Comments on: USA Senior Men’s Basketball Team Wins the Gold Medal Despite Ourselves

By: Stevo

Stevo — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:55:35 +0000

I’m from the UK, luved reading the article btw agreed wif everything! I took a holiday to the east coast a few weeks ago when the olympics were on and waz horrified at the lack of coverage of these guys! NBA is gettin bigger all over the world especially in the UK where a lot of young kids follow it now! And therefore I waz following the USA in the olympics, caught up in the whole ‘Redeem Team’ hysteria and wanted to c them thrash every opponent! But when I got to the states it waz like no1 even cared It actually made me pretty angry and wondering about the lack of coverage! I think it has got to do with race imo which is so annoying that mainsteam americans still think in this way its abs disgrace theres more white americans who WATCH the nba than black americans due to numbers not percentages, and for the media to ignore this is a major error ! But wot u guys shud do is welcome them bk heroes, buy usa shirts , stand up and say they were the most important usa gold winners, (phelps waz always gonna win) and go out show those racist pricks, that they shud think again and salute the likes of kobe, le bron! Btw im a white brit, and 90% of my mates who r also white luv the nba and feel no racism to anybody, cant believe it is still in america, come on obama!Another reason why basketball will get more coverage when he starts going to games lol though bush went to usavchina game!

By: Mizzo

Mizzo — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:58:03 +0000

I beg to differ. The NBA’s world wide popularity is unprecedented.

It’s all about race and you know it. Ain’t no future in ya frontin’….

By: Kwaku

Kwaku — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 01:44:55 +0000

The fact is that nobody cares about these guys. Unlike MJ, Bird, Barkley, and company, this crop of 2008 NBA stars just doesn’t consist of many likable or interesting personalities. The popularity of the NBA has also waned, in general.

By: Nina

Nina — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:31:22 +0000

I have to say I enjoyed reading this article. I realize that all the other teams competing in the World or Olympic games have one thing to shoot for outside of the Gold, Beat Team USA. What do we have to aspire to? Think about this. In 1992 the Dream Team was assembled and we never looked back as a country in the Men’s Basketball Competition. Team USA was always a guaranteed win and our team played that way. I use to call it the seven game All-Star game. The most recent competitions showed the team was not focusing on the team concept but there to show boat while the other teams got better. There was no sense of pride for what they represented because at the end of the day, Team USA had million dollar lifestyles to go back to and the other teams were not so fortunate. I caught a documentary on NBATV, Road To Redemption. I have to say at that moment, I felt a shift in Team USA and in my sense of pride. What the media does not speak on screams loud in my ears. Team USA was presented with wounded soldiers from Iraq who wanted to go back and fight for our freedom. Despite of the loss of limbs or being legally blind. I watched those men cry for those men and women who risk their lives for a war that is still questionable. That’s where their pride came in. That’s why I watched Team USA play like a team. Why Flash became Flash and LeBron played as the ultimate teammate. In the end, the history they picked up knowing that in 1972 Team USA did not pick up their Silver Medals because of some serious Olympic BS and that win was for them. If the media wants to trip on them, I say….Whatever…. I watched those arrogant boys grow up to become Men. Maybe this will change some of the attitude we have seen in the NBA, maybe not. But for this one moment in time, I was proud of what I witnessed…

By: Black Mustard: A Commentary of Why Some Black Athletes Celebrate | The Starting Five

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:34:55 +0000

[...] He fired himself and a whole nation up and was hated until his career was winding down. He was slammed in the media with no grease. My Pop used to wake me up after his fights and it had a lot to do with how he was revered in the Black community but hated at large. What a pity. It’s akin to the emptiness echoed after a Mike Breen call. [...]

By: HarveyDent

HarveyDent — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:50:11 +0000

Like the article especially the criticism of Breen’s play-by-play calling because he truly could have made an immortal call but let it slide. Imagine if it had been Marv Albert calling the game with Dickie V on color then believe me we’d have a call to rival “Havlicek stole the ball!” Ah well, his loss because when destiny calls you have to be ready to answer because for all the praise Breen lavished on the Spanish team he could have threw some of that love to the US team for handling the Spanish onslaught and playing through a ragged fourth quarter to reach the goal. That four point play will be legendary because that cemented the deal in my opinion.

I haven’t really paid any attention to the Olympics since ‘96 and only then because I lived in ATL at the time but these Games had me truly hooked. I enjoyed Bolt and the Jamaicans, Phelps’ accomplishments, both US b’ball teams, and even the Opening Ceremonies. Just seeing truly the world’s best athletes out there competing not for what benefits would come after the Games but just to prove themselves against the world humbled me. Watching the pride, that word again, all those athletes felt representing their countries while rocking their native garb reminded me again that I need to get some more stamps on my passports and realize that while the world has gotten flat it’s still a big place that can be just as wonderful as it is scary sometimes. That feeling of goodwill I actually felt vicariously through my TV screen is worth more than any snarky comments from people like Costas or Rick Reilly or criticisms of athletic behavior from Jacque Rogge can ever take away.

Well done, China, well done.

By: TRC

TRC — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 23:41:22 +0000

One of the most interesting storylines is the incredible evolution of LBJ- his sense of history (jumping over a barricade after the final game to hug Doug Collins-all the other players followed) and sense of team-leading the entire team into the post-game press conference. He is truly someone to admire beyond his basketball skills. Not saying the other players do not posess skills and abilities beyond BBall but LBJ seems to be a remarkable man. It was a pleasure and a privilege to watch this team.

Middle aged white guy.

By: The Most Known Unknown

The Most Known Unknown — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:08:54 +0000

I really wish that everyone could just appreciate sports, and not get involved about how much someone is making, or who they are dating, etc. The Olympics are the apex of competition and yes, it seemed as if people were watching and waiting for Team USA to fail. Why is that?

I am so proud of them, and I appreciate you taking the time to write this story, because outside of the one that I read by Jemele Hill, and this one, it seems as if no one wants to discuss it. Its almost like it didn’t happen. Team USA won the gold and went silently into the night.

Maybe Nike will do an event to celebrate their gold? And it would be great if they had the USA women’s team too. A nice ticker-tape parade down Broadway!

By: Mizzo

Mizzo — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:40:08 +0000

If there is applause it’s so muted a dog can’t hear it. These moments in time are what shape history.

Where are the stories?

By: CEvidence

CEvidence — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:23:04 +0000

You know I watch and read some of the stories and comments following the win and here’s some of the statements I’ve found.

“They were well behaved.”
“They showed they can play together”
“We shouldnt celebrate because they are pros playing against amateurs.”
“They shown that they can hide their arrogance.”

Now plenty of people had their cheers and congradulations. But still….the hate…flat out hate was down right sickening…just listen to the response…I can’t even get over it.