U! S! Eh?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m about as American as Big Macs and John Deere tractors. But as hard as I try, I can’t get myself to fully support USA basketball in these Olympic Games.

I had no trouble endorsing the “Redeem Team” in 2008. After a disgraceful performance in the 2004 Olympics, the goal was to come back, dominate, and prove to the world that the United States of America still has the greatest basketball players in the world. That goal was accomplished, and it was assumed that in these 2012 Olympics that the team would have a similar goal. Although the current team features many of the same players from 2008, the attitude has changed and for the worse. Before they even played one meaningful game, all that the players could talk about was how they were better than the 1992 “Dream Team.” The worst part was that these comments were coming from the so-called leaders of the team, such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Experts began to question which squad would win in a game, but I only had one question on my mind: Who the hell cares? Our focus should be earning our recognition as the greatest team in the world, not as the greatest team in American history. The purpose of the Olympics is to prove your excellence to the rest of the world, but most importantly doing so with honor, sportsmanship, and respect for the players representing the other countries. I have no issues with arrogance during the NBA season, especially if it can be backed up. But in the Olympics? It’s sickening, and it poorly represents the United States.

My feelings for this team were on full display during our match against Nigeria. I love a classic ass-kicking and have no problems whatsoever with running up the score, but our behavior during the game was unacceptable to me. Once the game was out of hand, all that our players seemed interested in was landing a spot on the Sportscenter Top 10. Come on guys; realize you are playing against citizens from one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. If you are going to destroy them, please do so without laughing on the bench and attempts at ridiculous alley-oops. It’s just distasteful.

Then came the game against Lithuania, a team whose best player (Linas Kleiza) has averaged 8.8 points per game in his NBA career. The USA team came out onto the floor and initially looked like a drunken version of the Harlem Globetrotters. Three pointers looked like bricks flying towards the hoop, passes weren’t being completed, and we couldn’t make a free throw even if the hoop was a mile wide. Lithuania carried a lead deep into the fourth quarter, but LeBron James bailed out the American team in the closing minutes. Let me get this straight: I did not want USA to lose. I just think it would have been deserved. It would have been fitting for the Olympics. Lithuania is a team without any star players that actually play like a team. USA is the opposite of that.

The next game for the American team is tomorrow night against Argentina, a squad much more talented that Lithuania. Hopefully the close call in its last game taught this team a lesson. The egos need to be put aside, the stat sheets have to be ignored, and each player must start doing what’s best for the team without intentionally trying to embarrass the competition. Regardless of whether or not an attitude change occurs on this team, I still do believe that they will win the gold medal. No other country even sniffs the amount of talent that is featured on this American team. But Olympic gold medals are unlike NBA Finals rings or Most Valuable Player awards. They are symbolic of all of the values that go into being an Olympian, values that most of the players on USA basketball have lacked thus far. And if they do end up winning the gold medal without obtaining these values, I can guarantee you now that I will not be singing along to the “Star Spangled Banner” while they are standing on the podium.

-PJ Moran