US loses in World Basketball Championships

[christo]

The US basketball team was defeated by Argentina tonight, 87-80, the first time a US team with NBA pros has ever lost. Funny, I was talking to a friend at lunch today, and I said that someday soon, we were gonna get beat. I didn't think it would happen TONIGHT.

Is this the biggest upset in sports history? Argentina has some nice players, but there is no way, NO WAY, that the United States should lose in basketball. And while it's true that the US team doesn't have Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, that's really no excuse.

So we lost. Why am I vaguely pleased about it?

 

[zach79]

It was bound to happen sooner or later, just as we are starting to catch up in soccer, the rest of the world is catching up to us in basketball.

I am however suprised by all the empty seats I've seen during these games, and we are the host country.

 

[HeavyStick]

So we lost. Why am I vaguely pleased about it?

gut checks are like that.

I feel the same way you do.

 

[HighSchoolJock]

The US basketball team was defeated by Argentina tonight, 87-80, the first time a US team with NBA pros has ever lost. Funny, I was talking to a friend at lunch today, and I said that someday soon, we were gonna get beat. I didn't think it would happen TONIGHT.

Is this the biggest upset in sports history? Argentina has some nice players, but there is no way, NO WAY, that the United States should lose in basketball. And while it's true that the US team doesn't have Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan, that's really no excuse.

So we lost. Why am I vaguely pleased about it?

yeah it was bound to happen. what needs to be further pointed out is that the best american players didnt play no besides the aforementioned there was no mcgrady no jason kiidd no c-webb. if you really think about it this was like sending college players out. sure they're all-stars but these arent the best american players in the game.

ive read so many articals recentley about how european players are much more fundamental than americans. (yes i know argentina is in south america). hopefully this will serve as a wake up call to all the young players out there. perhaps they'll start being more fundamental instead of trying to emulate those damn and 1 videos.

 

[Oasis690]

wooooo hoooooo! good! I am not anti american at all, I just think all the pro's in the Olympic teams are a joke and they shouldn't be there. I know all the athletes get paid these days, so there really aren't amatuers anymore, but the teams the U.S. fields are full of the top players in the world who are playing against such a lower level of talent, it becomes a joke. It is like playing a video game against a three year old, sure you can smash him, but why do it? doesn't the sub-level of competition weaken the joy you get from winning?

 

[HighSchoolJock]

wooooo hoooooo! good! I am not anti american at all, I just think all the pro's in the Olympic teams are a joke and they shouldn't be there. I know all the athletes get paid these days, so there really aren't amatuers anymore, but the teams the U.S. fields are full of the top players in the world who are playing against such a lower level of talent, it becomes a joke. It is like playing a video game against a three year old, sure you can smash him, but why do it? doesn't the sub-level of competition weaken the joy you get from winning?

the us team featured NONE i repeat NONE of our top players. not 1 player who was named 1st team all nba was on this squad, and all 5 players named to 1st team all-nba are all american.

 

[Oasis690]

and your point is?

 

[Oasis690]

if they used nba players at all it is a joke, scrubs or not.

 

[HighSchoolJock]

if they used nba players at all it is a joke, scrubs or not.

you said. "but the teams the U.S. fields are full of the top players in the world "

further more every country uses pros. some may not be in the nba but they are pros in european leagues. oh and dont germany, turkey, yugoslavia, canada, brazil have nba players on their squads too???

 

[HighSchoolJock]

oops sorry i forgot spain. spain also uses nba players

 

[Oasis690]

you said. "but the teams the U.S. fields are full of the top players in the world "

further more every country uses pros. some may not be in the nba but they are pros in european leagues. oh and dont germany, turkey, yugoslavia, canada, brazil have nba players on their squads too???

hey jocko, if they are scrubs in the nba they are still the top .000001 percent players in the world, so if corie blount or whoever is playing can't beat some goon no name from another country then we suck.

 

[Liontamr]

Because the entire tournament has been somewhat of a joke that none of the players or fans really care about? The olympics is the tournament that matters and when countries put out the top teams. Do you think the US would put Shawn Marion and Jermaine O'Niel on the olympic team? The worlds is a big tourny, but it's not that big a deal if you lose it. The top 7 or 8 countries send B squads allowing lesser knowns like Argentina and Puerto Rico to make a strong run into the medal round.

Take a look at Canada .. They played without the top four of Steve Nash, Todd MacCulloch, Jamal Maglure and Rick Fox and ended up losing to teams like Spain and Angola. They all skipped because they are resting from a long NBA season, nursing small injuries and mostly because the worlds isn't that big a deal. Nash, Fox and MacCulloch have all said though that they are more than willing to play for Canada next summer in the olympic qualifyers which IMO speaks volumes about just how "important" the worlds are.

 

[HighSchoolJock]

hey jocko, if they are scrubs in the nba they are still the top .000001 percent players in the world, so if corie blount or whoever is playing can't beat some goon no name from another country then we suck.

the best player in the tourney is on what team....could it be germany. what you fail to understand is just how good the rest of the world is at basketball. tonight they proved it. and they will continue to prove it as time goes on.

 

[p_p_man]

The US basketball team was defeated by Argentina tonight, 87-80, the first time a US team with NBA pros has ever lost.

Yes. It's the beginning of the end I've always predicted...

Today basketball, tomorrow the world!

ppman