USA vs. Italy Pre-Olympics Game

[jrodsep]

One word to describe the way they played: AWFUL. The USA Men's basketball team lost this afternoon 95-78 to an inspired Italy team. This is just embaracing (sp?) I hope the USA team can finish higher than 6th this time around.

[Discrim]

the world's catching up...as you hear all the time, what our coaches used to teach in the 60s and 70s, the rest of the world is being taught (namely, how to shoot the damn ball)

i mean, plop. a team of me, you, JQK, Syphi and creamer could have outclassed most of team usa today...okay, i'm stretching it but still.

[jkrdevil]

I've given up on USA Basketball. It's all about USA Hockey in the World Cup!!!!!!!

[jrodsep]

Finally ESPN has the story: USA Basketball embarrassed

The sad thing is that the Italians don't have a player in their roster with ANY NBA experience. Next stop, Dirk Diggler and the German National Team.

[Tannerman]

I actually enjoy this. Nice to see our NBA guys lose. Bring back college players to the Games!

[Saintsfan]

Hety for the USA this is just a warm up game.For Italy, this is a chance to beat the might of the USA. I wouldn't read too much into this.

[See Red]

Don't read into it at all. In fact, this was great for Larry Brown as maybe his boys will stop acting like idiots and realize that they have to play ball, attend team functions, and all that crap -- in essence, USA Basketball has to get serious.

And no, the rest of the world isn't that much closer to us than they were in the 90's -- the United States is just not sending their best players over there like they used to.

You don't think the United States is gonna be motivated to beat Italy in the Olympics after the way italy danced around and celebrated following the game? congratulations on digging yourself a grave following a meaningless game, Italy.

[hrivnak]

Sad. So very, very sad.

[jkrdevil]

Don't read into it at all. In fact, this was great for Larry Brown as maybe his boys will stop acting like idiots and realize that they have to play ball, attend team functions, and all that crap -- in essence, USA Basketball has to get serious.

And no, the rest of the world isn't that much closer to us than they were in the 90's -- the United States is just not sending their best players over there like they used to.

You don't think the United States is gonna be motivated to beat Italy in the Olympics after the way italy danced around and celebrated following the game? congratulations on digging yourself a grave following a meaningless game, Italy.

Well, if it wasn't for the fact the same thing happened in the world Championships a few years ago and then the lost their next 2 games that put them into 6th place.

[HappyBrownie13]

i really thought that kick in the butt a few years ago would bring some pride back to the NBA players where theyd all want to represent like Magic, Bird, Jordan, etc. did in '92. In stead, the only "Dream Team" worthy players on the roster this year are Duncan and Iverson.

I understand that everyone's worried about Greece and security this year, but c'mon! Show some dignity and character and represent your country while you can! I hope these guys regret turning their backs on Team USA when theyre in their 50s or 60s.

You can truly no longer call USA Basketball the Dream Tea

[See Red]

Don't read into it at all.  In fact, this was great for Larry Brown as maybe his boys will stop acting like idiots and realize that they have to play ball, attend team functions, and all that crap -- in essence, USA Basketball has to get serious.

And no, the rest of the world isn't that much closer to us than they were in the 90's -- the United States is just not sending their best players over there like they used to.

You don't think the United States is gonna be motivated to beat Italy in the Olympics after the way italy danced around and celebrated following the game?  congratulations on digging yourself a grave following a meaningless game, Italy.

Well, if it wasn't for the fact the same thing happened in the world Championships a few years ago and then the lost their next 2 games that put them into 6th place.

Yes, but that was in the Championships. What did this game count for? What reason did the United States have to play their best basketball. Personal pride? If that was the case, players wouldn't be showing up late to team functions, that is, if they go at all. My point is, this team hasn't shown a whole lot of motivation to make themselves better, so who's to say there heart was completely in that game if it hasn't been completely in anything they've done thus far. Don't read into the loss. The circumstances are different than the basketball World Championships, and the team is better.

[NJTank]

The problem with USA Basketball is there are no fundamentals we walk on the court as if we already have the game won and have a bunch of players fighting for the highlight reel instead of fighting for the win.

[CDunn]

The problem with USA Basketball is there are no fundamentals we walk on the court as if we already have the game won and have a bunch of players fighting for the highlight reel instead of fighting for the win.

Exactly. Lebron got called for traveling twice(atleast the ESPN highlight showed him getting called twice. There may have been more.) That just cannot happen. In the NBA, guys travel all the time, but it never gets called because the game is about the dunk now days. International ball is about the fundemental skills. Italy was very good from the foul line and had few turnovers and they beat Team USA soundly today. If Team USA doesn't want to get embarrased, they gotta learn to finish plays clean and simple. No more of this behind the back passes and slam dunk Globetrotter crap.

[JamesCraven]

Two words for my reaction:

"GIANLUCA PAGLIUCA!!!"

[TFoA]

I agree wit the person who said we aren't sending our best over there... Really, if we sent THE best {As in Shaq, Kidd, Garnett, etc.} then it would be destruction and mayhem in favor of the U.S.

Even though I still think this team can go to Athens and win Gold {stretching it}, they had better pick it up

[Magus]

if they can't play no better than that, they deserve to lose.

we have the talent, but no desire to win and they don't have the talent but the desire to win.

[CC97]

The world game IS catching up, but is still nowhere near the U.S... just compare the amount of foreign players in the NBA now as there were 10-15 years ago...

if the u.s.'s best players were sent over it would still be no contest, but the world is catching up slowly.

look at how Canada dominated hockey way back when, the world caught up, we're still #1, but barely.

[NJTank]

The world caught up because they play a better more fundamental form of basketball.