Redemption!

[lightsout]

USA holds on to defeat a very tough Spain team 118-107.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/basketball/men/playbyplay?gameId=834

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/08/24/usa.spain.hoops.ap/index.html?eref=T1

[ser_solace]

Darn. I didn't want the game to be spoiled for me.

Oh well, I'll still watch on DVR. Apparently, it was a very good game. I'm surprised Spain played it so close with Jose Calderon injured.

Great for the Redeem Team to bring the gold back home. Go USA!

[dogsrus]

I think the pressure had to be tremendous on the USA....play this game again today and USA wins by 20.

Congrats to the Volleyball team as well....that was HUGE.

[bert notorius]

Dywane Wade taking over.

[bert notorius]

[Stryker]

all in good fun Tornado- now some us are saying "I told you so"

[bert notorius]

I especially liked the part when Kobe poured a bottle of water on Coach K's head.

[MacabreMob]

Boy, I have been dying for a change in our Olympic Men's Basketball Team. So I just wanna say again....

“People in this country (have been) ready for change and hungry for a different kind of (basketball team) and … for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.”

Congrats US!

[Dubl R 1]

But T, doesn't this fall in line with what I kind of said the other day, with regards to this team? This game featured horrible defense by Team USA, along with poor rebounding, and a couple of starters with 2 fouls very early in the first half. Meanwhile, Spain played extremely well offensively, rebounded, was very physical, did not turn the ball over and they still lost, and were down almost the entire game. Like I said before, Team USA would have to absolutely be at it's worst, and 1 of these other teams would have to be near perfect to win the game.

If you ask me, this exemplifies a great team. They are/were so diversified and well balanced that if you take 1 thing away from them, they still beat you by dominating another. USA's offense carried them this game, I mean they put up 38 points in the 1st quarter. Again, they had only 1 close game, although they still won by double digits, in the entire tournament, and it was against the world champs playing for a gold medal. The team was put together very well, with balance in mind, in my opinion.

I thought they did great, and represented the USA very well, and I certainly don't think they underachieved. I was/am very proud of them and want to say congrats and thank you to The Redeem team and all of the other athletes and teams who represented the United States so very wll in the Olympic games.

[Braves4Life]

I'm with Dubl R 1 on this one

[Stryker]

Well, T, you stated that they wouldn't win the gold if they continued to underachieve like you just pointed out. I said they would. Therefore I believe my statement was valid.

I don't know if you didn't watch much of the Olympics, but at the games every athlete is going to give everything they have to win a Gold medal. Including USA players(Maybe the NBAers didn't, who knows with them) like Lezak winning that relay. Most athletes play at their peak in the Olympics, so see much closer competition. I don't know why you don't recognize foreign talent. By your logic every US athlete should have won gold because they are the best U.S. athletes. Or anyone that won the world championships in 2007 in their sport should have won gold because they were the best the year before. People do play lights out in the Olympics.

[bert notorius]

It never hurts to start with superior talent. (ie. Duke, NC, KS, etc.)

[Braves4Life]

I don't know if you didn't watch much of the Olympics, but at the games every athlete is going to give everything they have to win a Gold medal.

..............and look what happened to Venus and Serena Williams (in singles) as well as Federer. I guess they were just too pampered

[Stryker]

..............and look what happened to Venus and Serena Williams (in singles) as well as Federer. I guess they were just too pampered

Maybe, but maybe their opponents just had better days or wanted it more.