So ok, they have only lost their last 2 international competitions, but it may as well have been the last 20. The US men's national basketball team is not exactly the Chicago Cubs, but they aren't prohibitive favorites either. Kinda strange but I am rooting for them more than I can remember rooting for a US team in a definitely, definitely more than the recent world cup.
I remember the 1992 olympics with the so-called Dream Team winning every game by 40 and generally making jackasses out of themselves. The rest of the world didn't have the talent to compete and the US team finally convinced the sports world that they were as ugly americans as anyone else. Over the next few years, the level of play slowly diminished as did their worldwide reputation. They should have lost in Sydney and finally lost in Greece... and the rest of the World LOVED it. As an American, I wasn't that upset because our best players didn't play, and those who did whined and I hate whiners.
But now things have changed. we have a coach noone can criticize and the shenanigans of the past just won't happen with Coach K. And one more things... we have put a TEAM together. No longer do we have a shoot-first point guard and a center who is either a completely offensive liability or a complete defensive one. The team works hards, isn't outwardly cocky. I think this has the makings of a great story.
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editor's note: As I am typing this, the US is down 30-29 to puerto rico in the middle of the 2nd quarter. oh well!!
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