The "Dream Team" Is A Nightmare

Written by RJ Elliott
Published August 16, 2004

Quotes from here:

Puerto Rico have beaten the United States 'Dream Team' basketballers 92-73 in Athens in one of the biggest shocks in the history of the Olympic Games.

NBA superstars Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson and LeBron James were humiliated by a team they had beaten 96-71 just over two weeks ago in Florida.

It was the first defeat in 25 games for the United States since NBA talent including Michael Jordan began playing for them in Olympic competition at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

This is nothing short of humiliation for Team USA.

Puerto Rico is a little island with a few million people. They are technically a part of the United States. Yet their team, which does not have a high international ranking, utterly destroyed the US in every facet of the game.

The US shot barely over 10% from 3-point range, despite the fact that under international rules, the 3-point line in nearly three feet closer to the basket than in the NBA.

The US missed a disturbing number of free throws, which could have otherwise kept them in the game.

Look, the US team could have been better. Countless athletes turned down their invite to the Olympics for various reasons, especially security concerns.

But that is simply excuse-making. Even with a team comprised mostly of understudies with a few superstars like Duncan and Iverson, Team USA should be routing their opponents. And they aren't. They lost to Italy in exhibition, and had another close-call with Germany.

I honestly don't believe anything better than Bronze will be won by this current "Dream Team."

And that, frankly, should be considered a national nightmare.

RJ Elliott is a graduate student studying Criminal Justice at the University Of Central Florida. His likes include nature, sports, and pierced blondes. He dislikes daytime television, left-wing dictators, and lead-tainted Chinese imports. He is ambivalent about Angelina Jolie.
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The "Dream Team" Is A Nightmare
Published: August 16, 2004
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Section: Sports
Writer: RJ Elliott
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#1 — August 16, 2004 @ 07:25AM — bhw [URL]

I think Allen Iverson was quoted as saying that the Puerto Rican team showed team USA [and the fans] how the game is supposed to be played.

The arrogant one-on-one, break-down- your-defender style of play that has dominated the NBA is now coming back to haunt the players and coaches. They don't pay attention to shooting or passing or zone defense [is that still against the rules in the NBA?], and then they wonder why other teams that can do those things not only challenge them but kick them in the butt.

Maybe if team USA doesn't get the gold this year the NBA and the players will see the light!

#2 — August 16, 2004 @ 07:47AM — Mike Kole [URL]

Amen to all of this. The international game is a team game, and the leading players on this version of the Dream Team aren't the most team-oriented or defense-oriented the NBA has to offer. What it does offer is a stockpile of the NBA's current marquis offerings. Not a great criteria for assembling a team.

#3 — August 16, 2004 @ 14:03PM — Shark

re: Dream Team - Shameless plug

He's a prophet!

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