RE: JasikeVICIOUS

[Alexander Wang <awang@MIT.EDU>]

>
> --- Josh wrote: 
> I don't think the world is catching up, but the way we select the olympic 
> team is very flawed, and will eventually result in our getting beat. 
> Basically, the way they set it up is as a marketing exercise -- an all-nba 
> team, minus guys with attitudes/tattoos/posses.  But that only results in 
> having 12 guys who are all used to being the man, who are often 
> spectacularly talented by deficient in fundamentals, and who don't, as 
> The Rock says, "know their role."  A big reason we struggled the way we did 
> against Russia and Lithuania is that our guys can't shoot free throws, 
> aren't used to zone defenses, and tend to get fouls called on them.  The 
> obvious answer to this olympics is to have Shaq play at center; but in the 
> long run, I think we would be better served to put together a 
> defensively-oriented team with multiple teammates on it -- guys who are
used 
> to playing together, and who trust each other on offense and defense.  And 
> after the top seven or eight stars, I would add all-star role players -- a 
> big he-man, a shot-blocker, a ball-hawk, a pure outside catch-and-shoot 
> specialist.  Anybody else have any thoughts on this? 


Well, one major problem is that the US isn't sending the best players it can
also. Like you mention, Shaq wasn't here. Just looking at the 96 Olympics,
there were several dominant center types like Robinson, Shaq, Hakeem, as well
as very tough post players in Barkley and Karl Malone. This year we have
Mourning. Look at who's missing: Shaq, Duncan, Malone. You have some old guys
like Steve Smith and Tim Hardaway, a subpar Vin Baker. Even the power forwards
are not dominators inside: Shareef, Garnett, McDyess. I think if the US wants
to have a close to 100% chance of winning, they have to be extremely dominant
on the inside, and this team is not built that way.

You are right about everything else also; the guys aren't used to playing with
each other, they're not used to international rules, there aren't really
complementary players. I would guess that the close calls during this Olympics
will really shake USA Basketball. I don't know what they can do though. A lot
of top NBA players, supported by their coaches, would rather not play and save
themselves for the more important NBA season. They're definitely not going to
go for a longer training period. And the mental barriers against beating
the US
are disappearing. 

Alex