Paris Olympics

[jomar]

Um, okay.

Just a couple of points:

1) The U.S. men didn’t win the Gold Medal in 2004, and before the best NBA players were allowed to participate in 1992, the U.S. was regularly getting beaten by international teams. (And the U.S. has lost games in group play.)

Side note: USA mens basketball has fared poorly in the FIBA tournament since 2014.

2) The USA women’s team barely won this year, so… The world is catching up.

3) Basketball is a global sport now, but it isn’t as prominent as Soccer (football). Still, exceptional young athletes around the world are witnessing the success of international players in the NBA and other professional basketball leagues and they are seizing on the opportunities basketball offers. The NBA, etc, are dedicated to growing the sport of basketball internationally, and it seems to be working.

4) Yes, the U.S. college system does provide an avenue to success for foreign athletes. I’m surprised you didn’t include Leon Marchand, the star of the Paris Olympics, who represented France, but trained at Arizona State college and is benefiting from the training of the American coach who trained Michael Phelps, etc, Bob Bowman.

The men’s final was a bit of a squeaker. And both men and women in NBA and WNBA are playing for their home countries (though some have dual citizenship) which further less the playing field.

And they talked about WNBA players on the French team committing to considerably more time to practice and gel than the US team had available.

 

[Lazaran]

The men’s final was a bit of a squeaker. And both men and women in NBA and WNBA are playing for their home countries (though some have dual citizenship) which further less the playing field.

And they talked about WNBA players on the French team committing to considerably more time to practice and gel than the US team had available.

The foreign players / teams have some built in advantages:

1) They are the hunters, the U.S. teams are the hunted. (And foreign players seem to play extra aggressively against the U.S., and international refs seem to allow it.)

2) The American professionals are generally the top stars, so they always seem to be more risk averse in international games. (I don’t see the all out effort, which is related to my first point: There is a very real risk of an injury that could end a career.)

3) As you mentioned, the foreign players have more time to “gel”, but they are ALSO more open to “gelling “ (imho) than the American stars. There is undoubtably more ego management on Team USA than on the foreign teams. (See: Jayson Tatum, etc.)

4) FIBA rules and refereeing are waaaaay different than the NBA / WNBA. They even use a different ball. (I would definitely like to see the FIBA rules, reffing, court size, and ball mirror the NBA /WNBA , but that isn’t going to happen.)



Ultimately, the talent gap is closing while the standard disadvantages the U.S. teams have to deal with remain intact.

It is what it is.

 

[jomar]

The foreign players / teams have some built in advantages:

1) They are the hunters, the U.S. teams are the hunted. (And foreign players seem to play extra aggressively against the U.S., and international refs seem to allow it.)

I don’t watch international play, but was surprised how much the refs let them play at the Olympics. Rugby came to mind.

2) The American professionals are generally the top stars, so they always seem to be more risk averse in international games. (I don’t see the all out effort, which is related to my first point: There is a very real risk of an injury that could end a career.)

As a general rule I don’t doubt you’re right. And it makes sense.

3) As you mentioned, the foreign players have more time to “gel”, but they are ALSO more open to “gelling “ (imho) than the American stars. There is undoubtably more ego management on Team USA than on the foreign teams. (See: Jayson Tatum, etc.)

I was impressed that Diana Taurasi sat the final final out without protest knowing the US needed its best on the court.

4) FIBA rules and refereeing are waaaaay different than the NBA / WNBA. They even use a different ball. (I would definitely like to see the FIBA rules, reffing, court size, and ball mirror the NBA /WNBA , but that isn’t going to happen.)



Ultimately, the talent gap is closing while the standard disadvantages the U.S. teams have to deal with remain intact.

It is what it is.

Yes

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1821989860200345909

Everybody had fun mocking Raygun's awful break dancing routine at the Olympics but it's turning into a scandal. This article is the best summary I could find of what I'm hearing through dance back-channels. Basically the World DanceSport federation wanted ballroom to be an Olympic sport, and the IOC said "no way but how about break-dancing?"

Not wanting to give up their chance at getting some dance into the Olympics, The WDSF scrambled to arrange for break-dance teams. Rachel Gunn (aka Raygun) organized the qualifying competition in Australia. Not many actual break-dancers from Down Under knew about it, and Rachel placed high enough to get a slot on the team. Now everyone is laughing/pissed and the future of competitive dance at the Olympics is uncertain.

 

[Lazaran]

Everybody had fun mocking Raygun's awful break dancing routine at the Olympics but it's turning into a scandal. This article is the best summary I could find of what I'm hearing through dance back-channels. Basically the World DanceSport federation wanted ballroom to be an Olympic sport, and the IOC said "no way but how about break-dancing?"

Not wanting to give up their chance at getting some dance into the Olympics, The WDSF scrambled to arrange for break-dance teams. Rachel Gunn (aka Raygun) organized the qualifying competition in Australia. Not many actual break-dancers from Down Under knew about it, and Rachel placed high enough to get a slot on the team. Now everyone is laughing/pissed and the future of competitive dance at the Olympics is uncertain.

Anyone who watched the break dancing finals and semifinals knows damn well that breakdancing is incredible and requires an amazing level of athleticism and body control, - not to mention the ability to sync up to the mystery beats that are thrown at them.



“Raygun” somehow beat the system, but that doesn’t detract from the sheer awesomeness of the genuinely talented and athletic participants.





And speaking of incredible, here’s a demonstration of athletic body control in "dance" that is unparalleled

:

Side note:

There is no trick photography involved in that performance.