2004- A Basketball Odyessy
From someone whose brother pasted many Sports Illustrated covers on his bedroom wall when we were kids, I was immediately hooked when SI.com revealed it’s “vault” several months ago. SI, along with Marv 
Albert, Sam Rosen and the NFL on CBS, were the professors in my education as I’m sure it was for other sports fans around my age.
What pains me is that young fans growing up in these times are constantly “dumbed” down by outlets like ESPN. Say what you want about the sports empire, the very age group they target is the very one they hurt without care. Sure, you get your “Manny clock” for seconds it takes the enigmatic outfielder to loaf to first base. But does that make up for the 500 “look at Manny” poses highlighted on SportsCenter. The same pose in which an impressionable 13-year-old exhibits in ESPN’s own “watch the Little League World Series spots?”
Listen, I’m not here to whine about the good old days. I’m merely stating that opinions of younger fans don’t translate with me unless there is some sort of sports transcendence – like they study the past. Over the past two decades there are two constant problem that fans should have noticed, if they care to, especially in basketball: questionable professionalism, and lack of fundamentals.
In fact, both are ruining all sports, and are major causes why TEAM USA has struggled in international play in recent years. Think back to 2004 and ask yourself if the reason that team of talented players lost was because Larry Brown couldn’t get his detailed points across or if the players didn’t buy into them. Sure, Lebron should have played more, but was that the reason why Carmelo quit on his coach? Same with Marbury, professionals neither.
Credit some of the same players on this 2008 team who have become rededicated to the cause, and you can bet that Coach K, D’Antoni and Pop have pounded attention to detail and the importance of playing for the flag into their skulls. It seems to be working, as the team, behind an invigorated D-Wade, has played relatively well. But they are just a hot-shooting, not-defending-the- perimeter appearance away from exiting China in shame.
Granted, the talent level world-wide has increased, but without question compiling a roster filled with NBA superstars should negate that notion. If your answer is other countries play together more, and are more comfortable with each other, that’s fair, but most teams play without their best player(s) since they reside in the US for 8 months out of the year. Read the following piece by Curry Kirkpatrick about the 1984 team, with similar young, impressional players, and tell me what has changed besides, of course, the times.
“Surely the red, white and blue receptions accorded the U.S. Olympic basketball team last week sent chills up and down the spines of the young men chosen to represent their country in Los Angeles . But more significant to their potential success in the Games have been the Olympians’ reactions upon being hacked, mauled, whomped and unceremoniously dumped on by a ragtag collection of NBA “all-star” teams. (Danny Schayes an all-star?) What our boys have done, brave fighting men that they’ve turned into—War is hell. Remember the Maine ! Remember Corregidor! Remember Aleksandr Belov!—is to jump up from the floor, laugh off the wounds and, employing the defensive strangleholds taught by their coach, Bobby Knight , climb back into the faces and jockstraps of the opposition. And win.” More.
