The Anti-Tillmans

LaShawn notes one of the reasons that the USA Olympic bastketball team is in dire straits, linking to Rudy Gersten’s NRO piece on the NBA players that at first accepted positions on the team, then declined.

The list of perennial NBA All Stars that either declined invitations or withdrew after previously agreeing to play is quite impressive: Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Jason Kidd, Mike Bibby, Jermaine O’Neal, Vince Carter, Elton Brand, Kenyon Martin, and Ben Wallace — to name just a few.[SNIP]

Many of these players have not been shy about why they refused to play for Team U.S.A.

Security reasons. (Bryant is one of the exceptions here. Likely, he isn't allowed to leave the country just now.)

Noting that many of the foreign-born NBA players did not back out of their commitments--either for the USA or the countries of their birth--I have to say that some people have keener perspective on their good fortune in life than do others.

Among American-born NBA players who did fulfill their Olympic commitments this year, my opinion of one of them has shot up a bit. Previously a bad-actor, it seems as though Allen Iverson is maturing in several ways. Good on him.

Perhaps Malone, Kidd, Wallace, et al. can make up for their…lack of integrity by holding a clinic for those who are in Iraq for security reasons.

However, I won’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen.

Comments

[Graham Lester]

This is a very sad trend of athletes refusing to take part in international competitions as representatives of their country.

There was a similar incident in Britain recently where a soccer player announced that he would no longer participate in international matches.

I think money is a big part of it. It's easy to see international competition as a sort of athlete tax, where they are coerced into supplying their labor for free. I hope we haven't all gotten quite that cynical yet, but the day doesn't seem far off.

[Bugz]

Karl Malone, as I understand it, is currently on his farm, recovering from extensive arthroscopic knee surgery, something he knew for quite a while that he would be having once the 03/04 season was over.

Karl is an iron man, but he is not indestructable. Depending on how his recovery from surgery goes, he may announce his retirement at the start of the next season. Does anyone have a link that would substantiate the smear that he declined a position on the current Olympic team for security reasons? If not, perhaps all I can say is stfu.

[baldilocks]

Okay maybe Karl is another exception. Did they all have knee surgery? Do enlighten us.

Most of them said expressly that security reasons were the main factor in backing out. Most of these guys aren't exactly brimming over with testicular fortitude at a real crunch time, as much as they like to front.

Get over it.

[meep]

I think that the reason was money, too, and not security. I mean, they play in Madison Square Garden without complaining about the likelihood of it being a terrorist target.

So I'm guessing that they can't use the time for their personal remuneration is probably what's behind declining going.

But man, what a sorry team we fielded. I would say go back to using college kids, but let's face it -- the NCAA ain't much better than the NBA when it comes to play or behavior.

[DarkStar]

I refuse to mock them for being afraid.

There is no one who is fighting on the front lines who is NOT afraid. They face it because they have to face it.

The ballers don't have to face it.

For my child, no fear.
For my wife, no fear.
For my family, no fear.
For myself, no fear.

For a game, yeah, fear.

[baldilocks]

Fear isn't the problem, Darkstar. It's the action in the face of fear. More directly.

[molotov]

I ain't buyin' the fear argument. If Venus Williams can go over to Greece, so can these low-class basketball players to rep the country which enabled them to achieve their dream. It's always about "me" now. To even equate this team to the real Dream Team of '92 is a slap in the face to the real team.

Or does a young woman have more cojones than these supposed excuses for men, who claim toughness but act like weenies when it's time to actually show out?

[baldilocks]

It's probably fear that's the problem. No shame to be afraid. Again, I say, it's what one does in the face of fear that's the issue.

I've expounded a few times here on *real men* and how they react toward fear. That one Venus Williams acts more boldly in the face of fear than one Shaquille O'Neal does, tells me that "Houston, we have a problem," especially in light of the fact that both Williams' and O'Neal's peers are representing our country in Iraq/Afghanistan in a far more dangerous manner than playing the games that made them rich. Under heavy armed guard, to boot.

Ironic that O'Neal's (step-)father is an Army man.

[Kevin]

They all agree with Woody Allen's observation that he's not afraid of death, he just doesn't want to be there when it happens.

[Lester Spence]

Comments from a lifetime basketball player:

1. Team defense cannot be adequately built in ten days.

You have to know when to shade someone to the left, to the center, to the right. Knowing who is behind you INSTINCTIVELY is key to team defense...

2. These kids know how to do everything except shoot...

And that's because these particular players ARE NOT SHOOTERS. A number of people are decrying "the lack of fundamentals." How many steals did other teams get against the US on average? How many blocks? How many turnovers did the US commit compared to other teams? Playing against a zone is something that needs to be taught. There needs be no fundamental restructuring.

3. The kids played HARD.

Juliette talked about AI. As far as I'm concerned this has ALWAYS been his style. Iverson is a battler. AND a team player--comments about practice be damned. This represents no growth spurt.

[baldilocks]

"Team defense cannot be adequately built in ten days"

That's what I thought as well (think I wrote it, on some other blog).

They got the bronze, however (see later post). I, for one, am proud of them.