Posted 1:51 PM by Anonymous

Well, the best the “dream team” can do now is a bronze after losing to Argentina in the semis of the Olympic basketball tournament in Athens (Greece, not Georgia, Bubba).

Is it just me or suddenly has the NBA lost some serious luster? Ouch sandwich. Send the fucking clippers in 4 years. Serially, don’t fuck around, they WILL get it done.

Of course, eric at offwing has some muy interesante stuff to say about the whole dillio with the US basketball team, especially some reaction and discussion about a controversial article written by Jason Whitlock at espn page 2 basically accusing any American that roots against this team of being racist (that’s what it sounds like, honestly, I ain’t read the article – yes I’m a pile)

Ok, well, I just read it, and I don’t see whut the gigantic fuss is about. Pretty good article actually. I mean, if you take it a certain way, you could get all worked up about it, but in a way he might be right, I mean, why are we jumping all over the players, like it’s their fault?? They were the ones willing to go when shaq and company couldn’t be bothered, they were the ones with a lot to lose (their credibility, the reputation of US ie nba basketball) and almost nothing to gain (yah, a gold medal, but, shit, and oh yah the derision and humiliation of being on the team that lost the olympics). I mean, at least they had the guts and desire to rep their country and tough it out, for zero cash i might add.

and yeah, reality check, the rest of the world is catching up to the US on the basketball tip, refining the game. The parallels to the transformation of hockey in the 70’s because of the influence of European players is especially interesting. And hate to break it to you America, but a good portion of you ARE racist fucks, and prolly are stoked that an all black millionaire team are losing to a bunch of short Europeans, Puerto Ricans, whatever, it makes you feel better about yourself sitting on a tractor chewing tobacco. Not that that’s a blanket description, and I like to think that the majority of people AREN’T racist, but, well, reality is a bitch and the “la la la everything is cool” committee is thankfully in recess. Kudos to Whitlock on a good column and making people think (as uncomfortable as we all know that can be).

So I would recommend: first read the whitlock column, then read this post by eric at offwing, take a valium, and call me in the morning. 976-PHUK. Aloha mahalo nui loa.

(Update: yah, you prolly know already, they did it, win bronze that is. yup, updated pic, too, yuppity duppity)

Update 2: click here for a cool follow up piece on Allen Iverson and the apparently excellent way he handled himself and the media while many others, most notably coach Brown, bitched and moaned about how they needed more shooters and the nba screwed them over in the team selection & yadda yadda yadda.

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