Bad Dream Team

I haven't seen this covered in the mainstream press, but did anyone else catch the US men's Olympic team's visit to watch the US women's Olympic team's game against South Korea?

The men showed up late in the third quarter & suddenly they were the focus of MSCNBCBCNMBNC's coverage. Craig Sager did a 10 minute interview with coach Larry Brown, so that the audio completely ignored the game being shown. The camera slowly panned over the US men. There was Alan Iverson, staring vacantly into space and nodding to the music from his headphones. Ditto for LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, & Shawn Marion. (A second shot of Shawn Marion in his headphones showed him applauding a US basket, so he at least wasn't completely tuned out.) Only Emeka Okafor seemed to be paying attention to the game, standing & taking photos of his former schoolmates Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird & Swin Cash. Tim Duncan, headphones. Stephon Marbury, headphones.

The visual message from the US men was clear: they had been ordered to come to the game & they resented it. They had nothing to learn from the women. It was obvious even to the announcers. Mike Breen noted that they didn't seem to be watching the game. Craig Sager asked Brown a question about their seeming disinterest.

NBC goes to commercial, comes back & pans over the US men again. Lo & behold, all the headphones are gone! Every player has apparently during this timeout decided to take off his headphones!

You bet the word went down, whether from USA basketball or from the coaching staff, YOU FOOLS, you are embarrassing us & you are embarrassing yourselves.

I'd rather be represented by a competent group of college players than these spoiled, arrogant asses.

Go Lisa Leslie & the classy US women's team.