Team USA : It’s Gold Or Nothing

The Olympic Games in Beijing start next week and basketball fans everywhere are anxious to see how the USA men’s team will fare. For me it’s not a question of whether they will win, but how badly they will demolish their opponents. Led by coach Mike Krzyzewski and a talented cast of NBA all-stars, anything less than a gold medal will be an embarrassment.

In the ’04 Olympics, because of selfish play and a lack of interest, Team USA had to settle for bronze. We even lost to Puerto Rico, a team that had one NBA player on its entire roster! How could a USA team so loaded with talent fail to reach the title game?

Anyone who thinks it’s because the world has caught up to us is simply crazy. Basketball is the ultimate team game, and players from other countries show they really understand that concept. Just as important, they consider it an honor to represent their homelands. When it comes to raw talent, the Americans are, and always have been, number one. We used to win gold back in the days when only college players were on the floor. If we sent the college All-Americans to the Olympics now, they’d win it again.

Our NBA stars rarely make the national team their top priority, and that’s disgraceful! Of all people, should make a point of displaying their patriotism and eagerly represent our country. As far as I’m concerned, the players should fight for this opportunity and shouldn’t need a fat paycheck to inspire them to play their best.

The Brazilians dominate soccer and the Canadians rule the world of hockey. We are the kings of basketball! The difference is that in basketball, nobody comes in a close second. With Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Jason Kidd running the show, there is no reason we shouldn’t overwhelm every opponent. We have finally gathered a group of team players that are happy to represent the United States. There are no excuses this time around, and the players know it. If these guys don’t bring home the gold, they shouldn’t bother coming home at all! - Matan Cohen, Special to Bobby v. the World