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US Olympic basketball team announced

artmonkforHOF

By artmonkforHOF
in The Tailgate

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renaissance

renaissance

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Krzyzewski Sets the Tone Early

U.S. Coach Starts Practice With Stirring Rendition of National Anthem

By Michael Lee

Washington Post Staff Writer

Monday, June 30, 2008; Page E10

LAS VEGAS, June 29 -- With Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other stars in town to begin the final phase of their journey toward what they hope will be a gold medal, U.S. national team coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted to set the mood. So he put on some Marvin Gaye.

Krzyzewski made his collection of superstars watch Gaye's stirring R&B rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" from the 1983 NBA All-Star Game before a two-hour practice Saturday at Thomas & Mack Center's Cox Pavilion. The video played in a loop on a big-screen television as players ran through their drills, serving as a reminder for a team seeking to hear its anthem from the top step of a medal stand at a major international competition for the first time since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Full Article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/29/AR2008062902205.html

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Larry

Larry

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The college game is getting worse by the minute

Actually, I seem to have this talent for coming up with (what I think are) Great Ideas, too late to do any good.

But I was thinking that what I'd have liked to see for our Olympic basketball team would be to re-unite the Florida Gators back-to-back National Championship team. I think a case could be made (based on how they got drafted by the NBA) that they were the best college basketball team, ever.

I think they're all NBA backups, so I wouldn't think it'd be that hard to get permission for them to play together. (Although it wouldn't surprise me if, after an NBA season, they just didn't feel like it.)

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G.A.C.O.L.B.

G.A.C.O.L.B.

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But I was thinking that what I'd have liked to see for our Olympic basketball team would be to re-unite the Florida Gators back-to-back National Championship team. I think a case could be made (based on how they got drafted by the NBA) that they were the best college basketball team, ever.

Michael Olowokandi was drafted number one overall. As was Kwame Brown. Shawn Bradly went #2 one year. On and on.

You see my point?

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Larry

Larry

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Michael Olowokandi was drafted number one overall. As was Kwame Brown. Shawn Bradly went #2 one year. On and on.

You see my point?

And my point was that (it seems to me) that these teams are often like All Star teams. A bunch of really good individuals. (Who often, as near as I can tell, don't really care if they win.)

I was thinking that maybe things would work better if they sent a team.

(Heck, maybe send the team that lost the NBA championship, or something.)

I was also getting the impression that often, the really big names in the NBA don't want to go, for one reason or another. But these people obviously really like playing with each other. They passed up a year in the NBA to stay and play together in college.

(And I'll admit. I frankly don't give a Philly about basketball, at any level. But living here in Gainesville, I have different feelings about that one group of Gators.)

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G.A.C.O.L.B.

G.A.C.O.L.B.

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And my point was that (it seems to me) that these teams are often like All Star teams. A bunch of really good individuals. (Who often, as near as I can tell, don't really care if they win.)

I was thinking that maybe things would work better if they sent a team.

(Heck, maybe send the team that lost the NBA championship, or something.)

I was also getting the impression that often, the really big names in the NBA don't want to go, for one reason or another. But these people obviously really like playing with each other. They passed up a year in the NBA to stay and play together in college.

(And I'll admit. I frankly don't give a Philly about basketball, at any level. But living here in Gainesville, I have different feelings about that one group of Gators.)

I understand your point. And I'm not arguing against it. Although I would say that the greatest team ever was the original Dream Team and that was nothing but a bunch of superstars thrown together. So there is evidence that that strategy works. Not sure I would go with a college team either. Europe has tons of professional players and leagues now and I have a feeling they would rape a bunch of 19 year olds.

My contention was simply with your assertion that the Flordia Gators championship team was the best college team ever because of the way the players were drafted. I guess I shoulda bolded, underlined, and blew up that specific part. My bad.

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Larry

Larry

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My contention was simply with your assertion that the Flordia Gators championship team was the best college team ever because of the way the players were drafted. I guess I shoulda bolded, underlined, and blew up that specific part. My bad.

You mean like

I think a case could be made (based on how they got drafted by the NBA) that they were the best college basketball team, ever.

I'm not gonna try to bestow any "best ever" labels on anybody. I'm only marginally qualified to talk that way about football. And when it comes to basketball, I couldn't tell you who the college champions are right now.

I freely admit that pretty much the only thing I know about basketball is that I liked that Gator team.

I was simply thinking that there isn't ever gonna be another Dream Team, so instead of sending out an imitation Dream Team, how about sending out a real (college) championship team?

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ACW

ACW

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Sorry, I should've specified, I meant Boston's Big 3
Good question. I think KG took himself out, and I can see not having Allen, but I would've taken PP over Prince (I know Prince is there for D, but PP showed he can play some D too).
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Lombardi's_kid_brother

Lombardi's_kid_brother

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I think the people who say, "I stopped watching the NBA in such and such year" never really watched the NBA in the first place. Aside from Jordan, the NBA was pretty much unwatchable from about '93 to '01. Every team played like the Knicks. Every young superstar was a me-first headcase. (Seriously, go through the drafts from '92 on and see what I mean). And the hand-checking was akin to bump and run in football.

The NBA has got its rookie money problem figured out. It is loaded to the gills with young talent. The rules have completely opened up scoring.

The NBA - minus refereeing - has been awesome for at least three years now.

Anyway, this team is going to have trouble if Howard gets in foul trouble/can't adjust to international rules. You still need interior defense even in the international game.

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