A View From the Schoolhouse
… and I know this. But it still bothers me that Rich Eisen — who I assume is still working for ESPN — is in a Coors Light commercial. Sure, a sports journalist is a long way from Walter Cronkite, but still… it would be nice if there was some vague sense of propiety on the part of the ESPN anchors. Do they have to sell themselves out to any corporate sponsor willing to sign a big check?
(From Kos.)
Grant Wahl, writing for Sports Illustrated, reports that the Iraqi soccer players do not want Bush to use them in his campaign. This comes as the Bush campaign has released a new ad claiming that, because of his foreign policies, there are two more democracies in the world. (Watch the ad.)
First, anyone who thinks that Iraq and Afghanistan are stable democracies at this point just isn’t paying attention. The success of both are very much in doubt — and it’s still an open question of whether or not these governments will be democracies.
Secondly, as I wrote on Tuesday, this is the second time this week that Bush / Cheney has been asked to stop invoking someone’s name as they campaign. The campaign better stick to invoking Reagan’s legacy — at least his family is split as to whether or not it’s o.k.
Finally — what were they thinking on this one? Does this administration really think that the Iraqi people see them as liberators still? After the torture? After the continued fighting? After more than 10,000 Iraqi civilians killed? What gall. But the athletes said it better than I can:
From Salih Sadir:
Iraq as a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign. He can find another way to advertise himself.
and
We don’t wish for the presence of Americans in our country. We want them to go away.
From Ahmed Manajid:
How will he meet his god having slaughtered so many men and women? He has committed so many crimes.
From coach Adnan Hamad:
My problems are not with the American people. They are with what America has done in Iraq: destroy everything. The American army has killed so many people in Iraq. What is freedom when I go to the [national] stadium and there are shootings on the road?
Think anyone in the administration was listening? Here was their response in the article:
"The ad simply talks about President Bush’s optimism and how democracy has triumphed over terror," said Scott Stanzel, a spokesperson for Bush’s campaign. "Twenty-five million people in Iraq are free as a result of the actions of the coalition."
Guess they weren’t listening.
I’m watching the U.S. – Puerto Rico game on NBC right now. This is an embarrassment. The U.S. is getting crushed by 22 with 2.5 seconds to go in the half. They are slow on defensive rotation, scared with the ball in their hands, and utterly unwilling to take the wide-open three point shot. I mean, they are passing up shots with no one on them to drive into the teeth of a packed-in zone.
Puerto Rico knows that no one wants to shoot, so they just pack it in and dare them to try to find the lanes to dump it into Duncan. Most of the time, they turn it over or force someone to shoot some crazy shot with two players draped all over them.
Now, Larry Brown is doing the best he can with a team totally not built for Olympic play. Bill Simmons is as big of a basketball fan as there is, and he’s right when he says this Dream Team is doomed. His blueprint of what you need in international basketball is spot on:
Now, I see a problem with Simmons’ blueprint — THOSE GUYS BARELY EXIST IN AMERICAN BASKETBALL!
Let’s look:
Pure Point: Jason Kidd. Second? Really? Pull Stockton out of retirement. The Glove? Too slow, wants too many shots these days. Eric Snow, maybe. Mike Bibby — yeah, although he might be the second best guard on his team. Stevie Franchise? No way. Andre Miller. A good solid choice. Iverson. He’s there, he wants to play. He’s a streak, energy guy. On the team. Not necessarily a starter. Dwayne Wade — there for the future. He’s another converted point guard, but he’s one of the best American points out there right now.
Now… NBA players who aren’t American who are better than most of the players on that list: Tony Parker, Steve Nash, and Carlos Arroyo looks damn good right now.
Shooters: Reggie Miller. Still. Kobe, oh wait, he’s busy. Tracy McGrady. Pure offense. Ray Allen, definitely. Rip Hamilton, Michael Redd, Michael Finley, on the team. Brent Barry? Allen Houston? No way. Sorry. Brian Cardinal? Big guy who can shoot… a possibility.
Foreign players you want over many of those guys: Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitski, Hedo Turkoglu.
Bangers: Shaq-Fu, where are you? Your country needs you. Kevin Garnett, you’re the best all around player in the game. Where are you? Ben Wallace. Kenyon Martin — the Barkley of our age. Someone needs to throw an elbow or two.
Foreign players: Only Yao. We have the best bangers, if only they would play.
And Simmons makes the point — you have to think about roles. You have to have players willing to do dirty work.
So… what’s my team? Starters first.
PG: Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson (he’s been such a good soldier on this team), Dwayne Wade.
SG: Rip Hamilton, Michael Redd, Reggie Miller because he’s Reggie Miller (Ray Allen gets squeezed, and sorry, Kobe, not until the case is dismissed.)
SF: Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady (both out of position, but can play the three), Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James, just because they need international experience.)
PF: Tim Duncan, Keynon Martin, Lamar Odom for hustle and all-around game.
C: Shaq, Ben Wallace.
In the end, my team varies a bit from Simmons’ team, and I put less emphasis on role players because I think these guys need to learn how to play together and play roles, but really… does anyone think that a starting line-up of Kidd, Rip, KG, Duncan and Shaq with a second team of Iverson, Redd, McGrady, Martin and Wallace wouldn’t win?
While I’ve been writing this, the Americans have pulled within 11 with three minutes to go, mostly because they’ve started playing D. They haven’t started winning because they a) can’t shoot and b) can’t pass. These guys don’t know how to skip pass. And they are scared to death of the open three.
I hope every player who declined the invitation because of "security concerns" is home choking on their checkbook. In the end, I respect the players who came to Athens to represent their country. It’s not their fault that they are the players they are. But lord, does USA Basketball look exposed.
We, as a basketball nation, clearly can produce leapers who can dunk impressively for Sports Center. We can produce great tweener athletes in the mode of Richard Jefferson. But we have some serious work to do to to produce complete basketball players. (3-25 from 3 pt range this game? A terrible FT percentage?)
This is embarrassing. "History being made today — not the kind American wanted to see."
It’s a rout. 85-68 now.
Wake up call, indeed.