[no subject]

This is not to say that Argentina didn't show impressive, 
old-school things that one rarely sees among the bottom-
feeding NBA teams.

But the way those guys had seemingly every other shot 
blocked back in their face for most of the second half, 
I'm not sure they could win as a team in the NBA.

What happened last night (and the 12-point deficit to 
China) is probably a sign of what will forever remain a 
handicap for future Team USAs. 

In fact, I think USA is at GRAVE risk of elimination 
tonight against the Yugos (I hope they change last 
night's refs, though). Its a major handicap that they 
face (lack of experience as a team). Paul Pierce and Co. 
have a good chance of being eliminated tonight, even in 
the wake of last night's useful wake-up-call. 

But if I were Karl, I don't see how you coach the USA any 
differently. I feel strongly about this, in fact, based 
on what I've seen so far, but I don't have the time right 
now to explain why in this particular post.

Go Team USA! Beat Slobodan! ;-)

Joe


p.s. Last night's USA loss is the flip side of 
Argentina's first round elimination in the soccer World 
Cup. That was also a bonafide Dream Team but with players 
who no longer get to play together until the last minute, 
and have adapted to distinctive, clashing styles of play 
in the various European leagues. The Asian teams, notably 
Korea, got together for training months prior to the Cup. 
That doesn't mean Asia has "caught up" to the rest of the 
soccer world, anymore than Argentina has "caught up" to 
USA in basketball. I doubt Argentina has one guy at this 
stage who is among the top 100 players in the world. 
Yugoslavia has one guy, maybe two. If all 29 NBA teams 
participated in the World Championship, they'd probably 
capture the top twenty places on the podium quite easily.

***

-------------------
L'e-mail gratuit pas comme les autres.
NOMADE.FR, pourquoi chercher ailleurs ?