What does winning gold mean to you?

ballerblogger · Post #1 » by **ballerblogger** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:01 am

Blog excerpt:

Basketball may be the world’s game, but it’s important that the United States prove that we play it better than anybody. And that we play it the right way. With humility and respect for our opponents. In Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, Team USA sports the two greatest players in the world. In Coach Krzyzewski, we have one of the finest coaches in all of basketball. There’s no excuses this time around.

I’ve never played in the NBA or the Olympics and I never will. But I’m as big a fan of the game of basketball as anyone. I’ve watched my favorite NBA team win championships, lose in the Finals, miss the playoffs, rebuild, and return to the Finals only to lose again. I’ve dealt with the highs and lows that have accompanied each of those moments. But if given the opportunity, I’d trade every NBA championship of the past and every NBA championship of the future for a gold medal in Beijing.

To read the entire blog, click the URL in my signature.

But I'd like to get some feedback. What would a gold medal mean to you? Would it mean more or less than your favorite team winning the NBA championship?

Post #2 » by **tsherkin** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:45 pm

National pride, silencing international hecklers and the re-establishment of American dominance of the sport.

Coach K is a bad coach for international and NBA basketball, so he's actually more of a weakness than anything else, a very significant example of why NCAA coaches are not bread for success outside of the college game.

As it happens only once every four years, this is an extremely meaningful event and is more important than my favorite team winning the title this year, for sure. It's a larger event, one of much greater scope and it is a focal point for national unity, the ultimate level of competition.

Competing on the grandest of stages is the best thing about the sport, for any sport, and the Olympics are no exception for basketball.

It is going to be absolutely wonderful to see a team put together in the appropriate style, with long-term commitment, training and investment, represent our country at the Olympics for the first time instead of the slap-dash arrogance of the post-92 years. The international game is different than the NBA and we are not so dominant any longer as to be able to walk into this like a hungover gifted student writing a political science exam, the competition is serious and legitimate.

It is quite encouraging to see top NBA names representing the nation and buying into a team concept. Less so is the choice for head coach but nevertheless, despite Coach K, there are some good assistants and smart players who burn with desire for the gold and that will have to be enough.

magicfan4life05 · Post #3 » by **magicfan4life05** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:50 pm

being righteous once again!

Dtown84 · Post #4 » by **Dtown84** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:25 pm

Silencing the hecklers, haters, and burgeoning crop of eurosnobs in basketball. It's not just getting behind a country, it's getting behind the NBA proving on the court it has the best talent in the world. Most importantly it gives me something sports related to care about in early August. :lol:

CircleCitysportsfan · Post #5 » by **CircleCitysportsfan** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:24 am

Dtown84 wrote:Silencing the hecklers, haters, and burgeoning crop of eurosnobs in basketball. It's not just getting behind a country, it's getting behind the NBA proving on the court it has the best talent in the world. Most importantly it gives me something sports related to care about in early August.

Co-sign. Let's just ignore the 17 Olympic Gold Medals (which quadruples the country next in line), or the fact that we are the active leader in World Championship gold medals. Let's concentrate on 2002-present, the world no longer considers the USA/NBA the Gold standard in basketball. We have been beat 7 times in the last 6 years. No Gold or Silver medals in that time. If I were not an American, I would question our claims to the USA/NBA being the king of the basketball world.

It's like a freaking mortal kombat battle for the realm of earth... :lol:

I'm looking forward to these basketball games more than any since the 2000 NBA Finals.

HarlemHeat37 · Post #6 » by **HarlemHeat37** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 4:06 am

nothing really..just proves the obvious fact that the US putting out there best players is easily superior to the rest of the world..

BlazertheGreek · Post #7 » by **BlazertheGreek** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:18 am

Just to tell the world that we still dominate this game. To tell the world that we have the best players on the planet. I have family in Greece who like to talk smack, especially after the embarrassing loss to Greece a few years back. It would be nice to be able to regain bragging rights. I think the US will win the gold this time around. We have to, or we will lose more respect from the international hecklers.

jdub114 · Post #8 » by **jdub114** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:22 am

Absolutely nothing...to me

shobe_81 · Post #9 » by **shobe_81** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:24 am

Just telling that we don't need KG, Pierce, or Duncan to win the Gold!!!

Oh and Kobe gets Gold on his B-Day = One step closer to God, currently MJ>God.

britblazerdude · Post #10 » by **britblazerdude** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:58 am

It makes me hurl to read comments where people say "It means nothing." The olympics represent the very best that your country can produce. It is your country cheering against "their" country. An olympic gold medal is far important than any NBA, MLB, NFL championship. It means you are the best in the world.

To say anything else is ignorant. And if you think an olympic gold is irrelevant then you have a very narrow minded perception of life and should probably try and broaden your perspective.

Those are not even harsh words, they are knowledgeable words.