Rah the Qualifiers!

[Snoopy the Celtics Beagle <snoopy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ooh, how tough they were, these American players.  It was amazing to read 
how they swept through the prelims like the NBA scouts through a 
high-school pickup game.

After the fact, of course.

Even as one or two sportswriters lamented how unfortunate it was we didn't 
get to watch the games--without forking over $60 up front--they are 
curiously silent on the subject of their own coverage.  Not surprising, 
there's so little of it to talk about.  While the games were being played, 
no one had a live update until after halftime, when the US regained the 
lead and began to pound the stuffing out of it's opponents.

To read the articles afterward, you'd think you were reading about the Cavs 
whipping the Spurs.  But there's something that no one--at least to my 
knowledge--has mentioned, never mind bothered to emphasize.

The USA is not playing the better teams.  The teams in Group A, the elite 
of the world, relatively speaking.  No, the USA is playing Group B, with 
the lesser lights, like that basketball powerhouse, the Virgin Islands.  A 
team so weak, that Tim Duncan was DNP-PD less then 90 minutes before game 
time, because he didn't want to beat up on his countrymen.  Not that it 
mattered, as the game ended with a 58 point demolition of USVI, which 
played about the level of a decent college team.

I'm just amazed we didn't have to play Uruguay.

The Better Teams start tomorrow, as Canada faces the US at 10pm 
tonight.  Then at 5pm tomorrow afternoon, Team USA gets to play 
Argentina.  That's right kids, less than 18 hours after finishing the 
Canada game, barring OT, they get to play an afternoon game against a team 
that is really looking forward to the notion.  then on Wednesday and 
Thursday, it's Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Argentina got embarrassed by Mexico, then proceeded to stomp on Uruguay in 
a form of stress relief.  Canada's only loss in round 1 was to--yep, 
Argentina.  Don't cry for them, they may just end up stomping the US team 
again.

So the fact that the USA advanced "easily" was for a good reason.  They 
weren't playing all the international powerhouses.  Coach Brown still 
bemoans the lack of a true inside presence.  Hey, Coach, the C's fans can 
relate.

Little mention is made that in each game, the opposing team--including the 
Virgin Islands--had at least one competitive quarter before Larry Brown 
started kicking butts in the locker room.  Wanna see what happens if we 
spot Argentina a double digit lead at halftime?  Not me.  Not the media, 
either.

The coverage, scant as it is, has been carefully choreographed to emphasize 
that this team is better than "dose bums" last summer--though at least one 
pundit correctly credited Pierce for his play and cited his unreasonable 
treatment at the hands of George Karl.  Any problems are glossed over as if 
all they have to do is "hit the switch", and the games will be won.  Hey, 
guys, see that NBA championship Banner over there?  The one that DOESN'T 
say "LA LAKERS"?  There's a reason for that.

As long as the US team plays "well"--meaning they turn their erstwhile 
opponents into doormats--there will be lots of after the fact coverage, and 
tons of feel-good stories.  God forbid there should be reportage of a close 
game.  Maybe the USA team has to actually, you know, play hard to win.

Gee, what a concept.

If it happens, I'm sure someone will tell us about it.

Eventually.

Snoopy the Celtics Beagle
Please visit the <http://www.celticsbeagle.net/>Celtics Beagle Website