RE: more pack journalism

["Wright, Cecil" <Cecil.Wright@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think the article is rather condescending to the fine athletes who have
chosen to go and represent their country.  There are reasons for some, who
are not there, to be absent.  Can you tell me, in all honesty, that if you
were the owner of the Lakers, you would want Shaq to delay surgery so he
could participate in these games?  I wouldn't.  Also, some of these guys are
family men.  Spending time with their children and families is important to
many of them...and if they decided to take their kids away just before the
start of school, knowing they will be back to work shortly anyway, what
right would any of us have in finding fault with that?

Here, for example, Steve Nash, at the last moment, decided he couldn't play
with Canada.  Of course there was just a small detail of Mark Cuban wanting
an adequate insurance policy in case Nash was injured and unable to perform
for the Mavs.  Nash, a bachelor, was heartbroken because he WANTED to play.
How they could not have arrived at an agreement, I don't know.  Is Pierce's
insurance policy strucured in such a way that IF he was injured during this
tournament, the C's would be covered with a policy that somehow would
provide equivalent compensation?

I honestly believe we place too much pressure on athletes to play for this
reason or that reason when there are far more important things taking place
on this continent than the results of a game or two.

Cecil  

-----Original Message-----
From: Lance Jacobson [mailto:lancejacob@attbi.com]
Sent: September 04, 2002 3:41 PM
To: Tammo29@AOL.com; celtics@igtc.com
Subject: Re: more pack journalism 


  I think it's become obvious that the media is dying for a U.S. loss,
although Deveney is the first writer I've seen actually admit to it. You
would
think American pride would be more important than any "I told you
so's", but I guess not>>Tammo29.

Tammo's got me filtered, so I don't expect a direct response, but I read the
author's pleading for a loss another way.  He's seeing sloppy play by the
Americans, and it's as much a testament to the missing talent of Shaq, Kobe,
Duncan, and Tracy as it is to the limited practice time.  He'd like to see
more of the top players willing to play to show just HOW GOOD the US players
are, rather than just eking out a win.  He feels this will only happen if
the
team loses, and the best Americans are drawn into defending the honor of the
U.S.A.

Tammo thinks that the author should root for the U.S.  I don't see why.
These
guys don't truly represent the best we have, and if that's what we're
putting
forth against the world's best, then we need the wakeup call of a loss.

Just another example of how Tammo interprets things differently than I.