I’ve never been a big advocate of sending professional athletes to the Olympics. I’m sure that it’s helped television ratings, but it somehow sours the already dubious spirit of sportsmanship. Isn’t it a little weird to have a point guard who earns US $2 million a year in the same tournament and (if he’s so inclined), the same athlete’s village as the gymnast who works as a waitress to make ends meet?
In particular, I’ve always frowned upon the US basketball program and their so-called “dream teams”, who until 2004 hadn’t lost a game in the Olympics. Clearly the constant pounding the team was giving to opponents wasn’t very sporting, was it? So, I’m really enjoying the schadenfreude of seeing the team trounced by Puerto Rico (who subsequently lost to Lithuania) and nearly beaten by the lowly Greeks. They may still win the gold, but they’ve learned some lessons already. As happened in hockey in the nineties, the world may be catching up with the NBA.
In fact, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban cites a posting to his comments about how Canada’s hockey program has responded to similar circumstances. I don’t think NHL players should be in the Winter Olympics, either, but it’s a well-written response to how the NBA should handle their new-found mediocrity.
DarrenBarefoot.com 
I don’t support the US basketball team but i don’t agree that the world is catching up with the NBA, despite the olympic results.
This US basketball team is not made up of the best 10 NBA basketball players apparently due to apathy of the better players. I guess the creme are in their off season now and aren’t too motivated. Also, this US basketabll team are really just 10 good NBA players thrown together to compete for 3 weeks. They play against international teams who have been playing as a team regularly. Additionaly, I think that your average US player will suffer from overconfidence or cockiness which will will be costly sooner or later. I hope it costs them the gold medal.
But this does not take away from the fact that the NBA as a league is way ahead of the rest of the world.
The USA have been beaten in the Olympics before the participation of NBA players. I think it was the Russians (USSR) who beat them on both occassions.
The difference in the rules between International and NBA is a significant factor and the difference in the three point semi-circle (it’s a meter further out in the NBA) must also be taken into account.
The small guys versus the big guys certainly makes for good T.V though.
BTW, Iverson is one of the nice guys in the sport, he can acknowledge good opposition and identify his own failings.
I’m enjoying the US Basketball team’s loss also. After hearing about how stuck up and obnoxious past “Dream Teams” have been around players from other countries on and off the court, I think it’s time they’ve had a bit of a come-uppance. I’d like to see them not get the gold. It’d be great to see them miss the medals completely.
The US has historically competed against “professionals” in that our government doesn’t fund training such as China and the now-defunct USSR have. I feel a country should send the best they have to offer. The million $ salaries sited earlier are one reason some do stay away. I’ve seen no evidence with lack of respect by the US basketball team, they’ve even been more than generous with each other, by not keeping the ball. The only person who I’ve found classless is Larry Brown; blaming everyone, and everything, save himself for team play. As for the other teams, it makes a victory all the sweeter.
They’re NBA players. They play a solo sport in which one man from each team plays one-on-one while 8 others on the court sit there and watch.
The rest of the world plays basketball as a team sport, so they win.
In the U.S., you have to go to a college game to see true team basketball. It doesn’t happen in the NBA. I think a college dream team would do a lot better, and still maintain amateur eligibility.