program, so it's not surprising to see it fizzle. But this was a good first step; with three captains who average just two years of pro experience and 22 years of age, I was surprised that they got this far. Even a lot of basketball experts in the US weren't picking the US to win this tournament. It'll do them good to be put through a qualifying tournament for the next Olympics; two tournaments every four years just isn't enough for these guys to pick up the international game.

Exactly! give these young guys another year to mould, and they will be unstoppable.

Bosh, LeBron, Wade, Anthony. These guys will be great in a year or two once they are more used to playing together.

[Displaced Flames fan]

The US has no dominant, versatile big man.

Until they get one......

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

The US has no dominant, versatile big man.

Until they get one......

All these 7'0, 6'11 guys keep being moved to the PF spot in college, then when they get to the pros they cannot convert because they haven't developed any sort of post moves or are too skinny to defend the interior.

I mean, the Raps have had to play Bosh at the C position defensively, and the results have been terrible. He doesn't have the body to bang and crash.

[chockfullofgoodness]

Originally Posted by octothorp

The US approach was right (to form a national program rather than just pick the best players every year), but this was year one of that program, so it's not surprising to see it fizzle. But this was a good first step; with three captains who average just two years of pro experience and 22 years of age, I was surprised that they got this far. Even a lot of basketball experts in the US weren't picking the US to win this tournament. It'll do them good to be put through a qualifying tournament for the next Olympics; two tournaments every four years just isn't enough for these guys to pick up the international game.

You don't think there's enough talent in any age range in US pro-ball to win a tournament like this handily? C'mon, like Habernac hinted at, these cats just want to make pretty dunks and pretty passes and look pretty on TV so they can sign huge endorsment deals and be the big men on their respective teams. I'm convinced that this mentality begins even before they hit high school. No team concept. Just dollar signs. This is why the "team" sport of b-ball is passing them by. And not just internationally. Hell, Kobe and Shaq couldn't get along in LA because they both wanted the spotlight.

Just ranting, Octothorp. Nothing personal.

[RedMan12]

The USA always seems to have these problems in the Olympics and FIBA. They have too many superstars who play for themselves and not as a team.

[Displaced Flames fan]

Originally Posted by chockfullofgoodness

You don't think there's enough talent in any age range in US pro-ball to win a tournament like this handily? C'mon, like Habernac hinted at, these cats just want to make pretty dunks and pretty passes and look pretty on TV so they can sign huge endorsment deals and be the big men on their respective teams. I'm convinced that this mentality begins even before they hit high school. No team concept. Just dollar signs. This is why the "team" sport of b-ball is passing them by. And not just internationally. Hell, Kobe and Shaq couldn't get along in LA because they both wanted the spotlight.

Just ranting, Octothorp. Nothing personal.

It's not that they just WANT to do that stuff, it's literally all they can do! Finding complete players in the US these days is very, very difficult. I guarantee that team doesn't have more than a couple.

The fundamentals and team aspect of the game are falling by the wayside. The NBA is part and parcel to the problem as the rules have created a one on one game rather than team basketball. I guess good team basketball doesn't sell anymore.

[flames_1987]

Fundemental basketball just doesen't do it anymore for the majority of fans now in the NBA. People are going to pay money for the guy who can put up those sick dunks, even if he does dog it down on the defensive side and puts up shot after shot. This is the And1, Slam Magazine era, it's quite sad