Very good effort for Spain. Wonder how different it would've been had Gasol not been on bench half the game and had Rubio been there.
2012 London Olympics
- Thread starter Lusty
- Start date
close game. but great win for the us. i know we lose kobe but our future in bright at the world championship if lebron, durant and melo comes back. we need a big man though. we almost got in trouble today if marc gasol didn't get into foul trouble early.
Handball?:1orglaugh:rofl2:
Americans are vulnerable if we don't play our biggest stars. international players are getting better. most of spain's team play in the nba. so its not automatic. we didn't bring our A team in 2004 and we got bronze.
We don't need Kobe. We could come up with three basketball teams every Olympics that would sweep the medals just like Canada can in hockey. We could also do that in baseball, which is very much turning into one of the most popular sports on the globe. It's probably not ironic basketball and baseball were invented by Americans. (well Naismith was born in Canada but he was very much American through and through and invented the sport Stateside.)
I was happy to see the USA do so well. I loved watching the games.
Interesting how countries like the UK and Russia did with less than half of the population of the USA.
Interesting how countries like the UK and Russia did with less than half of the population of the USA.
The U.S will produce a good if not better team in Rio in 2016. This team was good but think about the players that weren't on this team, guys like Rose, Howard, Bosh, and Griffin. In addition, think about all the new rookies that will enter the league by 2016 and you can figure that a handful of them will be added to the Olympic pool. The U.S has an excellent development program and will be able to replenish the Olympic roster yet still not lose any talent. Look at teams like Argentina and Spain, they have the same guys who have been playing together for almost ten years. They dont develop new players as well as the U.S does
In Argentina and Spain, European football (soccer) truly is the love of those countries. I don't know their populations either but they are significantly smaller, I believe.
This is why American basketball will always - always - contend for gold at world champions as Spain and Argentina always - always - have a chance at the World Cup. Just the way things are.
This is why American basketball will always - always - contend for gold at world champions as Spain and Argentina always - always - have a chance at the World Cup. Just the way things are.
I always wonder about international sports that originate in a single North American country, like basketball or hockey. Is there any logical reason they changed the rules around, where the lines are, and the dimensions of certain parts of the playing area? It almost seems like at one time they said, "Yeah, we know that's how they do it and it works, but were just going to change stuff around for the hell of it".
I don't think a 2nd American team could beat Spain. Who'd be on it? Considering there was basically no bigs on the 1 team, Spain and Lithuania would eat a less talented American team alive.
What will be interesting is if NBA players aren't allowed to play, or Stern gets his way and only 23 years old and younger can play. The U.S would still be favourites, but not heavy like this year.
If the Stern does way with pros playing in the Olympics then I think Spain and Argentina could beat the U.S. You'd have a team of college players going up against teams like Argentina, Spain and Lithuania, all of which are made up of a handful of NBA vets.
Ice listed four above^. I don't feel like digging right now as I'm trying to switch (watch) three damn sports casts right now.
Also, a college all star team I reckon could definitely contend for hardware against Europe's best. They fricken got the silver in '88 the last time our college boys went against Europe's best. Considering teams are 12 (?) on a roster I KNOW we could spread enough talent on three squads at only 36 players and have role players and yes, they could - could - sweep. Course that's just my opinion.
All those guys that are injured? Guys are injured every year, or choose not to play. Also, which American is going to want to play on the shittier of the 3 teams? And have to lose against his countrymen? Spain went toe to toe twice with the best the U.S has to offer and you think the guys that didn't make it could beat them? No way. There isn't enough American bigs to go around for 3 teams.
Same goes with hockey. Sure Canada could field two teams, but they wouldn't sweep.
There is a serious drop off of talent after the 1st team.
Same goes with hockey. Sure Canada could field two teams, but they wouldn't sweep.
There is a serious drop off of talent after the 1st team.
This is all hypothetical, it's never going to happen. Also, even the announcers today said America didn't even pick all their best and it wasn't because they were injured. It was because, as I stated, they wanted role players as well. Seriously, we could find 24 of our best in the NBA and 12 from the college ranks and mix these teams up and I think they could all contend. IMO
I'm not sure this is true, actually. I agree about American basketball, but look at the NHL. Canada has double the number of players the USA does, and nearly ten times the third most represented country. Canadians scored 3,559 goals in the last season, and the US players scored 1,231 goals. I think, simply because of the sheer quantity of Canadian players, they could likely host two winning teams. Not three, though.
I do find the idea interesting to not allow NBA players, or at least no one over 23, to the Olympics. It would certainly change the feel of the competition, put more nations on equal footing, and so forth, but I wonder what it would do for viewership in the United States?
Taking NBA guys out would hurt other countries more than the U.S I think.
The problem with two or more teams from one country is lack of players at key positions. Who plays in net for Canada on the 2nd team? Defense? You'd basically have the Spangler cup team going up against Russia, Sweden, U.S, etc. And unless you spread the wealth evenly, you still have the 2nd team going up against the big boys from their own country.
Hypotheticals are the best conversations!!
Fair points, all. And I'm not at all in favour of any country fielding two teams for the Olympics, but it is an interesting concept. What about letting the people who don't make the American basketball team, who are American and play for the NBA eligible for other countries?
:stir:
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