Ai Olympic Snub

[keith crime 8]

I feel for the guy - he has an attitude but he's a warrior and i don't thing the last olympics were his fault - who can he pass too if no one can shootI think they wanted a good guy team and knew that he would take away focusI don't necessarily disagree but despite anything else "we talking about practice" i don't think i've ever seen an athlete try harder and play hurt more often and you have to respect that

[Jadaki 0]

He played harder, and proved he wanted to be there more than anyone on the last team. Huge snub imo, the guy deserves a shot if he wants it. no one has more heart than him.

[ChrisOfSpades 0]

yeah colangelo really jobbed himbrown coached that last team to defeatwasnt AI fault at all

[Kurtman213 0]

I don't mind the snub, AI is too undersized for olympic play, gotta have guys with length who can disrupt outside shooters.

[keith crime 8]

See I don't understand what it is about the international game that we aren't still running these guys off the floor - maybe I don;t really understand basketballPlus Larry Brown was a fool for not playing Lebron at all they were a different team when he was on the floor

[kers2 0]

See I don't understand what it is about the international game that we aren't still running these guys off the floor - maybe I don;t really understand basketballPlus Larry Brown was a fool for not playing Lebron at all they were a different team when he was on the floor

I'm not the first one to say this but I dont remember who to cite so...The biggest factor is the attitude of the international teams compared to the US. The International teams were in AWE of us in 1992 when they were getting blown out by 40 (just happy to be there, wanting our autographs, etc.). But now the "newer" players that play in the NBA want to make a statement and beat us soooo bad that they just want it more. The US teams that lost thought they could just go out there and it would be a cakewalk (hence just throwing together all-star teams without a real "team" concept). Now that the US has been beaten/humiliated at its own sport our attitude has changed and I think we will win the Gold at the next olympics.So in summary, it's a combination of the international players getting a LOT better and a lacksidasical attitude on our part. It will be interesting to see how the next WC and Olympics pan out

[keith crime 8]

right i understand that and i know the zone slows things down but i don't understand why we can't make it a wide open motion game and run them off the floor they just don't have the athletes we dowhat is it about the international game that lets them dictate the tempo

[kers2 0]

right i understand that and i know the zone slows things down but i don't understand why we can't make it a wide open motion game and run them off the floor they just don't have the athletes we dowhat is it about the international game that lets them dictate the tempo

You have to play good defense in order to create running opportunities, and the US team hasnt had that lately

[supertouch 0]

i think iverson didn't get invited cause they are looking for more team oriented players, especially at point guard. jason kidd got invited right?

[keith crime 8]

i have to say that the first dream team was amazing poor tony kukoc pippen had a huge grudge because jerry krause wouldnt pay him to save money for tony and michael and scottie put a serious clamp on thempeople don't realize it but the bulls won because of mj and scotties defense not the dunksto see what scottie did to magic in the first title serious was awe inspiring

[Hobbes 1]

i have to say that the first dream team was amazing poor tony kukoc pippen had a huge grudge because jerry krause wouldnt pay him to save money for tony and michael and scottie put a serious clamp on thempeople don't realize it but the bulls won because of mj and scotties defense not the dunksto see what scottie did to magic in the first title serious was awe inspiring

Another fine Scottie moment. The first dream team also had a bunch of guys who would pass the ball (Magic, Bird, Stockton) and were unselfish (David Robinson, Mullin, Pippen), not to mention that almost all of them could shoot the ball.

[kers2 0]

I'm pretty sure the first Dream Team would have still won gold with even mediocre NBA players playing. The difference in talent between our pros and their pros in the early 90's is so staggering it's not even funny.

[keith crime 8]

by the way i eternally worship charles barkley because while the original dream team hid in their hotels - he went around meeting all the athletes and hung out in the city with the locals

[Hobbes 1]

by the way i eternally worship charles barkley because while the original dream team hid in their hotels - he went around meeting all the athletes and hung out in the city with the locals

And then he'd elbow them in the chest. Remember when he nailed that guy from Angola (I think in '96) and the announcers were making a big deal about it how classless the Americans were and everything? Of course, the guy he elbowed was laughing about it because he just took one from Charles Barkley and he never imagined himself on the same floor as him.

[keith crime 8]

lol Hobbes he had the respect for the Angolan to treat him like he did every other guy he played againstHave to say - hey we just lost by 60 lets get some autographs funniest basketball moments ever

[Azreous 0]

AI's an outstanding player with a lot of heart, but he doesn't fit with this team. What's he going to play? Point guard? He dribbles too much and tries to create his own shot too often. Shooting guard? With Wade, Redd and Kobe probably making the roster and Lebron essentially a SG in a SF's body (and position)?I don't buy this stuff about him being the one who cared the most last year. He put a lot of effort into the team, yes, but I can't help but think James/Stoudemire/Wade would have done the same if they'd played more than five minutes a game. Hard to get interested when Larry Brown is screwing everything over as usual.

[keith crime 8]

AI gets a bad rap - who has he ever had to pass to - that team he took to the finals scored almost all their points on his misses - that was their offense - we all suck - allen do your best and we'll hit the boards

[NarSARSsist 0]

No, Jason Kidd didn't get an invite, possibly due to the fact that he'll be 35 by the 2008 Olympics.It may be that the US wants a fresh core for their team that AI wasn't chosen. If you look at the 2004 team, it was essentially a group of: Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, rookies, second-rate players [relatively speaking, compared to the superstars], and an entering NBA player, not really a real all-star squad [in fact, AI, Tim, and Marbury were the only all-stars...]Last time the point guard was one of the captains, so AI was calling the shots on the plays [loosely speaking]. This time around they might want point guards that have smaller egos that tend to not focus the point guard as the center of the offense as much.That being said, there sure are a lot of people that can catch alley-oop passes. Should be fun .

[Jadaki 0]

No, Jason Kidd didn't get an invite, possibly due to the fact that he'll be 35 by the 2008 Olympics.It may be that the US wants a fresh core for their team that AI wasn't chosen.

Oddly enough, they took Bruce Bowen from San Antonio who will be 36 this year. Can someone explain that invite to me?

[Kurtman213 0]

Bruce Bowen can play defense, hit the open 3, great team player, and don't forget he faces Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker in practice everyday

[NarSARSsist 0]

Oddly enough, they took Bruce Bowen from San Antonio who will be 36 this year. Can someone explain that invite to me?

Lol, I meant to add that. Thanks for pointing it out.Though, since there's 21 players on that list, and 12 go, he'll *probably* be cut.

[princeof56k 0]

See I don't understand what it is about the international game that we aren't still running these guys off the floor - maybe I don;t really understand basketballPlus Larry Brown was a fool for not playing Lebron at all they were a different team when he was on the floor

There is no real reason they should have not played an uptempo style last time. They have the best/deepest roster of athletes there and should've run those guys right out of the gym. Speaking as someone who played in a run-and-gun game in high school, you do not need to play great defense to make this work (just look at the Suns or the Mavericks). The decision not to make it an up and down game came from Larry Brown. He likes a slow down half court style. This was a tragic error on his part. In doing this he practically guaranteed he would have some low scoring close games. And in close games, team chemistry and execution become cirtical, and thats where the international had a huge edge.The team they put together (like it or not) was young and athletic, but Brown refused to either realize or take advantage of that. Why he chose not to play those young guys or play uptempo style was out of pure pride.Coaches like Don Nelson or Mike DiAntoni would have been a much better fit for that team. I'm not saying they would've won the gold, but their style of coaching would've been better suited for that team.