So the only remaining question at the Hoops Worlds is (a) how extensively the US is going to phone it in for the bronze-medal game and (b) if Argentina tanked the semi against Spain specifically to get the chance to beat the US (sorry: beat the US again).
Friday, September 01, 2006
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35 comments:
Three words:
More. White. Boys.
Team America clearly isn't getting it done with "superior athletes". We need to go out, and get ourselves the guys that led Roy Williams to a series of NCAA disappointments.
Here's my projected started lineup:
PG- Hinrich
SG- Redick
SF- Morrison
PF- LaFrentz
C- Paul Shirley
Shiiiiit, put those five on the court, and we'll bring the GOLD back to the U S of A!
So the real question we were all hoping to be answered on the blog today is why the departure from ESPN??
Wow, moving away from racism for a bit, I think we need a pass first point guard on the court at all times.
Jason Kidd can run my team until the day he retires. I'll run out there with Kidd and any athletes we can put him with. Paul can back him up.
Kidd, Wade, LeBron, Carmelo, Brad Miller. That will get it done. Back them up with Paul (distributor), Redd (shooter), Bowen (stopper), Bosh and Brand (big men) and that team will win. Make the last three guys college kids who are just happy to be there.
But hey, USA vs. Argentina is going to happen after all!
Guys with real jump shots would get my vote.
Of course, we're trying to think of real suggestions. We won't get a team with Kidd, Kobe, KG, Duncan, and Shaq backed up by Arenas, Pierce, Tmac, Brand, and Jermaine, with the last three guys being Lebron, Wade, and Carmelo.
THAT would be a mess.
not playing by WNBA, er, international rules might help....
Nova, I'm surprised Lee Humphrey didn't make your all white boys team.
Just a note, but Redd chose not to be on this team because of personal reasons, he was getting married I believe.
Second, not sure if it has any correlation but page 2 got rid of skip bayless as well. Although, I think everyone hates him. My speculation is Page 2 decided to go a different route. Maybe if Dan used more ebonics like Scoop he would still be around.
And to answer the question, it's obvious that the solution is to have Ray Allen and Michael Redd on the floor at the same time with Chris Paul. If the USA can spread the floor, and have Paul penetrate and kick, then nobody beats us. If we have DWade and Lebron James hoisting 20' shots all game, we're going to lose to the swarthy people from Greece. Pretty simple.
No team with LeBron James is going to quit. Bronze isn't Gold...but it's much much better than nothing.
The team will be fine, I think. Olympic gold is what matters.
I think the biggest problem is the lack of enforcement of the rules in the NBA. The NBA game is structured around being able to take 5 steps hop, take another 5 steps and then dunk it.
The International game is called closer to the actual rules of basketball. Meaning you have to set screens to get open and defend with your feet, not travel and hand check.
I think the lack of fundamentals in the NBA is correlated to lack of rules and that is why the game doesn't transfer.
In the international game teams when championships (er medals) in the NBA individuals win championships.
That is why we should return the international game to what it once was and take college athletes. Less egos, more guys willing to go and nobody bitching about fatigue from playing to many games.
greece is a quality team, just because you don't see them in the nba doesn't mean they're not, they've all played together a long time and have done very well within europe and internationally. shanoff's whiny hysterics about this make it seem like some kind of horrid tragedy, which it isn't. big. fat. hairy. effing. deal.
Anonymous: I am guessing Dan doesn't want to say anything about his departure from ESPN because there is no point in burning that bridge.
JJ Redick is THE ANSWER
Dan-
You need to go over to http://sonsofkc.blogspot.com/ and give us the scoop as to why you no longer write for P2.
And you must be bored at home, you post a lot of articles. Keep 'em coming though and come over the sonsofkc and BS a bit with us.
Here's why someone on deadspin said dan was DQed:
Eirishis says:
'Tis true that Shanoff is done at ESPN. He confirmed in an email to me earlier this month that ESPN decided to put both him and the DQ out to pasture at the end of today, when his contract expired.
08/31/06 10:36 AM
If you didn't see this coming ... get your yearly physical done and have them start with a head exam ...
1 - I agree that this team needs to blend ... a month together won't cut it ... Beijing will be the real test if this team is kept together ... although changes are necessary
2 - Coaching is a factor ... Coach K is a motivator ... my pick to coach this team ... Phil Jackson he's a proven winner and a motivator ... the triangle offense for Team USA to breakdown all those zone defenses they see would be a big upgrade
3 - Players ... Team needs more straight up defenders ... not ACC alumni (ex: Battier, Jamison, Paul) ... and 1 or 2 quality Centers ... other teams run layup drills every game it seems ... Who are the shot blockers on this team ?
GP
Triange offense will not help against a zone. If you're going to use buzz words from 10 years ago, at least know what your talking about.
Curious to know why someone said Skip Bayless is no longer with Page 2 when he has a new column up today.
pretty sure that will be bayless's last column but I could be wrong. Lets all hope so, he will still be on cold pizza though if anyone cares, probably not
I'm glad Shanoff left the Booyah Network. Good for him.
As for the USA team...
Greece shot 70% from the field during the last 3 quarters and were getting cheap calls left and right. I'm not one to blame the refs, but they definitely had it out for the U.S. in this game.
Doesn't matter though when the U.S. hoops teams only shoots 57% (!) from the freakin' free throw line for this game.
They deserved to lose.
I don't think the personell was the problem. The problem is the format of the tournament. The group play is good because you can lose one and still be in good shape, but when it gets to the knockout stages, one bad shooting night and you are done. Basketball is a game of coaching and adjustments. If each knockout round was a 3 game series or if the did a round-robin with the final four teams, the US surely would have been able to correct mistakes and take gold.
FYI, Shammy didn't leave, he was ASKED to leave.
RE: Alleged Tanking
I really don't see why Argentina would intentionally tank against Spain, giving up a shot at the gold just so they could beat the U.S. again. It serves no purpose whatsoever, as they've already proven they could beat the U.S.
Why they would pass up a gold (or even silver if they would've lost to Greece) just to play a U.S. team they know they could beat is hard to fathom.
this topic is being punished over at...
www.sonsofkc.blogspot.com
WE'RE the morning quickie now, bitches! (and have been for some time now)
I don't think you can compare Coach K to Mack Brown, the man has won 3 titles. As Dan has pointed out many times with all the talent he has had he should have more than 3. I think before K is done at Duke he will probably win at least 2 more, I don't think Mack Brown is going to win anymore titles at Texas because he will not get a transcendent athlete like Vince Young again and he overcoaches in key situations he was just lucky that last year he was facing Pete Carrol who has not had to coach in 3 years because of the sick talent at USC.
when you see shamoff sitting next to the off ramp of the NJ turnpike with a sign that says "will quickie for food" you'll all know he's officially done.
I know they are NBA players but they can at least pretend to play D.
Can't find the MQ where we talked about this...but, I saw this coming. I said they would run through the lesser teams only to stumble and settle for the Bronze.
They will top Argentina to surprise most, and then talk about how great it is to beat them this time...instead of focusing on the fact they should have run away with it...new coach and some new team players are definitely needed.
I don't knnow that the whole 3-year commitment is all it's cracked up to be. If the US doesn't end up with the gold in Beijing, none of the NBA players are going to take the time to play in the summer when they can be sitting on their yachts with a bunch of drunk broads.
"buzz words" ... forgot you coached professionally anonymous ... who gives a shit who you are ... and what you think
i dip my balls on all of you here.. but mostly, i dip my dong in shanoff's mouf.
What did I tell everyone??
US beat Argentina and are talking about how well they played, how they came together, how it was a big step, etc.
Now everyone will forget US basketball for a while again, and the team can "think" they actually succeeded.
Importantly, I am not sure whether or not you can consider the World Championships to be representative of "best basketball" teams.
For instance, Italy was missing Andrea Bargnani, the United States was missing a host of others. Does that mean that Greece is better than America? Of course not. They just were better the other day.
I think when it comes down to it, America could probably field three teams in a world championship-type of tournament, and finish gold, silver and bronze.
We're the best in the world. F these tournaments.
I think Team USA needs a more suitable coach...Coach K is fine for college, but NBA players need an NBA coach, like up and coming Avery Johnson or a vet like Gregg Popovich. (i'm not a spurs fan, I just think they are both quality choices)
oh, and sonsofkc followers...can you stop spamming the blog, it is getting old. thanks.
-tim
(Sunny, FL)
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