News flash:  Monroe was up at 6:30 a.m. PDT to watch that revetting, dramatic 98-71 USA win over France.

Sorry Bob...I don't really know what you're getting at here.  The main point isn't the annihilation of the opponent, it is to represent your country proudly by faring well in your competition.  I would think the the answer to your question of why are the olympics special should be apparent.

At first I thought that the above was an example of incredible...   Then, I remembered that one should not attribute to malice that which is...

I think there's a mistake.  I never advocated our collegians (pre-prima donnas) against the rest of the world's similarly aged.  I want our collegians against the best of the world regardless of age.  (Others advocated speculated on college vs. college, but I never did.)  My model is Miracle On Ice, our collegians (essentially) vs. their pros.

Don't agree?  No problem.  That doesn't make me wrong.  Opinion does not equal fact.

Did all you who disagree root for the big school when Jimmy Chitwood and team were laying it down in Hoosiers?

Pros?  Way over-pampered.  Through my heart runs the greatest cheer ever--Akron hates you! Akron hates you!--against the thought of cheering on such as GameFiveHeQuit. 

Literally, I carried a dictionary everywhere I went at the University which I attended Athens, Ohio before you were born.  You don't want to challenge me on vocabulary, posts about 'memes' and 'favorite writers' notwithstanding.

No need to get teed off in response, JSF.   My posts here are mostly just goofing around and trying to get people to think.  You're smart enough to know when I'm serious, when I'm not and what part is hyperbole.

Also, everything that is posted on the 'net and twitter is terribly important.

I'm in favor of keeping the USA pro players in the Olympics. 

JSF--I understand that most here clearly want to send our best (top pros).  I'm just a guy who sees no thrill in thrashing everyone, save for maybe having a slight scare in the title game...though probably not.

I like the underdog drama of Miracle and Hoosiers.  Apparently dang few others do; the 'nuke 'em bigtime' choice is vastly favored here.  I'd rather see us lose..once in a while overcome...valiantly, than, yawn, thrash as we all expect.

I agree with Monroe. The USA is too dominant a force.

This is detoriating into Dominant Force proportions.  This has been a rough offseason for the BA Hoops board.  November can't come fast enough.

Good article from Wilbon. I had never thought they would take their ball and have their own international touney. I always thought Stern et. al. was trying to expand the NBA brand to China, India and Russia and that's why the owners looked the other way when sending their high priced stars to the Olympics and similar events. Could the BRIC countries become a dominant force?

I'm waiting for the exciting SEO challenge match in Marietta as we do our return game for their visit to Athens last year!

I like this idea.

I like the idea, too.  And, I'll point out the old Cincinnati Royals of the NBA used to play exhibition games in high school gyms.  I once saw them play in Chillicothe.  As I recall, Jerry Lucas, Oscar Robertson and Wayne "Redchicken" Embry were all on that team.  Quite a collection of talent to play in a high school gym.  I think those games did a lot to increase the following of the Royals.  I believe this game was in the spring of 1964.  Too bad the Royals left for Kansas City in 1972. 

Actually given that it was Muncie Central...yeah I did. Did not change the fact that Milan (Hickory ) still won and Central still lost in the Movie version.

speaking of....and not to digress but early auditions for the next  Jimmy Chitwood were last Friday at the home of Hickory. Shooting a shooting video was the order of the day.



Back to the US decimation of the world.

How very predictable.  Is anyone entertained by 27, 47 and 83 point wins.

Bring on our college kids vs. their pros so we'll have some drama.

Reality TV is pretty much abysmal in terms of content.  But it's a huge money maker, ratings.  They'd love the prima donna lifestyle.  But for game action  ratings, they'd take our collegians and the struggles instead of this yawner.