Does Anyone Really Care About Olympic Basketball?

[Tugg Speedman]

I'm as big a basketball fan as anyone here (that is why I'm here).  I certainly love the college game and watch many pros games with great interest.  That said, I could care less about Olympic basketball.  Watching a team go at 75% effort and win by 30 in BORING.  They could drop the sport tomorrow.

Who says I'm wrong?  Who goes out of their way to watch this stuff?

[brewcity77]

I don't go out of my way, but I do like it as an Olympic sport. The world is playing it now and with all the foreigners in the NBA and the growth of foreign professional leagues, it should remain a part of the games. If it's on, I'll watch it, but I certainly won't make plans around it like I do for other sports.

[Boone]

Not since we started sending professionals. I enjoyed it when we had a team made up solely of collegiate players. So what that we lost in the last ('88) games? At least our teams were always competitive and the games interesting. With a team fielded of pros, the games are beyond dull. I could care less if they win or lose.

[LloydMooresLegs]

No, at least not this year (vs. say, 1972).

I enjoy the Olympics for the mix of 1) sports and athletes that I do not otherwise watch (so I also don't watch Olympic soccer or tennis [though, admittedly, the Murray storyline was compellling]); 2) inspirational, sappy stories; and 3) jingoistic pride.  Basketball could offer a bit of 2) with the right team/individual (for example, Luol Deng playing for the UK this year) and 3), but not enough to overcome the fact that we get to watch much better basketball almost everyday for 8 months of the year.    

[war1980rior]

Not anymore. One of the most boring part of the games. I stopped donating to the Olympics when the pros showed up.

[real chili 83]

Not anymore. One of the most boring part of the games. I stopped donating to the Olympics when the pros showed up.

As I read this, we are tied v. Spain half way in 2nd period.

[Skatastrophy]

As I read this, we are tied v. Spain half way in 2nd period.

Some really terrible basketball for most of the game.  Really painful to watch.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I ve watched more rythmic gymnastics than I have basketball this year.  No homo.

[GGGG]

I watched it and I liked it.  Enjoyable team playing a fun style of game.  If you don't like the way this team played, I can't imagine how you have sit through MU basketball under Buzz, because it is the exact same philosophy...only more athletic.

[NavinRJohnson]

Barely watched a minute. The compelling aspect of the olympics for me is the sports that you really only get to see every four years. Basketball is on constantly for 6-7 months of the year, so, I Have no use for it in the Olympics.

[karavotsos]

I watched it and I liked it.  Enjoyable team playing a fun style of game.  If you don't like the way this team played, I can't imagine how you have sit through MU basketball under Buzz, because it is the exact same philosophy...only more athletic.

Completely agree.  Also, will watch CP3 run a game any chance I get.  Fun to watch Pau Gasol dominate the 3rd quarter and then a box-in-1 on KD.  Best part of the Olympic coverage was they had one channel completely devoted to basketball.  Pretty much the only part of the Olympics I watched.

[martyconlonontherun]

Not anymore. One of the most boring part of the games. I stopped donating to the Olympics when the pros showed up.

So you support professionals in every other event but not basketball? Would you be more entertained if Michael Phelps wasn't in the swimming events and they used just college swimmers?

Send your best athletes because the Olympics are about representing you country and trying to be the best in as many sports as possible. Kind of a sad state that people care more about entertainment value than true competition.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Thought it was a great Gold Medal game.  Was very proud that these guys supported other athletes, honored our First Lady after a win, were very excited after the win today like little kids, sang the national anthem and did a group bow of respect after.  Internationally, their star power is immense to the excitement and success of these games.  Hell, Coach K jumped three feet in the air after Lebron hit that trey to clinch it.  It was a bit of an ugly game with fouls, but that was Spain's only hope.

[MUBurrow]

I really like it as a way to see the different styles employed by country/region go against each other. I think its really fun to see the philosophies and styles embodied by entire teams, as opposed to just a guy here or there in the NBA. Watching Gasol on a team of Spaniards is very different than watching him with the Lakers, and the same can be said for a guy like Ginobili for Argentina or seeing Patty Mills run the point for the Australians. I really enjoy seeing the traceable differences from where the foreign NBA guys started playing.

[real chili 83]

Final score:

American Imperialistic B@stards 107, Spanish Conquistadors and Destroyers of the New World 100.

[wyzgy]

I ve watched more rythmic gymnastics than I have basketball this year.  No homo.

sounds like you are wondering now more than ever though.  kinda like it got ya thinkin about tendencies you never thought you had? 

[chren21]

I really like it as a way to see the different styles employed by country/region go against each other. I think its really fun to see the philosophies and styles embodied by entire teams, as opposed to just a guy here or there in the NBA. Watching Gasol on a team of Spaniards is very different than watching him with the Lakers, and the same can be said for a guy like Ginobili for Argentina or seeing Patty Mills run the point for the Australians. I really enjoy seeing the traceable differences from where the foreign NBA guys started playing.

I really enjoyed it. What coach k did was no small task with that group of egos. 

[wadesworld]

I really enjoyed it. What coach k did was no small task with that group of egos. 

Really?  Anything less than a gold medal would have been a downright embarrassment to United States basketball.  You have pretty much the 12 best players in the world playing against a team with a below average NBA point guard, and up and coming but still raw big, and 2 solid bigs in the gold medal game.  And with Kobe saying they could beat the Dream Team, they damn well better have come home with the gold medal.  I could have coached this team to a gold medal with absolutely 0 practices.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Really?  Anything less than a gold medal would have been a downright embarrassment to United States basketball.  You have pretty much the 12 best players in the world playing against a team with a below average NBA point guard, and up and coming but still raw big, and 2 solid bigs in the gold medal game.  And with Kobe saying they could beat the Dream Team, they damn well better have come home with the gold medal.  I could have coached this team to a gold medal with absolutely 0 practices.

where were your coaching skills in 2002 and 2004?

I agree with chren21 that Coach K did a fine job for USA basketball in the last 6 years, Int'l teams have only improved since 2004 yet he was able to motivate his teams to among other things, play defense which not all stars want to do

I fear Coach K might be missed since he has said that was it for him

[GGGG]

Coach K's role with USA basketball wasn't tactical as much as it was having the gravitas to get a bunch of superstars to play together as a team.  When I go back to the bickering and surliness from the 1996 and 2000 teams, it has been refreshing to see a group that got along, had fun, bought into the team concept, etc.  Part of that is due to superstars with great attitudes (Lebron, Kobe, etc.), but part of that is due to a Coach that they respect.

My guess is that you will see a guy like Izzo in that role for the next go around.

[Tugg Speedman]

My guess is that you will see a guy like Izzo in that role for the next go around.

Phil Jackson?

[jmayer1]

Phil Jackson?

Tom Crean?

Seriously though, I think Phil Jackson is probably too old (66) and not sure there is really enough individual glory for him to stroke his ego (the US is really expected to win gold, not winning is the only way the coach will get a ton of press).

I think Izzo would be a great pick for the coach. There should really plan on continuing to bring in coaches for a 2 to 3 Olympic Games stint (like Coach K did) so the program continues to have some stability.

[PaintTouches]

My money is on Doc.

[Lennys Tap]

They asked Doc about the next coach after the gold medal game. At first he named Greg Povovich of the Spurs while admitting he would also love the job. Upon further reflection his pick was Doug Collins, who many feel had a gold medal stolen from him by the refs in 1972.

[karavotsos]

Whoever it is, they're just a placeholder til Buzz gets the job.