Earthquakes and Greece lightning
Posted September 1st, 2006 by Brian Windhorst
Saitama, Japan — Yesterday I experienced my first-ever earthquake, a 4.8er that shook me up good on the 10th floor of my hotel. Tonight I saw Team USA get rattled in a loss to Greece that pretty much ended their FIBA World Championship.
I am not surprised they lost, I am surprised it was to Greece, who didn’t impress me against France two days ago. LeBron told me he was very disappointed.
At a time like this many people want to play the blame game. It is Mike Krzyzewski or Jerry Colangelo or a player or group of players. Based on my e-mail, some people are blaming me because I said Kobe Bryant might not fit in on the team and LeBron actually has been working at his defense. Though no one played good defense for the U.S. tonight (this morning for you stateside).
Here is the thing, I don’t think it is fair to blame any one person or any one reason. Team defense, especially on the pick and roll can be fingered in this one. So can hubris. But even if the U.S. somehow survived they might not have beaten Spain for different reasons.
Look, it is just hard to win this thing. I’m not defending the U.S., they, or we or whatever you want to say, have let it get to this. For so many reasons, the NBA style being tops, the Americans play a foreign game here. They are at an extreme talent advantage and an extreme disadvantage at everything else. The basketball world has changed and I’m not sure the USA can ever really get itself back on track.
After following this team for the last six weeks, they genuinely thought this was going to work. So did I, even though I knew it would be hard. I saw how they handled themselves, I talked to all the players and coaches, I talked to people who were watching from outside. I saw how they shared, how they worked hard in practice, how they seemed to rally behind each other.
Even though it didn’t pay off, I can’t believe they didn’t make strides here with this whole exercise. It is easy to rip them now, easy to say nothing has changed, easy to take shots at people that looked like they were swallowing the Kool-Aid. Then they have a bad two quarters and it is over.
One of the things I believe in is looking at everything with perspective, taking the long view. I am trying to do it now, but I can’t for sure say all this will actually help in 2008. Perhaps time will help as it does the teams that regularly beat the Americans. But I’m also a realist and I know the makeup of this team will change in the next two years. Colangelo said as much after the game tonight.
Perhaps my opinion will as well.
September 1st, 2006 at 10:17 am
Even an American squad featuring Shane Battier should have been able to beat a team from Greece. But then again, who cares? I’ve been too busy snoozing through the WBNA finals to be able to snooze through the USA’s latest embarrassment in international basketball. Even if they didn’t lose, USA professionals performing in international basketball would still be a yawn. It hasn’t held my interest since the last time Charles Barkley elbowed an Angolan guy in the face.
But now that the subject is pretty much moot until 2008, can we please discuss something far more pressing: How is Z’s kettlebell training progressing? I’m guessing he’ll be coming into camp resembling a white stallion.
September 1st, 2006 at 10:48 am
First and foremost, you should be FIRED!!! last blog you had the balls to not even mention Greece as a favourite. Then again you wrote:
“I am surprised it was to Greece, who didn’t impress me against France two days ago. ” So maybe the pink slip isnt necessary for you owning up to your opinion.
Call it the balme game, I call it facts.
Gilbert Arenas aside, COACH K must of ate some raw sushi. After giving Elton Brand a opportunity to establish an inside presence, where he failed, Coach K snubbed Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard then went to small ball? Dwight Howard should have been used in the last 15 minutes of the game. His 1st quarter was sensational and Coach K dropped the ball. Hinrich’s corner mishap was the turning point. All the talent in the world couldn’t help Team USA, another disappointing defeat — this time to Greece 101-95, shouldn’t come as a shock my neighbors in the south.
Raptors 2 the post season in 07′, Lebron MVP!!
September 1st, 2006 at 11:43 am
Fired? Jigga what? (I said Jigga on a Lebron-centric board, I think that means he’s going to the Nets!)
September 1st, 2006 at 11:48 am
Nice back-tracking you clown! Just 2 days ago you were proclaiming this team the best in the world, now you’re covering your tracks after your articles look like crap now. I hope you get fired for your careless bullcrap.
GREECE owned your ignorant ass!
Kobe will take this team in 08 and win the GOLD! Unlike LeBron, he can actually MAKE A JUMPER.
September 1st, 2006 at 1:17 pm
wow, the hell-spawn of tucker seem to have taken over this comment section…sheesh…maybe i’ll join LBJ in brooklyn after all…
September 1st, 2006 at 1:39 pm
don’t feed the trolls
September 1st, 2006 at 2:56 pm
oh yeah, Kobe doesn’t fit into the Lebron’s USA team…think they could have used someone who plays defense to stop the pick and roll and who can hit a shot? you and Lebron are morons, if the USA wins gold in 2008 it will be because of Kobe and guys like Bowen and Artest who lock people down.Not the appointed Carmelo,Wade and Lebron saviors who can’t defend a paper sack.
September 1st, 2006 at 6:32 pm
oh, sweet jesu christi…”G,” LBJ’s D was pretty spectacular for most of this tournament and for you to be counting on a guy who couldn’t lead his team to a playoff series win when his team WAS UP 2-0 to be team usa’s savior is well, astounding!
team usa got beat by a greek team who played just about the game of their life and if team usa hits their free throws at the 70% clip they had been shooting prior to the game against greece, team usa is playing spain for the title.
bowen and kobe would have made little difference. kobe has not shown any particular flair for playing international basketball and HASN’T WON A DAMN THING SINCE HE LOST SHAQ!
i now *know* that you new idiots here are the progeny of tucker. and i am sure my dealing with actual facts & figures will due little to change your small, ignorant minds.
sorry for feeding the trolls!
September 1st, 2006 at 11:15 pm
LEBRONZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 2nd, 2006 at 12:56 am
Reading your articles I realized that u are not capable to see the difference between an athletically gifted bunch of NBA stars, trying to become a team and a tough,well-organized BASKETBALL TEAM (Greece).After spending 2 weeks there,watching the humiliating defeat of “team” USA, you need to watch the final in order to get really impressed by the european champions…
September 2nd, 2006 at 8:57 am
How can people continue to hate on Kobe…all the guys does is play dominantly on offense and more importantly, he plays dominantly on defense.
September 2nd, 2006 at 9:41 am
Kobe/LeBron….? I thought it was D.Wade who was the boss of this team. He had the most points all the time.
September 2nd, 2006 at 2:25 pm
yes, jaime, wade scored the most points and yes, kobe scored the most points in the regular season but ya see, measuring a basketball player’s greatness is not merely to look at points scored but rather his overall game and as i’m sure you saw against argentina, LBJ scored 22 points, and had like 7 rebounds and 8 assists, while playing multiple positions, hence he is the best player on the team. this lesson of baketball 101 is, as stephen a. would say, “ovah!”
September 19th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
My Favorit Blog. Very thanks and best regards from Germany. Thanks