Sunday, August 24th, 2008 at 5:01 am  |  278 responses

Links: Team USA 118, Spain 107

Team USA’s redemption song.

by Lang Whitaker

It had to end this way. With the gold medal on the line and Team USA’s chances to Redeem themselves flickering, Team USA was begging for someone, anyone to step up.

And someone did.

Kobe Bryant. And Team USA officially became the Redeem Team, taking the gold medal with a 118-107 victory over Spain.

It was a helluva road to redemption. Spain jumped ahead to begin the game, as Kobe and LeBron each were whistled with two quick fouls. The game was tied at 22 before Team USA went on a run and built a 38-31 lead after one.

The second quarter was the Dwyane Wade and Rudy Fernandez duel. Wade ended up scoring 18 points in 8 minutes, finishing the first half with 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Meanwhile, Rudy single-handedly kept Spain in the game. He scored 14 points in the quarter on 4-of-5 shooting, including a hook shot off the glass and a Rucker-worthy crossover and three-pointer.

In the third quarter Juan Carlos Navarro picked up the load, scoring 8 points and weaving through Team USA’s defense again and again. But Team USA managed to keep their lead, taking a 91-82 advantage into the fourth. Spain made a run, with a three pointer from Rudy with 8:13 left in the game making it just a two-point game, 91-89.

That’s when Kobe showed up. For the first seven and three-quarter games of the Olympics, Kobe mostly played like a guy who had no grasp of a team concept. He repeatedly forced threes, halted ball movement. But when Team USA needed him the most, there he was, finishing by leading Team USA in assists in the gold medal game, but more importantly, scoring like crazy in crunch time.

From my notes…

7:58 — Kobe hits a two on a tough drive into the paint. USA leads 93-89.

7:25 — Kobe drives into the paint and finds an open Deron Williams on the wing, standing in Sasha Vujacic’s spot, for a three. USA leads 96-89.

6:47 — Kobe gets the ball under the rim to Dwight Howard for an emphatic flush. USA leads 98-89.

Then Rudy Fernandez hit a three, and Kobe answered right back.

Team USA finally put Spain away for good with 3:10 left, when Kobe hit a three, got fouled by Rudy Fernandez (his fifth, sending him to the bench) and then Kobe completed the four point play.

You can’t say enough about Spain’s performance tonight. With Jose Calderon injured and the game refereed by a group of men who may never have actually seen a basketball game before this one, Spain went out there with a 17-year-old point guard and nearly pulled the upset of the Olympics. Rudy Fernandez finished with 22 points, Pau Gasol went for 21 and 6, and Ricky Rubio went for 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.

But Team USA wouldn’t be denied. Do you remember the team we ran out there at the 2004 Olympics? The same five guys started every game. Tim Duncan was our center. So to begin with, Larry Brown asked the greatest power forward in history to not play power forward. That meant our power forward was Lamar Odom. I know Lakers fans who argue that Lamar shouldn’t even start for the Lakers, much less for the Olympics team. Our small forward? Richard Jefferson, of course. So that gave us the fear-inducing frontline of Duncan, Odom and Jefferson. It sounds more like a crummy law firm than the three best big men our country of 300 million people could offer. Our guards were Iverson and Marbury. I think Larry Brown wanted Steph to play the Eric Snow role alongside Iverson (set up offense, defend bigger guards, display no athleticism), which would have been a good idea if Steph wasn’t pretty much completely unlike Eric Snow.

(Who was on our bench? Amare Stoudemire, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Shawn Marion, among others. How about that for a starting five?)

Now, even taking into account that this was four years ago, when LeBron was 30 pounds lighter and Carmelo didn’t have a consistent midrange jumper yet, it seems obvious that Larry Brown should’ve handled the team differently. (Well, it seemed obvious at the time, too.) But more than that, he should have handled himself differently also. Instead of trying to out-think the opposition, he should’ve played Phoenix Suns ball with this team, turned them loose and encouraged them to play fast and furious.

But that’s not Larry Brown. Instead of coaching like it was the 2004 Olympics, Larry Brown thought he was in the 1976 NCAA Title game. He wanted to walk it up, to run a highly-structured offense, to play the game “the right way.” He’s shown that this brand of basketball can be learned and can create championships (OK, he showed it once in the NBA). But it can’t be learned in a week.

Much has been made of Jerry Colangelo requiring the current Team USA to commit to a three-year hitch in order to play on the team. It’s been trumpeted so much that it’s almost become overlooked, and I think it was key to this team’s success. Not only did it give Coach K a chance to install his systems, but it gave the players time to understand what the hell was going on. Also, it gave Coach K a chance to build some relationships with the players. Kobe told me that Coach K stayed in touch with the guys throughout the period, sending emails and leaving voicemails. I don’t like Duke and I don’t enjoy Coach K’s two million endorsements and commercials, but I love that Coach K was so dedicated to the gig. I also love that he didn’t put himself above the team — he figured out how to get the most of his players and coached to their strengths, instead of trying to force them into roles they didn’t understand or embrace.

And that’s how Team USA won tonight. Nobody was asked to do anything they couldn’t do. And even though Spain shot 51 percent from the floor and 47 percent on threes, Team USA would not lose. Besides Wade’s 27 and Kobe’s 20, Chris Paul had a terrific game, finishing with 13 points and 5 assists and really pushing the tempo toward the end of the first quarter. And with Dwight Howard playing like he was wearing cement shoes, Chris Bosh played his active ball in the paint, going for 8 points and 7 boards.

With the clock running out and the game in hand, the Team USA players started to mess with Coach K, pouring water over his head and messing up his always-perfect hair. Coach K didn’t seem to know what to do, and neither did I right now, sitting here in the dark on my couch at 4:35 a.m. EST. Actually, I know exactly what to do: Sleep.

But it’s going to be tough. I’m still fired up.

What a game, what an Olympics.

Some other random notes…

• Heckuva Nike plug by Sager just before tipoff. They must’ve promised him some Hyperdunks. Or a roomful of blondes.

• Spain played a lot of man-to-man throughout the game, and it’s hard to argue with the strategy, considering they nearly won the game. But with Team USA so obviously distressed by zone defenses and with Spain in foul trouble throughout, I think Aito should’ve played a lot more zone throughout.

• When Marc Gasol faces off against Chris Kaman this season, there might be some damage done. Also, I decided the two Gasol brothers must be sharing one beard.

• The refs called the first quarter like it was a pee wee game, then called the second like it was an ECW match. The only way the refereeing could have been more inconsistent would have been if the refs were blindfolded. It’s also pretty amazing that the refs let both teams go crazy so often. Coach K was complaining out on the floor the entire game, and one of the Spanish players actually threw a towel on the floor at one point. No technical foul, until there were 20-something seconds left and the game was over. But then, considering how the refs didn’t seem to know anything about basketball to begin with, maybe they didn’t know they had the option of calling Ts earlier.

• How come whenever they show Tayshaun Prince talking to anyone, he looks like he’s spitting game?

• Tonight the role of Rudy Fernandez was played by Brody Jenner. Boffo performance.

• I saw one 3-second call in the 8 complete games that I watched. Twice in first half guys fell down in the paint (Bosh and Jimenez) and neither time did guys make any real effort to hurry out of the paint, and neither guy was assessed with a 3-second violation.

• Rudy Fernandez plays like JR Smith. He just makes more of his shots.

• Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul appeared to get into a little argument leaving the floor at the half. Wade thought he was fouled on his last-second three-pointer, and he hopped up from the floor and tried to yell at the refs. Chris Paul intercepted him and steered him toward the locker room instead, which pissed Wade off. But what I liked about it was that CP didn’t seem to mind being the bad guy in that situation, that he was OK with D-Wade being temporarily pissed at him in that moment of anger.

• Now I remember not only why Dwyane Wade is so dominant when he’s healthy, but also why he’s hurt all the time. For him to be great he has to be reckless. Unfortunately, that’s not a recipe for a long career.

• Finally, the Slamadatournament had to be when Rudy tomahawked on Dwight with about 4 minutes left! Wow. No Dwight, you never get dunked on.

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  • Lang Whitaker Posted: Aug.24 at 5:02 am
    First!

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:03 am
    :-) Good one Lang

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:05 am
    Judging from the way Sager dresses during NBA broadcasts though, i think he was promised the blondes. Guy’s more pimp than magic don juan.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:05 am
    ah, it was at 1092 Lang! just 8 more..

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:07 am
    I agree with Russ. There has not been a change in the style of play for the US, just that now they play hard and scout their opponents. But that’s something. At the very least, the players and the Team USA organization have an appropriate amount of respect for international teams.

  • Jukai Posted: Aug.24 at 5:07 am
    In my world, all is well. Best game of the year, best end to a great basketball story. Couldn’t have ask for a better ending. Maybe someone breaking Russ’ hand before he decided to write down his thoughts.

  • Jukai Posted: Aug.24 at 5:07 am
    G’night everyone!

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:08 am
    it must be hard for the haters…
    celebrate over Kobe heroics… oh god…
    can u imagine all the press tomorrow?
    kobe all over!!!!
    hahahahahhahahaha you guys … never learn.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:09 am
    Great game, fitting ending to one of the best olympic b-ball tournaments i’ve ever seen. Competition level was off the charts. Spain came to playayyy this time, guess they WERE playing possum a few games ago, ah, Aito you sly fox. Overinflating you later opponents ego huh? Nearly worked.

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:09 am
    This Russ guy must know something…
    thanks Holly, i don’t have to comment on that issue.
    SURE kobe didn’t play well on the tournament. he didn’t need it.
    he was there to make the rest win when the couldn’t.
    group phase and weak teams, you would find kobe hunting the most gorgeous athletes at the olympic village…
    gold medal game, last 5 min, game tight…
    kobe scores… i don’t know… lost track at 11.
    eboy, you know nothing about this stuff. but sure you have a big gang that comes here and believe all the garbage.
    jukai, i don’t cheer for spain, i just love basketball very much, and what you guys play, is a lot of 1×1s… sleep with that.
    KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE
    KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE
    KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE
    KOBE KOBE KOBE KOBE

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:11 am
    i agree with everything Russ was saying about this basketball thing not being solved yet, but its never going to be like the int’l teams when we have such a long nba season/post season and so far from the biggest int’l competitors. the only thing we can do is pick the best combination of all stars and this WAS NOT it. Close, but not it. We need 2 legit centers, at least one with an offensive game. It still won’t make Team USa a complete “team”, but this game wouldn’t have been this close. That being said, if they correct some silly and constant mistakes like cheating on D too much or not covering the weakside, along with choosing a good team, USA can continue to win internationally.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:13 am
    *Was tring to put this up on the other board until it closed. Russ, you’re right, the US system still has a few flaws, but the players only play the game, Colangelo put the team together and shorted them on great three point shooters and other bigs to rebound, pound the ball inside, etc. Yes, I hate Coach K too, but he did what he needed to do. Manage minutes (sometimes poorly) and give the team a basis to be a running team, which is what this particular group excelled in. Basically, this team played USA-bred basketball as it has been palyed and taught since the turn of the 21st century. It got them a gold medal this year, but the foundation can still be fortified to have them play solid international ball. The US still has the best athletes in the world and as this game showed, defense is no longer the hallmark to a winning team, maybe just not a legendary one.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:13 am
    Umm, Kobe was good, no doubt, especially loved the 4 point play in the fourth, but the man, no the MAC DADDY of the game was Dwyane Wade. Jeeezus, he was allover the place. Great steals to breakaways, shooting in your face three’s, doing battle against Mumbru, Fernandez and at times Rubio. What a specimen. Welcome back to being dominant Flash, about damn time!!!

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:15 am
    Bruno, Kobe closed it out, but Wade was THE guy, Kobe wouldn’t have had a chance to close it out if it wasn’t for Wade’s half-long effort. Plus, that floater by kobe hit the rim and bounced in, could have easily bounced out and Kobe becomes the most hated man in America. He came through when it counted, but you praising him is similar to what russ is saying about celebrating this win.

  • nothin personal Posted: Aug.24 at 5:15 am
    Gambling on defense was the only way they could get easy scores. DWade was awesome the whole tournament, and Kobe was clutch when it counted, but they couldn’t buy a basket in the halfcourt when they weren’t 20+, and this happened often in the tournament. Still, they were so gifted that it didn’t matter that they didn’t have multiple offensive styles. I am willing to bet big money that a team with a mediocre C(the level of Chris Kaman, you know, if he weren’t German!), only one of the three PGs (not Kidd, though!) and no Dwade Chris Bosh or DHo, could have won as easily. They would not blow teams out, but they could get the job done.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Aug.24 at 5:16 am
    I love having physical harm wished upon me. That’s totally why I write. Where am I, Beijing? Freedom of speech, just watch what you say. Don’t mind me, I just (allegedly) work here.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 5:16 am
    Eboy I wasnt jealous that the USA team won, in fact I was happy, because it means that they lost to the best team there was going around. However, I was very, very pissed off that 7 didn’t show the final quarter of the game and went to news for half an hour instead.

  • Ayo Posted: Aug.24 at 5:17 am
    Funny how the story for U.S.A basketball men and women program is similar. They both lose in the world championships in 06 have to face the team they lost to in the semis of the 06 torny in the olympics and they are both in the finals facing the world champions from the 06 torny in Australia and Spain. And they both win with each side having a player that is undefeated in international play Lisa Leslie and Jason Kidd.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:17 am
    Spain was fantastic, just played with the right amount of aggresion / unfairness (see Wade getting hip checked out of bounds by Mumbru on the last shot of the 1st half..damn!), to keep this game very interesting. Navarro, you are a serious baller. Fearless. That being said, José C. provocatively wearing his game uniform and screaming all game long was….badass. you could feel, no see, that he wanted to play. Too bad Spain didn’t give you the huge contract this off season, your employer laid down the law son.

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:18 am
    “finishing by leading Team USA in assists in the gold medal game, but more importantly, scoring like crazy in crunch time. From my notes… 7:58 — Kobe hits a two on a tough drive into the paint. USA leads 93-89. 7:25 — Kobe drives into the paint and finds an open Deron Williams on the wing, standing in Sasha Vujacic’s spot, for a three. USA leads 96-89. 6:47 — Kobe gets the ball under the rim to Dwight Howard for an emphatic flush. USA leads 98-89. Then Rudy Fernandez hit a three, and Kobe answered right back.” AND ALL THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE 3 + 1!!!!!!!!! you know, gold medal game, tight… all that AND ASSIST leader!
    man, the haters… i can only think of eboy and the followers…
    it must be hard. great game, i’ll download it tomorrow for sure!
    to all you that come here, open your minds, try to learn something, cause apparently, usa basketball CAN’T. even having the best human material, BY FAR, they can’t get much of it. over and over. and kobe, he is already 30… not much usa team for him, i guess.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:18 am
    @RV, but you see, that why Kobe is Kobe. He can take it. He can take those big shots and live with the consequences. And maybe that’s not basketball, but it’s something bigger than basketball, it’s about taking a risk and believing in yourself. Also, I don’t know if I really believe half of what I just wrote. But I’m a fan, not a player, so I’m happy they won. USA! USA!

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:18 am
    I did notice in the halfcourt USA never seemed to have any actual plays, not sure if that was coach K’s fault or the team’s, but it looked horrible.

  • Tarzan Cooper Posted: Aug.24 at 5:21 am
    that was the most important game in usa basketball history, no hyperbole

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:21 am
    I’m not a Coach K fan either but to let that diminish what TEAM USA just accomplished would be selfish. Bottom line is he and the rest of the team got the job done. Flash proved that he’s back and better than EVER. LeBron proved that he could carry a team to a championship and Melo proved that he could hit big shots again. Who cares what Kobe’s field goal percentage is in 20 point blowouts? All that really matters and all that most people around the world will remember is that when TEAM USA needed the Mamba to strike he did and he was more lethal than ever. Those last 8 minutes will be burned into the minds of millions of fans around the world for years to come.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:21 am
    If the US team could incorporate back door plays and solid pick and rolls with some bigs next Olympics, it would be fantastic. Basically, Coach K should have given the D-Will/Boozer tandem a shot to work that out in a game situation to try and run that set in certain situations.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:21 am
    My highlight of the game was Kobe getting a breakaway dunk in the first, and as he picked up the ball he did the Nba one-two shuffle (without) before he dribbled, then took off and hammered it in. The spanish bench went BANANAS, to a man they all jumped up, screaming TRAVEL at the refs. Refs even had to interrupt the game after the dunk just to tell Aito to sit his guy’s asses down. Now that’s passion for ya.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:23 am
    Jealousy got them nowhere, Darksaber.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:23 am
    Jackie, my beef with Kobe in theis tourney is that he’s way better than this, I see him as the best player on the planet and his play was just a huge disappointment for me. All this talk about focusing on defense was crap. Offense wasn’t there either. I mentioned in the other post that Kobe looked different, i think around the 8 min mark in the 4th, and that they should give him the ball, i cant explain what it was but he was moving differently, like in the NBA. I just dont understand why it took so many games for it to happen.

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:24 am
    My heart is still beating fast…

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:24 am
    “• Now I remember not only why Dwyane Wade is so dominant when he’s healthy, but also why he’s hurt all the time. For him to be great he has to be reckless. Unfortunately, that’s not a recipe for a long career.” its not Lang, you are right, but thats why everyone outside dallas loves this guy, or would you prefer if he pulls a Vince-long-career???
    great tournament and great warm up for the season.
    DWADE is finally back to show who is the 2nd best ball player out there.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:24 am
    RV: He’d better shoot a lot better for the Lakers. If he does, we can blame it on the pinky finger.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:25 am
    Oh and Ricky Rubio? Nice, great to see how he can annihilate JASONKIDD, but he had a tougher time against Deron and CP13 (who lost me as a fan this olympics). But still, seventeen…amazing skill set for a young pup. He should go to Calderon / Navarro school, get a high percentage 3 point shot (or ask Dwyane, he got that one this offseason, somehow) and better finishing skills after drives in his arsenal, and he is set to be a masterful Point God.

  • Noel Posted: Aug.24 at 5:26 am
    That was one helluva game. I’m still so wired that I can’t sleep either. Spain played an awesome game…can’t wait to see how much better Fernandez will make the Blazers and every time I saw Rubio I had to say — ‘holy sh*t! he’s only 17!?!’ Seeing how well they played against the NBA All-Star filled roster, I wonder how the Spanish national team would do against the Celtics/reigning NBA champs?

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:27 am
    On a side note from celebrating the W, Rudy is the motherfu(king truth! I loved the way Pau played and the fact that Navarro isn’t gonna be playing stateside next season is a damn shame. Rubio wasn’t bad but he lost his ish in the last 3 min. I bet his mom grounds him for that b.s.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:27 am
    Rubio has a sick, sick handle. Dwyane’s three point shooting was a strength this tournament.

  • schindluder Posted: Aug.24 at 5:27 am
    the best players won, and they deserve it. but they can still learn a lot from european team play.
    ricky rubio showed that he’s already one of the better pgs in the world… at 17 years old.
    paul/williams weren’t able to intimidate him, which should be enough to convince anyone he’s not just another skilled but soft european. he’ll do just fine in the NBA.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:28 am
    Rudy is nice, but where does he fit on the Blazers, B? A bench guy or do they give him a starting spot?

  • nothin personal Posted: Aug.24 at 5:29 am
    @Rv This is a team playing 10 guys serious minutes. They should have an 8 man rotation and 4 role players (shooting, blocking, outside D and somebody to push fat opposing Cs). Too much star power killed Kobe’s mojo, he couldn’t get going in so few minutes, and they could afford him being cold.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:29 am
    And the Blazers really, really look like a strong presence this coming season.

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:29 am
    Flash needs to tell converse to make him some shoes with some damn traction on the bottom. The last 5 min. it looked like he was playing in socks out there.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:30 am
    Portland is stacked.

  • nothin personal Posted: Aug.24 at 5:30 am
    @ Eboy: fire off the bench, and spot minutes along BRoy when he plays the 1.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:30 am
    Seeing Wade transform back to Flash has been a joy for me these olympics. Dwyane, i’d mow your lawn for free if you just show’d me a tenth of you practice regimen. How the hell do you come back from shoulder/knee surgery to dominate (no exaggeration) the strongest olympic field ever? GO HEAT!!

  • Joey Jo Jo Posted: Aug.24 at 5:31 am
    Hursty, you up for some brick throwing in the Channel 7 studios tomorrow? :P

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:31 am
    i shouldn’t “talk” to RV anymore, but now, more calm, i’ll try.
    man, can’t you see? didn’t you watched kobe at all? he was there having FUN, not playin… the entire tournament, he was just tryin to bang hot athletes from all over the world, and who can blame him?!?!?!
    usa was so bigger than everybody… he could do that.
    but when it counts, who would you call???
    there was just one guy who could do that. somebody said here that lebron proved he could carry a team to a championship!
    thats bullS&it!!! for what? for carryin a loaded tem usa over weak teams?!?!?!
    thats why i hate him. he still has to prove A LOT of things, and people already give him the credits.
    now, Wade played mad ball all the games.

  • Art Vendelay Posted: Aug.24 at 5:31 am
    I love it that Lang mentionend ECW…

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:31 am
    NP, I think that too.

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:32 am
    @E:The Blazers are the have the most young and at the same time deep talent pool that I’ve ever seen in the L. Nate McMillan is gonna be having those good kinda headaches this year. If he isn’t starting or playing a Manu like role on that squad then I’m scared of who will be.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:33 am
    the best part was definitely not the basketball play, but the atmosphere, the emotion, was surreal, both teams were in it emotionally like I haven’t seen in a long time. It took me back to the 94 finals. I think lately there’s too many egos and other stuff involved in the NBA where guys (the WHOLE team especially) don’t get as emotionally committed/attached (which is why KG was so refereshing this year) so that was great. I’m not celebrating this win like if were the best ever or sumn, more like i’m proud they pulled it off given what they had to work with and how sloppy and foul happy the game was.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:33 am
    “Shaq, how my gold medal taste?”

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:33 am
    I think, from all of Bruno’s comments, that I’ve finally realized what his deal is. He tried to make a play for Lebron in bathroom somewhere and still stings from the elbow to the throat Bron gave him. Gotta be.

  • Don Posted: Aug.24 at 5:34 am
    Rudy smoked us. That kid can flat play. The dunk over Kobe was one of the best I’ve ever seen. But I’m glad we still won.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:35 am
    @Don – the dunk was on Dwight Howard, but Kobe left him out to dry by gambling.

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:36 am
    Yeah Bruno, your right. It’s not like he has singlehandedly carried a very mediocre team to the Finals before or anything. I said he’s carried them TO a championship. Kobe and Flash put the nail in the coffin.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:37 am
    For a “nice”, god fearing, good kid, Dwight sure flattens a lot of fools out there. Not that Jimenez (of all people) didn’t deserve that elbow to the face :-) . Dwight needs to add a mean streak to those “unintentional” elbows, et voilà, legend status is up for grabs. His skill set is dissapointing though.

  • jpschadde Posted: Aug.24 at 5:37 am
    I love this game. I loved this game. I love this game ;) . Kobe was great, showing the entire hall that they should shut up, when they started yelling to help the Spanish team. And the hall became quite quiet…
    I really liked Rudy Fernadez his dunk on Dwight Howard. http://is.gd/1RTV fot the photo. How about Ricky Rubio, how extremely talented? Kicked Kidd his ass, lovely. Was this the best Olympic Final ever?

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:38 am
    Key point of the game: Kobe Bryant finally realized that shots inside the paint and three point line are legal in international play.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:38 am
    This is going to make the NBA season that much more interesting, now that’s the stars are all BFF. And for the haters, I know, the media crush on Kobe is going to be way overboard after this game, just so you know, I know.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:39 am
    @nothing personal, the problem is that the only thing worse than team full of all stars with no practice time is a team of all stars and role players with no practice time. The Celtics could have probably won this game too, but thats due to a season’s worth of practice and tinkering. The USA system will never have something like that because of the length of the NBA season and its size. They can, and will have to, get away with just picking the best combination of all stars. They still won’t get a lot of practice, but they can’t make up for that with their individual talent, which role players wouldn’t be able to do.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:39 am
    Dwight needs to go to Pete Newell’s big man camp, like as soon as he gets home. He’s got NO post game at all. It’s so odd to see him in this environment and look so……ordinary.

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:40 am
    can’t sleep either… amazing game.
    about rudy, i love the guy but, it doesn’t work that way. i’ve seen a lot of guys playing great against USA, but nba ball is different, portland will handle him very different…
    haven’t you guys seen arroyo playing great before? navarro? do anybody remembers that sean heal shooting 3′s???
    but when they go to nba ball, what have they did?
    Manu is different, that guy is one of the best ballplayers i’ve ever seen. he could be league mvp. anyway, i’ll go to bed and finally leave you guys alone trying to figure it out, how can someone play so relaxed for so many days, than the whole game and, catch fire so easily for DOMINANCE in 5 min…
    that man will end with the greats, the only difference is all the haters behind him…

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:40 am
    Marc threw Chris’s ass on the ground when Rudy hit that one three. The officating was insane. This was an awesome end to Olympic play. Couldn’t have asked for more out of a championship game. Even Melo made me believe in him. Crazy…

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:41 am
    I can’t believe it’s 5:40a and I’m wide awake. I wonder if the court down the road still has the lights on?

  • Aaron Posted: Aug.24 at 5:41 am
    Hey Hursty, trying living in Perth. Missed everything from the middle of the 2nd qtr onwards because 7 decided that apparently I needed to watch the 2nd worst footy team get beat by the 2nd best. If it was a game that mattered I wouldn’t mind but I really don’t think people mind watching their home team get destroyed as a delaed telecast.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:41 am
    Not only was DWade fouled on the three before the half, it was a dirty play by Mumbru, who with his back to Wade, kicked out his leg under Wade after the ball had been released. Utterly bush league maneuver.

  • what Posted: Aug.24 at 5:41 am
    Gotta catch this online. Props to USA bball, on top where they are supposed to be.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 5:42 am
    B, Melo was……timely in this game.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:45 am
    Revelations on team USA:
    Chris Bosh is a bonafide big man. Great tournament. After seeing him in person at Europelive, wasn’t that impressed last fall, i stand corrected.
    Lebron James – leader: just awesome. Playing withing the team concept, although we all knew he could drive on EVERY SINGLE POSSESION, with ease. Always vocal, always helping guys up, always high fiving. He might wanna be in the billionaire boys club, but on the court he is scary good.
    Deron Williams – Point god of the future.
    The prince – always respected him (i wear every version of shox he wears for chrissake), how does the praying mantis do what he does? How?
    Coach K rattling Boozer’s confidence – so you wanted a dukie out there huh coach? You do know that offensively he’s way better than Dwight, and adequate on D? Stupid
    Oh and have i mentioned it yet today?
    DWYANE MOFO WADE IS BACK! All is good.

  • steve Posted: Aug.24 at 5:46 am
    Dwyane Wade very well may be the best player in the world when he is healthy. We were up 2 and then Kobe took over…. but just in case nobody noticed what else happened in that timeout when we were up 2 before we blew open the game: Dwyane Wade got subbed back into the game. Wade was the best player on the floor in these olympics. He has that killer instinct/big game/fearless/cold-blooded gene that typically only one or two guys per generation have. Bird, Jordan, Magic, Kobe, Wade….. they all have it. YEAH: THAT GENE is the one im talking about. Kobe: I LOVE YOU! So clutch, and after the last two finals you were in I was really questioning that…… good reminder for me tonight. Kobe KILLED IT. He is AWESOME……. Kobe or Wade will be the best player in the NBA this upcoming season. Lebron is a monster too actually……. look out for him. But boy….. Kobe and Wade….. them two sure do FLAT-OUT PLAY in BIG GAMES now dont they?!?!?!? Lebron was very good as well….. Melo, CP3, D-Will, Bosh, Howard, Tayshan and Kidd all did good jobs as well. GO USA! REDEMPTION IS OURS!!!! WE THE BEST!!!

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:47 am
    B.Long… lebron can’t take care of his mother…
    carrying a team to a championship is waaaaay far… and its very different than taking a team out of the weak-east…
    look what kobe have done one the past seasons with an even WORST team on the packed west…
    man, thats it. not arguing with the haters anymore… you are all born-stupid.

  • steve Posted: Aug.24 at 5:50 am
    “I said he’s carried them TO a championship. Kobe and Flash put the nail in the coffin.”……………………………….. That is all that Kobe has done as well. He was 2nd option to Shaq in their 3 championships…. he carried a team TO a championship but didnt win it.

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:50 am
    Did tonight kill the “Lebron’s better than Kobe because of their olympic play” talk? If it didn’t some people must enjoy regular season wins more than championships or are just completely clueless.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:51 am
    Starting to get sleepy … there are guys riding bikes down hills on TV …

  • chris m Posted: Aug.24 at 5:52 am
    Howard, please learn to shoot free throws! My goodness. Thank God for Wade. Very scary game, huge balls on the Spanish team for stepping up like this. I’m glad it’s over.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:52 am
    Actually Bruno, Kobe “chasing the hottest athletes” comment was kinda strange coming from such a loud supporter. You do know why some of the “haters” hate him right? Colorado etc? Fake ass croco tears (were those cgi) with his wife by his side? The snitching on a teammate and on goes the sordid story? Anyway, he must have missed out on the HOTTEST athtlete, since some sites were linking Leryn Franco and Novak Djokovic together last week.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:52 am
    @Darksaber – and what do you have to say about Kobe?

  • david Posted: Aug.24 at 5:52 am
    Good win by the US of A, but only because the other teams missed crucial players! First Argentina without Manu, then Spain without Calderon. Take Kobe out of Team USA today and they get beat. The world has caught up, 160 million dollars of wages and they win by 11 points and had Manu played on friday we would have been celebrating a bronze today!

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:54 am
    I feel so sorry for Dirk this season, Ason Kidd has lost more than one step on D. And can be contained better than ever. Hope Dallas has a good backup PG this season, he shall be needed.

  • nothin personal Posted: Aug.24 at 5:55 am
    @RV Fewer stars means more PT for the core 7-8. This way, they use the first 5 games having hard games and tuning their act instead of blowing teams out. Problem is, most teams prefer to get blown by the US than giving them a good game and “revealing” their plans.

  • steve Posted: Aug.24 at 5:55 am
    Jason Terry could pull it off Darksaber. They got to the finals with him running the bulk of their PG minutes already…………… and Kobe is a FLAT-OUT STUD Jackie Moon. Wade is a KILLER. Lebron too.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:56 am
    Kobe looked like the difference between Japan 2006 and Beijing 2008. And Wade and Lebron got to play plenty in ’06. Not necessarily saying he’s better, but he did look like the difference.

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 5:56 am
    darksaber, after all you wrote 5:45, i’m really not answering to anything you say
    really. your mind is blank AND you’re blind… for SURE.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:56 am
    @Jackie Moon: oh you know me and my relationship on the Mambiatch, Jackie my friend. He is without a doubt THE B-Ball player with the right sense of drama on the court, an incredible offensive weapon, and as i said earlier in this post, the 4 point play was sweeeeet. So for today, i won’t rip into Kob’s. For today.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:56 am
    @nothin personal – I would not want to get blown by the US

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 5:57 am
    @Steve: Kobe won one tonight. He’s got a gold medal to prove it.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:58 am
    @Darksaber – hahaha so KB24 lives to see another day. The man is a gambler, but he seems to beat the odds a little more often than not.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 5:58 am
    @Brüüüno: hey, shouldn’t you be wrapping a movie Mr. Baron Cohen? I wouldn’t expect Borat’s creator to know much about B-Ball anyway.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 6:00 am
    I think Lang went to bed.

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 6:01 am
    oh god!! did i read an american with such perception?!!?!
    who tha hell is jackie moon????
    at least you realized, jackie!

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 6:04 am
    Kobe wouldn’t have won this medal without Sha…HAHAHAHAHAHA!

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 6:05 am
    hey darksaber, is it salty or sweet the taste of pain?
    can you feel the pain of being celebrating just cause the guy you hate played on your team this time?
    it felt good or bad when he TOOK OVER and won it by himself???
    good dreams with mamba tonight.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 6:06 am
    Bruno- please just shut up.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 6:06 am
    Bruno, you’re a tad bit overboard on the Kobe love (chasing hot girls? nothing to do with basketball), but yes, he performs very well under pressure, but he does make mistakes, but I say with Kobe you gotta take the good with the bad, or else you’re taking away his spirit. So maybe he could be better, but it’s amazing that he is still so good even with all the flaws in his game.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 6:08 am
    Gosh, Bruno just wrote “won it by himself”. I rest my case. I’ve conceded all i wanted to regarding Bryant, you keep on being the obsessive but unrealistic KB-Fanatic bro. I’m sure the you can apply for a spot on the Laker girls this off season.

  • B. Long Posted: Aug.24 at 6:09 am
    If Kobe doesn’t take alot of chances on tough shots and defensive gambles then he wouldn’t make clutch shots and incredible plays when it matters most. Thats what makes Kobe the Mamba, he may strike a few times and miss but when he bites you, it’s deadly.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 6:10 am
    Borat says “U-S-and-A! U-S-and-A!”

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 6:12 am
    This just in: Paul Pierce says “I could’ve done that.”

  • Bruno Posted: Aug.24 at 6:14 am
    “Darksaber says: Lebron James – leader: just awesome. Playing withing the team concept, although we all knew he could drive on EVERY SINGLE POSSESION, with ease. Always vocal, always helping guys up, always high fiving. He might wanna be in the billionaire boys club, but on the court he is scary good.” tell me about unrealistic…

  • john Posted: Aug.24 at 6:15 am
    up by 2 pts, all of a sudden everyone in the team looked like they were tired and clueless how to score. there’s Kobe swining his hand to Chris Paul for the ball. in the end, he’s the go to guy, the best player in the world. Paul Pierce can burn his lungs out with cigar and die. the haters should bend over cause there’s millions of chinese fans backing Kobe. MVP, check
    Gold Medal, check
    Gasol, Bynum, Odom, check
    Shaq’s demise, check
    one things left to do, step on some green clovers

  • Shut up already!! Posted: Aug.24 at 6:15 am
    Please shut the heck up talking about Kobe like he was the only player on that team! Damn, I appreciate the guy too and think he is a great player…but some of you take things too far. Everyone on that team contributed to this, period. Man, i’m starting to think that some of you have a picture of Kobe hanging next to Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus himself. Kill the noise already, its just not that serious. Are some of you going to have sweet-dreams tonight about Kobe too? Anyhow, I agree 100% with Russ about what happened tonight and thats all I have to say about that. God bless and goodnight.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 6:18 am
    So…. Kobe didnt shoot 10% from 3 for the entire Olympic Games Bruno?

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 6:30 am
    Oh, and by the way, David Friedman wins.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 6:37 am
    @Ryne&Lang: the open discussion reached 1092 comments? 1092?! Fantastic. I predicted 500+, but double that? Congrats guys.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 6:39 am
    It was a record Darksaber.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 6:41 am
    Previous best that I remember being a part of is around 850 or so.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 6:43 am
    Record? THAT i can believe Hursty. Fantastic.

  • Anthony Taurus Posted: Aug.24 at 6:57 am
    “Now I remember not only why Dwyane Wade is so dominant when he’s healthy, but also why he’s hurt all the time. For him to be great he has to be reckless. Unfortunately, that’s not a recipe for a long career.” I have to disagree.. look at AI. he’s got all kinds of metal parts in him. damn near the first terminator lol

  • andrew Posted: Aug.24 at 7:02 am
    Well. I’m glad everyone else in the entire basketball watching/loving world got to see this game. I got a quarter and a half of a gold medal game, interrupted by football and a news broadcast. Then, as some sort of tease, or, indeed a big f*** you from channel seven, they play a one minute highlight package of the last quarter. I’m so mad about this. I can’t wait for the world championships when SBS covers the whole thing start to finish and I actually get to watch the games I want without fear of Jennifer Keyte telling me about a Koala being found in a tree and recapping a canoe-ist winning a gold medal.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 7:17 am
    Yeh, I feel you Andrew. That was complete bullsh*t.

  • lucci Posted: Aug.24 at 7:22 am
    if ricky rubio is the best player in the world not in the NBA, then fernandez is the best player in the world who hasnt played a regular season game also good composure ricky with the tech.

  • lucci Posted: Aug.24 at 7:23 am
    played a regular season game in the NBA*

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 7:25 am
    That doesnt really make sense lucci. But yeh sure.

  • Bigi Posted: Aug.24 at 7:32 am
    That’s it.Gold.

  • lucci Posted: Aug.24 at 7:48 am
    what im saying is that rubio is in no way the best non nba player

  • Yann Blavec Posted: Aug.24 at 7:54 am
    Too bad nobody jumped over someone this time.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 7:55 am
    Rubio’s the highest potential performer thats non-nba as well.

  • RedRum Posted: Aug.24 at 7:59 am
    Great game, great win, but… I feel somewhat vindicated! Jukai and others were screaming at me that USA will crush everyone, and pretty much did in the pool games. But the games with Argentina and Spain were close (Spain was minus Calderon…) and the Americans were lucky (and had a bit of favourable calls). It could easily have gone the other way, and it won’t be that easy in the world championships in two years, or the next olympics. But anyway, congrads, really great game by two great teams, it was a pleasure two watch.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:03 am
    Best game of the year. Better than 99% of all the NBA games too.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:05 am
    Olympic game of the year that is. Better than China vs. Spain among others.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:07 am
    damm i was gonna watch the replay! well at least i get to know what happend before i haf to leave for church @9:00

  • Lz - Cphfinest3 Posted: Aug.24 at 8:07 am
    First of all, Congrats to team US and all it’s followers. I’m only watching the game now, as I overslept (yeah that’s basically blasphemy I know, please MJ liberate my soul). As I can see from the comments, and the game I’m watching. This was definitely a game – remember that all you guys, who was so outraged that I and others pointed out that Spain played possum in the group-game. Well seems they did, since they made it a game, even without Calderon. Props to Wade, Kobe (yikes..), Rudy, and Ricky for good games. Again congrats on the redemption guys, but as the two last games showed the gap is not that big, so please stop the arrogant stance next time around. All in all the best team won, and that’s the way it should be. But nice to see that the best international teams, can give the US a run for it’s money.

  • Yann Blavec Posted: Aug.24 at 8:08 am
    I can’t find the DunkoftheTournament of Rudy Fernandez on Dwight Howard on Youtube.

  • Lz - Cphfinest3 Posted: Aug.24 at 8:08 am
    BTW, didn’t read all the comments so bear with me if I repeated stuff, already said.

  • Lz - Cphfinest3 Posted: Aug.24 at 8:10 am
    Also damn the refs were shaky. Both ways though.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:17 am
    the refs went both ways? Was Tila Tequila an official?

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:18 am
    Lz- Kobe was sh*thouse for the majority of the game. Try reading through 1092 comments. Problem is, they got placed somewhere by Lang and he opened this up instead. So add these 120 and its over 1200.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:20 am
    gross Bet. really gross. Shes filthy.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 8:28 am
    Ugh, that’s gotta be some kind of new low right? Mentioning Tila on Slamonline?

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:32 am
    betcats knows no bounds. Besides, she got mentioned along with Star Jones that one time already.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:43 am
    boundaries are for people who belive in boarder control. And Darksaber, i read those comments of yours on the ammechi thing, lets re think that statement. You said like 20 h0m0phobe comments and i make fun of refs by comparing them to a sexy lipstick le$bian. Who is dumber?

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:46 am
    betcats, can you please enter the LeBron soldier shoe competition? Please? I wanna read some ridiculous sh*t that’ll make my day. Thanks.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 8:47 am
    @andrew from Australia. I feel your pain, this was a game no true B-Ball fan wanted to miss. Still, your “Koala being found in a tree” line made laugh so hard, my breakfast frosties shot out through my nose. Cheers mate.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:48 am
    Does Team USA have a redemption song? Im sure there are some good ones out there that would be appropriate.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:49 am
    i am not a huge Lebron fan. I am a man of what i like, and Lebron is a great player, and i enjoy watching his highlights, but i dont really like his playing style. Plus i already got like 2-3 pairs of timbs i grabbed at Marshalls on mega-liqudation for $15 each because they were sitting their for over a year (acording to the manager who doubled as a casheir and was happy to see them go)!! So why do i need more fu(kin boots?

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:49 am
    Darksaber- where you from anyways?

  • KA Posted: Aug.24 at 8:50 am
    LOL at Bruno. and I thought USA 4 life was entertaining. I was expecting a blowout, can’t believe I missed this one. sounds like one for the ages. not that it would change the outcome but the absence of Manu and jose from key games puts an asterisk on this gold medal. brb off to torrentz

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:50 am
    and Darksaber, if white stuff shoots out around your face, why are you a h0m0phobe?

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 8:51 am
    Because it’d be really funny to see what you would write. Have a look at some of the comments and leme know at least.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 8:51 am
    Awww Betcats, really? You and Jukai bosom buddies or what? Far as i know i didn’t attack you in any form, and your opinion of me or my comments (was actually 2 remarks on Sweet John, get your facts right darling) is irrelevant. As for your rhetorical question, take a stand on some basketball issues, and we’ll talk. Tequila and sexy? Uggh, again.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:51 am
    alright fine.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 8:52 am
    @Hursty. Born in London, raised on the mean streets of Lagos, Nigeria. Now residing in Switzerland. How about you Hursty?

  • SLAM ONLINE | » Gold Medal Open Discussion - 7 p.m. ET Posted: Aug.24 at 8:54 am
    [...] Lang will post The Links directly following the game. Rest up! It’s going to be an exciting night! var staf_confirmtext = ‘Mail sent’ #stafBlock { position: absolute !important; z-index: 100000; display: none; width: 200px; } #stafForm { background-color:#f60; border: 2px solid #000; padding: 5px; margin:0; } #stafForm h2 { margin:0 0 4px;color:#fff;font-size:12px !important;} #stafForm input,label, h2 {font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; color: #222222; } #stafForm .input_text { width: 90px;margin-bottom: 5px;padding:2px; } #stafForm label { float: left; display: block; width: 75px; line-height: 16px; } #stafForm .input_submit {color:#fff;padding:0 5px;} #stafClose { float: right; margin-right: 5px; } x [...]

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 8:58 am
    @Betcats, your lame attempts to provoke me notwithstanding, give it a rest m’kay pumpkin? I’m here for the B-Ball, a sport i’ve been playing and teaching for 19 years, and not to be attacked because you don’t like what i wrote about Amaechi.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 8:59 am
    darksaber, i will attack you because the way i see it, hating on John is hating on my best friend, and hating on my friends is hating on me. No, me and Jukai are rivals (look at the USA v. Lithunaina post if you dont belive me) and yes Tila is sexy. If you wouldnt hit that, you are g@y

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:00 am
    so, if you dont want to be attacked, apogilze or go away. If you are going to say something that stupid, reprocussions come.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 9:01 am
    Whatever honey. As i told the Jukster, have at it, must be nice to not have any other worries in life but to “attack” someone online.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:02 am
    Darksaber mus work for either Fox or John Mccain.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:03 am
    broham i am right here, if you want to get at me, get at me. Tell me why h0m0sexuals arent people. Tell me. I am all ears.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 9:03 am
    “Apologize or go away”. Umm no? Last i checked, this wasn’t betcatsyonline.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:04 am
    but damm i gotta go to church in like a minute

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:05 am
    whens the last time you checked Darksaber. I am Mr.100,000 comment, and i have wrote 1 more season preivew than you and when the time comes that number will most likely double to 2 more season preivews than you!!!

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:06 am
    plus i got mad love from lots of commentors and some staffers on slam, who loves you?? Thats just online man, true life i bet you were the kid that sat alone durning lunch and desided they were all g@y? Is that why you be hatting? Becuase nobody ever liked you. I got friends on and off the line broham, i think you got neither.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 9:07 am
    @BETCATS: geez man, Team USA just won a thrilling game, which IS the theme of this post by Lang, remember? I’m not getting into discussions with you about gay rights etc… Might as well ask me why i hate the colour red, or tiny dogs that are carried around. Or Paris Hilton. Or any other dislike i have.. it’s none of your business Doctor.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:08 am
    but i am done here, when i am back and darksaber has fired away and is acting all bad, it will just reinforce my point that he lives in others shadows and blindly hates

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 9:08 am
    saber- you mustn’t have been round that long or not read comments- usually they help to understand sh*t. Im Australian and probably the most open about my AUSSIE PRIDE than any other commenter on the site. I would like to see you and Bet go at it for a bit longer but I need to finally get some sleep. btw just take everything betcats says with a grain of salt.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 9:08 am
    Ok then, you seem to be the King of commenters. I am sorry for the blasphemy your highness. Hope you got a medal for all your accolades hmm? Can you chill now?

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 9:09 am
    geez? who the fu(k says geez? Darksaber were you on Leave it To Beaver!!!!! I am in the room with a celibrity thats not me?

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 9:10 am
    @Betcats. Happy praying son.

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 9:12 am
    @Hursty: Thanks for the advice… he’s actually quite amusing, not that i’m taking anything he says seriously at this moment.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 9:13 am
    Betcats just chill ok man. Your going to church right? So forgive and let lie.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 9:16 am
    dude Jimmy Page is still the sh*t. Closing ceremony is whack though.

  • Sesa Posted: Aug.24 at 9:32 am
    Holly must be having a mega orgasm after seeing Kobe did that sh!t.
    Gold Medal for your birthday present. Wow, just Wow…

  • kauhl Posted: Aug.24 at 9:38 am
    Congrats on the gold medal, US.
    Now you know the drill:
    bring your REAL best players and coaches, play hard all the time, get lucky with some key injured opponents, hit some 3pt shots, stop travelling so much… And remember that star protection won’t save you here. Using this simple recipe, MAYBE you’re going to win another gold medal in the future. MAYBE.

  • DP Posted: Aug.24 at 9:39 am
    thanks kob.

  • majic Posted: Aug.24 at 9:44 am
    its not a maybe, they will win another gold its just a matter of if its going to happen every 4 yrs

  • majic Posted: Aug.24 at 9:45 am
    de antoni will most likely take over, if he focuses on defence as well as offence usa will be fine. D was the strength of this team and if its forgotten then there goes future sucess

  • Captain America Posted: Aug.24 at 10:09 am
    For the first time in my life, I am proud to be an American.

  • the baconator Posted: Aug.24 at 10:34 am
    This game was amazing. I watched it twice, once at 2:30 and again at 7:30. Oh, and SLAM? Could you show us Lebron’s new shoe, the Gold Medal’s? Please? haha

  • a_whiteman Posted: Aug.24 at 10:55 am
    great game spain went hard…my ONE request is we get a slamadamonth and slam up of rudy fernandez’s assault on dwight howards face i need multiple angles!!!!!!

  • underdog Posted: Aug.24 at 11:00 am
    Fernandez on Howard became an instant classic.

  • Simone Lawy Posted: Aug.24 at 11:14 am
    The best birthday gift for kobe…

  • ciolkstar Posted: Aug.24 at 11:36 am
    We better not be looking for D’ Antoni to improve team USAs defense. The key will continue to be securing the right players and getting them to play well as a unit.
    It makes me sick that Kobe was the ” hero” in the Gold Medal game. Dude was going for delph so bad. Most of his assists were last second, dangerous passes after bailing midway on illadvised three points jacks. Does anyone have his FG stats from the game? KB must’ve missed 6-7 threes, and everyone will talk about the one or two he made.

  • TADOne Posted: Aug.24 at 12:31 pm
    Ok, i’m up and operating on 4 hours of sleep. My 2 cents? Everyone who commented on here and had stupid or hateful comments on any of the players or anyone who blasted someone for their opinions and resulted to name-calling and what have you, i’m going to pray for you guys. I mean come on, this was a great game to watch, even though the defense and refs were non-existant, or should have been. Every single player from one to twelve played a vital role in bringing the US the gold. No hate on any player, even Boozer. While Booz didn’t get much burn or deserve much, he stayed cheering on his teammates from the bench and offering encouragement when not in the game. I’m not sure you can have a singular MVP, so i’ll give the most important person award to Coach K.
    Ok, I think i’m going to puke now. Duke sucks! Ok, now I feel better.

  • AL Posted: Aug.24 at 12:35 pm
    did anyone else find it funny that they played the old nba on nbc theme music at the end of the telecast?

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 12:39 pm
    Fu*king TAD, the stern scolding issuer. Fuc*er. Nice to hear you got 4 hours of sleep. I stayed up, commented to 5:45a, made breakfast, got dressed and got to the courts at 7:45a. I’m basically zombiefied at the moment. My wife and my kid went to the zoo and when she asked me I wanted to go I basically said “You must be kidding me”. F*ck an ocelot and a bintarong, this is my time.

  • TADOne Posted: Aug.24 at 12:44 pm
    Was anyone playing at 8 am on a Sunday morning?

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 12:50 pm
    @nothing personal: It wont matter if the core get more PT, the point is NBA teams take months of contstant practice to get it right, the USA team cant do one month every summer and expect to achieve the same level of cohesiveness. It also more difficul to play with role players because you have to be exact with them, with an all-star they can make something out of nothing and save your ass if you mess up. So the best thing is to just keep sending the best, but make sure its a good combination and dont take anyone who’s just going to sit. This Boozer thing was ridiculous. Chandler could have taken his spot and helped USA in a big way.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 12:52 pm
    so far Kobe, CP, and Dwight have said they’ll definitely return in 2012 if asked.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 12:53 pm
    oh and Lebron, Wade and Anthony as well.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 12:54 pm
    I taped the game, so i’m gonna watch it again now, i’ll be back to point out more Kobe mistakes (only half-kidding)

  • Adam Fleischer Posted: Aug.24 at 1:14 pm
    Rubio is nice.

  • C Posted: Aug.24 at 1:30 pm
    spain sucked in the group play, but they came back in the gold meadal game. also suck on that argentina!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • C Posted: Aug.24 at 1:31 pm
    GOLD GOLD GOLD GOLD GOLD GOLD

  • Brian Posted: Aug.24 at 1:33 pm
    Great game, great win US. There were some head scratching calls throughout the tourney, but I’ll take these refs over the NBA’s any day. There was never a bias with these guys. Between the NBA on NBC theme music, no commercials during the quarters and not feeling like the refs had a personal stake in the game, I actually enjoyed watching the games. I don’t think you’ll see Steve Javie working overseas. I caught the 95 All Star game last week and it was noticeable how much easier it was for those guys to play together.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 2:00 pm
    “You may not want to sit next to me, I smell like s—,” Coach K said as he seated James to his right and Bryant to his left. (after the game)

  • Ryan.T. Posted: Aug.24 at 2:17 pm
    I was impressed with Spain, more so than the U.S. squad. I wanted to see a close game just to see how everybody would react to it. Glad to get the Gold though. It’s crazy that Rubio is 17, he held his own out there.

  • Robert Posted: Aug.24 at 2:20 pm
    Kobe carried the team on his back but there’s one guy here complaining that we the Kobe praises is too much. too much? Imagine if Lebron was the hero how much ass-kissing most guys would do here.

  • j Posted: Aug.24 at 2:25 pm
    How about Nike’s plug during the Kobe interview on ESPN, I think I saw 4 pairs of Hyperdunks placed in the room for the background shots. Spain is the king of floaters and runners. Reffing was terrible, and I thought it was going to come down to USA not being able to get to the lose balls and make those type of plays.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 2:28 pm
    I think Spain had a No-Yao-effect, the Rockets stepped up all round when they had that 22 game streak, had Yao played, perhaps the role players don’t step up and the streak doesnt happen. Had Calderon played, i’m not sure Spain would have kept it this close.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 2:29 pm
    and i’m not sure any of the U.S. players ever managed to stay in front of Rubio, i know jkidd and Deron sure as hell didn’t.

  • Robert Posted: Aug.24 at 2:30 pm
    and lang, Kobe wasn’t being selfish for the entire tournament. He maybe jacking up shots but he never hold the ball for too long and halted ball movement. In fact it was your boy Lebron who got he’s teammates standing there and watching him while he goes coast to coast and Wade was the one who dribbled forever. Kobe even though the 2 guard was always in the corner rather than operating from the top of the key because Lebron was the one doing the 2 guard job even thouhg he was the power forward. Besides since when in the games did the team should a half-court offense. It was just basically fast-breaks and pick and rolls and one on ones in the half court. That’s why Spain gave us a scare.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 2:31 pm
    Robert, please explain how much carrying Kobe did for 7 games and for the first 3 quarters of this game? Lebron did it EVERY GAME. I’m not sure how much more clearer that can be. Kobe came through, but he didn’t take the game over or carry the team. He took what was there and hit the shots.

  • Robert Posted: Aug.24 at 2:39 pm
    If Kobe wasn’t there for that 4th quarter or even in this olympic games. We might ended up with a silver and whether you like it or not he made the clutch shots for the team last night and in that sense he carried them on his back.

  • balla Posted: Aug.24 at 2:58 pm
    that was crazy

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 2:58 pm
    Get over it, it was a team effort. Just about everyone did what they were “hired” to do. Kobe hit big shots, LBJ did a little of everything, and Wade didn’t just provide a spark, he provided a blaze off the the bench.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 3:08 pm
    Robert, were you watching the same olympics? Kobe, on several occassions, HELD the ball at the 3 point line, acting like he was going to drive, only to jack up a 3 seconds later. A lot of time they weren’t in need of a big shot, for some reason Kobe would stop the flow or rythm..

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 3:12 pm
    Our boy Chucky Rosen said it the best:KOBE BRYANT: Sure, he forced some shots early on and he gambled too much on defense, but his several ultra-clutch plays in the fourth quarter of the gold-medal game reinforced his standing as the very best player in the world.
    GRADE: A-plus

  • Darksaber Posted: Aug.24 at 3:22 pm
    Umm Chucky Rosen as in Charles Rosen? The guy who predicted that Bron would be a NBA bust?

  • Robert Posted: Aug.24 at 3:24 pm
    Look rv, i need to go somewhere so this will be the last post for me for today but what I was trying to say is he never hogged the ball. He jacked up a lot of 3s but he never held the ball so long like Dwyane Wade and his teammates froze to just watch him. His field percentage may have been awful in this games but it never hurt the team in anyways. The guy I blame on why we weren’t so fluid in the half-court is coach K. We won by talent and will not by X and O’s.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 3:31 pm
    Kobe wasn’t even close to being THE guy for the first 3 qrtrs, so its not a sure thing no one else would of stepped up. Wade was on, Melo was hitting shots, CP was scoring on the break, Redd could have been inserted late in the game and he’s been ready every time he comes in. This wasnt the old Cavs with Lebron or the Yao-less Rockets with tmac. In those cases you take Lebron or tmac out an both teams fold. No one to take or create shots. Kobe was simply the one to jump at the opportunities that came up in crunch time, he didn’t create them and he wasn’t forced into them.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 3:38 pm
    OK, Larry Bird said it best on the Dan Patrick show only a few days ago : “I think Kobe Bryant is the best player in the world”

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 3:39 pm
    That’s Larry Bird as in Celtic Larry Bird, Hall of Famer Larry Bird, Olympian Larry Bird, uh what eles, Finals MVP Larry Bird

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 3:39 pm
    He held the ball more than anyone else and it did force others to sit and wait because Kobe wasn’t doing anything other than giving jab steps and waiting. He didn’t do it every time he got the ball, but that’s about all he did. He also had some breakaway jams, but other than 1 good game earlier and this final quarter he killed the rythm. Coach K doesnt deserve the blame for that, he went with their strengths, which were speed and athleticism, you can’t build too many plays around these guys. Where’s the guy who makes great entry passes like horry? The guy who can set up in the corner and always hit the open 3 like Bowen or Battier? Where’s the guy who sets perfect picks? You can’t make breakfast with a steak and potatoes, so you might as well make dinner.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 3:42 pm
    Jackie, yes Kobe is the best player in the world, yes he’s the best, but in the olympics he the majority of the time. It doesn’t automatically bump him down to 20th best or anything like that. Im not saying, “he played bad therefore he’s not as good as people think”, i’m saying, “this guy is the best, so why did he play like crap most of the time”

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 3:44 pm
    RV: I blame the pinky!

  • maw Posted: Aug.24 at 3:54 pm
    What a way to end the Beijing Olympics. Congrats to USA for bringing the gold back. Let’s also give credit to Spain and Argentina for giving it their all. And how about Rudy Fernandez, I’m routing for Portland next season! Add Greg Oden and Brandon Roy to the mix, wow! And what about the FIBA refs? I never truly appreciated NBA refs until I saw these incompetent and inconsistent FIBA refs. But the bright side is, they make horrible calls against all the teams, so they are still fair LOL. To the USA players, you are truly worthy of a gold medal. Unlike the Iverson and Marbury USA teams of before, this one has the heart of a champion.

  • ancarr Posted: Aug.24 at 4:06 pm
    U-S-A!, U-S-A!, U-S-A!, U-S-A!,

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 4:09 pm
    maybe for the shooting, but he’s got the athleticism and speed to play D like wade and Lebron did. He didn’t seem to be playing the passing lanes as effectively as they were. Wade was especially insane, watching the replay it still surprises me how quickly he was running all over the court.

  • José Luis Posted: Aug.24 at 4:09 pm
    Spain has shown that we are better than the USA team. If the arbitration rules had been with FIBA would have won the gold medal, all steps that arbitrators do NOT have pit, pushing Howard in the area, the techniques have not pit the bench by team USA IN ALL MATCH during the Olpimpic Games, YES is the change in the team pit opponent. Sorry for your pride. I see you on MUNDOBASKET,i hope that the referees learn to know how the rules are FIBA and NBA.

  • Michael Posted: Aug.24 at 4:19 pm
    I sure hope d-Wade stays healthy this season cause he’s a beast, especially if he actually has developed a shot. On the Kobe thing, i don’t think he was dominating the ball, he just took a ridiculous amount of quick three point shots that led to fast break points. He’s still clutch as hell though.

  • david rubio Posted: Aug.24 at 4:19 pm
    was it jus me or did argentina look happy to get gold and can’t wait for ricky to be in the nba im get his jersey

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 4:20 pm
    @Jose Luis: i dont get what you mean by pit

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 4:22 pm
    that guy jimenez retired after the game

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 4:22 pm
    RV:Wade and Lebron are younger and more athletic than Kobe. For the haters, why no ridicule for Wade slipping and falling multiple times? Just pointing out that if that was Kobe, EVERYbody would be talking about tha.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 4:30 pm
    Jackie, give up already. This is a tired topic. Who cares that Rudy Fernandez made Kobe look like Craig Ehlo throughout the entire game, right? Oh, yeah, Kobe plays no D, it must not have been him that got burned over and over and over and over and over to allow Spain to keep the game close. Right, wasn’t him. What the f*ck ever. And TAD, to answer your earlier question, 8:00a to 11:00a Sat/Sun mornings, every week. If your vacationing ways ever brings you down here, we’ll have a place to run.

  • david rubio Posted: Aug.24 at 4:34 pm
    I mean bronze dat was stupid of me

  • Jose Posted: Aug.24 at 4:35 pm
    everyone was falling in the paint not just wade. i know he did slip those last 5 seconds at half court .but ppl fall all the time

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 4:40 pm
    And yes, Kobe won the every game by himself from Las Vegas all the way to last night. In 2012, we should just send him to represent us and see how many medals he wins. Sh*t, he can play water polo, archery, beach volleyball, long distance running, cycling, baseball, swimmming, diving, tumbling, synronized swimming, thumb wrestling, ping pong, badmitton, tennis, all that sh*t. He’ll probably beat EVERY country on his own at 34 years of age. Can’t wait. Simpletons around the world, UNITE!!!!! Plea to the US Olympic Comittee to make that happen, please.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 4:41 pm
    Jackie, thats like the 5th time someone has mentioned there’s no hate for wade/lebron but there would be for kobe. And like i keep mentioning, wade and lebron played their ass off the whole olympics and did several positive things that you have to give them a looser leash. Kobe, given his below average performances, can’t be given more room to make poor plays.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 4:42 pm
    @Eboy – Right, Rudy Fernandez was the only guy scoring. What about Pau Gasol? And I guess Kobe guarded Fernandez and Juan Carlos Navarro both at the same time. Yes, you’re right, without Kobe, Team USA would have won by 30. I won’t give up until you take off your anti-Kobe goggles, and realize that he was the difference between Japan 2006 and Beijing 2008.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 4:44 pm
    Jackie, you seriously are making yourself out to seem unkowlegable and I know that’s not that case. Stop it, please.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 4:49 pm
    4:38 in the second. Kobe on Rudy, Lebron on Reyes at almost halfcourt, Reyes sets a pick, Lebron switches to get rudy, Reyes rolls to the hoop while kobe jogs behind him….Rudy passes to Reyes for an open layup. Kobe got beat because he was busy watching Lebron/Rudy. That went on throughout the whole Olympics.

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Aug.24 at 4:50 pm
    Everything bad that happened in the Olympics was due to Kobe, and everything good that happened was in spite of Kobe. It’s so obvious. There can be no middle ground.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 4:57 pm
    3:47 in the second, Kobe is chasing Rudy around the 3point line, Reyes sets a pick Kobe goes over the pick instead of under, Rudy has an open lane. I’m sure others made mistakes as well, but they seemed to try and correct it by hustlingback, while kobe didn’t

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:04 pm
    the only reason we’re talking about Kobe is because people continue to praise Kobe as if he had played like he does with the Lakers. If you want to talk about someone else then we can move on and talk about their mistakes instead, however, if you list the positive and negatives of Wade/Lebron/Kobe for the olympics, even if they all made the same amount of mistakes, Wade and lebron would have a lot more psotives. So when discussing their mistakes individually, for wade and lebron you can say “they messed up here, BUT they turned around and did this well”, the same can’t be said for Kobe.

  • Jackie Moon Posted: Aug.24 at 5:07 pm
    Awesome take on the whole Olympic tournament from Britt Robson. http://www.rakemag.com/blogs/ball/2008/08/the-black-mamba-finally-gets-his-moment I pretty much agree with everything he wrote. Yes, even the part where he says “I would place [Wade] second only to LeBron in overall effectiveness for these Olympics.” I’m not a Kobe Lover, I’m just not a hater.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:08 pm
    Looking at the spanish news stories, spain took the high road and didn’t complain, except for Reyes, who said the refs favored the US because they haven’t done well lately.

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:22 pm
    didn’t realize CP was being sort of an enforcer and really getting into it, in the first, Lopez didn’t give up the ball so USA could take it out, CP went after him and swiped at it pretty hard, in the second Mumbru ran over CP, while still on the floor CP stuck his leg out and tripped up Mumbru, then Rodriguez went for a payback and ran over CP as he was getting up

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:23 pm
    Jackie, would you say that article was hating on kobe at all?

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:30 pm
    How has manu not seized the opportunity to be hero or goat? (refering to the article)He pretty much lives for those moments, especially with Argentina…

  • RV Posted: Aug.24 at 5:33 pm
    pretty much agree with everything else though, especially the Reyes part, I’ve been wondering how many calls he’s going to get from the NBA.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 6:46 pm
    Why does Russ care anyway? He thought this team was lousy so who cares who get’s the blame/praise. The 12 of them didn’t deserve the gold according to his late night posts this morning, so don’t make it about Kobe’s good/bad. The 12 guys should ahve been talked about as a unit but as usual, as every conversation starts out as, it’s Kobe first, everyone else second regardless of the results. Kobe blew his shot at a title too, but he didn’t bear any of the fault their either.

  • Eboy Posted: Aug.24 at 6:47 pm
    At least from the Lakers contigent around this place.

  • Last Week in the East Coast Bias « the east coast bias Posted: Aug.24 at 6:50 pm
    [...] Last Week in the East Coast Bias 24 08 2008 I hope you stayed awake and watched the thrilling 118-107 win over Spain for the gold medal in Beijing. Or perhaps you were tired from enjoying newly minted Vice Presidential candidateJoe Biden’s speech; did you know he has photos on Flickr? Or maybe you were too busy reading your fantasy football cheat sheets to pay attention to politics and the Olympics. I understand. Now, for the recap: [...]

  • Justin Posted: Aug.24 at 6:51 pm
    Man, Kobe was bad. He shot about as bad as Jordan did in the ’92 Olympics.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 7:17 pm
    i just came back from the biggest nap of my life, i mean church.

  • BETCATS Posted: Aug.24 at 7:20 pm
    super!!!!! Church= Sleep for the soul

  • andrej Posted: Aug.24 at 7:58 pm
    i personally think that dwade played the best throughout the olympics its about consistancy

  • Dallas J Posted: Aug.24 at 8:14 pm
    I’ve watched this game 3 times so far. Burning this bad boy to DVD to be on repeat with a nice soundtrack this week! GOLD!

  • Ben Osborne Posted: Aug.24 at 8:27 pm
    Well put, Lang. What a game.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.24 at 11:23 pm
    Great game. Leave it at that.

  • Janners Posted: Aug.25 at 3:12 am
    Dude, I am so grateful that the RT won. But having seen both Gasol brothers, one question arises: Aren’t there any decent barber shops in Barcelona? Or is Yosemite Sam their fashion advisor?
    Flash all the way…

  • RV Posted: Aug.25 at 3:21 am
    does anyone know what shoes Team USA was wearing when they accepted the medals? I saw some of the USA Taekwondo members with them so i’m guessing its official gear for the USA all around.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.25 at 3:37 am
    No idea RV. They any good? btw, you see the new Chron article on Yao?

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.25 at 3:40 am
    Does Team USA, u know, actually have a redemption song? That’d be cool.

  • paula Posted: Aug.25 at 6:24 am
    The USA were very lucky that Calderon was injured , if he wasn’t it would’ve been a different story. And that kid Rubio, wow dawm!!

  • paula Posted: Aug.25 at 6:31 am
    The usa should thank the referee!!!!!!!

  • chintao Posted: Aug.25 at 6:44 am
    Observations:’Melo was a big disappointment(he was so much better in the opening rounds, before Beijing); Kobe is a ballhog-rapist, but he came up big in the clutch; Wade was the most consistent player for the U.S.; Rubio is a Sebastian Telfair waiting to happen (and I don’t mean that in the “USA4Life” sense); Spain played the game of their lives; Spain was aided by EVERY whistle; the U.S. played one of its poorer games of this tournament; the U.S. still won with a little cushion.
    [SORRY IF I REPLICATED ANYONE ELSE'S THOUGHTS, I'M POSTING RIGHT BEFORE LEAVING WORK AND HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO PERUSE THE WHOLE BOARD]

  • Wendy Posted: Aug.25 at 7:16 am
    I’ve said it before and I will continue saying it: Larry Brown has sabotaged Darkos career by trying to change his game instead to build upon his talent. Imagine if Dirk came as a rookie to him, we wouldn’t have a German MVP. Athen 2004 is the proof.

  • Slobodan Chutzpah Posted: Aug.25 at 7:18 am
    Well, congrats and all but it is really hard to lose when, on top of clearly having the best talent, you have every call throughout the tournament going your way. The way this game was called was pure garbage – and no, it wasn’t equally bad for both teams.

  • ANDREW Posted: Aug.25 at 7:32 am
    congrats guys

  • Jonathan Posted: Aug.25 at 7:36 am
    Hey guys !!!!! Anyone has watched the game ? what about all the steps not whistled by the referee ( 13 ) ? what about all the deffensive fouls not whistled by the referee ? And the three senconds in the paint ? Did you see Howard living in that zone ? Dont you remember we was playing with FIBA rules ? This is not fair that USA Team won by the referees…..

  • Swellhead Posted: Aug.25 at 8:22 am
    Great game. Perhaps the best international game I’ve seen. However, I’m not sure that the U.S. fully “Redeemed”. Yes, they won fair and square. No doubt they were the best team in the tournament. I just wanted them to make some kind of return to the total dominance of the originals. And with the squad they had I thought there was a chance that they would. Still, helluva show. Oh and, go Team GB!

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.25 at 9:22 am
    Great Britain sucks donkey d*ck.

  • Robert Posted: Aug.25 at 12:05 pm
    Is this how insecure RV and Eboy is with Kobe. Just because Kobe didn’t intercept a lot of passes he played bad d already. If Kobe never came to the team the defense wouldn’t be this good because he was the first guy that made the commitment to guard the other teams top scorer. I agreed with what Russ said I don’t know what the hell Eboy was saying that Kobe never receive any of the blame.

  • Jose Posted: Aug.25 at 12:47 pm
    I´m pretty sure Spain would defeat USA with the same rules for both teams. What about a replay with NBA rules? (easier for your guys;).

  • RV Posted: Aug.25 at 12:48 pm
    If you’re complaining about the refs favoring the U.S., then you need to watch the replay. Just off the top of my head, Marc Gasol shoved Bosh to the floor in the 4th, Both gasol were in the paint longer than 4 seconds during that possession, Mumbru pulled a Bowen on Wade’s last second shot of the half and stuck his foot out. A travel was called on wade late in the 4th after Marc Gasol intentionally tried to foul by slapping his back causing Wade to fall (and travel). Jimenez had a sequence where he swipped both arms down and bumped off a shooter, i think it was Melo, and melo had to re-adjust in mid air and passed out to Wade, Jimenez then ran at Wade and did the same exact thing. No call each time. And this is just what i noticed watching the replay, but i’m sure there’s a lot more for BOTH teams. I won’t even get into the Spain bench not being given techs the 3 or 4 times they stepped/jumped on the court and even threw a towel, had the refs really favored USA they would have T’ed Spain up several times, which they didn’t until the very end once the game was decided.

  • RV Posted: Aug.25 at 12:57 pm
    Robert: you might want to read ALL the comments before you accuse people of being insecure. I’m sure you skipped over the comments made of Kobe not switching on picks causing him to chase BEHIND his man, which either left them with open lanes or left the picker wide open. How about the times he cheated on D by doubling and had to race back to his man, only to be faked out and give up a drive. Or the times he ended up reaching from behind because his man got by him. Like when Rudy did a simple spin dribble, twice within the same quarter, and kobe went for the reach around, missed, and Rudy took off to the hoop. Or the time he let rudy go and Rudy crapped all over Dwight. EVen Doug Collins mentioned Kobe has been doing that (gambling) and this was the worst time to do it since thye had the lead and they had to play solid front D and not give up easy shots by gambling. Well Kobe did the whole Olympics. And yes he made the commitment, as in he SAID it. Its easier said than done. Just because he says it doesn’t mean he’ll automatically do it. The defense thing was a team concept from the beginning, Kobe was just the one who came out publicly like that.

  • Jose Posted: Aug.25 at 1:02 pm
    Spain knows how to play with FIBA rules (as Argentina, China, etc…), this could be checked in the other matches and previous competitions. If Spain (or Argentina) knew the limits everything would change (maybe bronze again?). That´s because i´d love to see the same match with NBA rules. Anyway I recognize NBA players are still higher than Spanish, as a team it´s another question…

  • Swellhead Posted: Aug.25 at 2:00 pm
    Whatever rules were being enforced or not by the refs on the day, from my perspective the game seemed evenly called and wholly impartial. I don’t think either team gained any advantage from the refs and the result was an utterly fair reflection of how both teams played. It’s a shame we’ll have to wait so long for the next opportunity to watch such a game but I’m happy to bask in the glory of this one for a while at least. It sure beat the hell out of watching this year’s NBA Finals.

  • Swellhead Posted: Aug.25 at 2:10 pm
    Hursty: such wit and gay repartee would go down a treat on the after-dinner speaking circuit. Just don’t do it over here in the U of K because you’d be beaten to death with all of our gold medals.

  • Jose Posted: Aug.25 at 2:17 pm
    Totally agreed swellhead with the fact that is a pity we have to wait at least 2 years. Despite I´m fully convinced about the impartial refs, there´s nothing worth from complaining. Is better admire the battle between two ways of playing the same thing, it was pure art!

  • Allenp Posted: Aug.25 at 5:08 pm
    Late to the party… I want to give all the Kobe fans their respect. He’s the best combination of skills and cluth play in the league. Wade and Lebron are super close, but Kobe is still Kobe. And Rudy Fernandez still hasn’t gone left. JR Smith indeed.

  • Allenp Posted: Aug.25 at 5:12 pm
    Were people actually posting on this site at 5:30 a.m. Good Lord.

  • Hursty Posted: Aug.25 at 5:28 pm
    Try around midnight till then. You missed out on 1092 comments allenp.

  • Paps Posted: Aug.25 at 9:01 pm
    I would love to see the NBA played and called rougher like the Olympics.

  • RV Posted: Aug.25 at 9:20 pm
    maybe the second half Paps, definitely not the way it was called the first half. As long as they were consistent, i wouldn’t mind having them let go some of the contact, basically like a pick up game

  • Slobodan Chutzpah Posted: Aug.26 at 8:30 am
    Yes, I agree: it is truly impartial reffing that the US never gets called for offensive fouls (which they had plenty of), almost any defensive fouls under the basket, steps, or other assorted violations and fouls, while the other team’s players only have to stand a feet away from an NBA star like Paul or Wade and they’ll get called for the most ludicrous things (I’m gonna plow right into you and knock you over – defensive foul; I’m gonna jump out of bounds while whipping the ball somewhere in the air and flailing my hands – why, of course, three foul shots, etc. etc.) Even Hollinger mentioned several times (and wondered about) the “home cooking” for Team USA in the earlier rounds. When the US was first pulling away from Spain in the gold medal game, every single call and no-call went their way. Curious, but it is what it is.

  • Allenp Posted: Aug.26 at 10:30 am
    International people complaining about the refs are ruining their credibility. If you think the refs were in the bag for the U.S., well we watched too different games. Do they EVER call a moving screen in Europe?

  • Slobodan Chutzpah Posted: Aug.26 at 11:22 am
    Who are these “international” people you speak of..? So disagreeing with your 100 % impartial, obviously full-proof opinions (unlike mine who didn’t have a stake in this game) ruins my credibility? I’m stricken with grief, dear sir. (Yes, they do call moving screens in Europe, if sometimes infrequently. But more to the point: do they ever call traveling on the big stars in the NBA? Rarely – and at least not in this tournament. And I’ll say this again: when the US was first pulling away, every call and non-call went their way. It is arguable, however, how much that had to do with the outcome of the game.)

  • jose spain Posted: Aug.26 at 11:26 am
    Allenp it´s curious all international people (like you said) thinks refs were impartial.That means the world but USA is wrong. Do you really think that´s credible? Please check FIBA rules, then watch again the game and you´ll find 13 steps and the chair Howard had under the Spanish basket (watch the last 3 seconds of Navarro to catch the irony about steps).USA team don´t need this kind of extra help.

  • RV Posted: Aug.26 at 11:48 am
    I love how i’m the only who actually went back and used specific examples from the game….but it is a lot easier to just use general examples, let me try..Spain was busting the Americans with elbows all game and playing dirty, fouling on shots and tripping them up, staying in the paint forever and just shoving guys for no reason….yep, that was easy.

  • Allenp Posted: Aug.26 at 12:59 pm
    Incredibly easy. The refs let traveling go with both teams in my opinion. I saw several post players change pivot feet for Spain. But, the fact that international folks think that the refs were cheating for U.S. is just funny. And JOSE SPAIN, I don’t care if the whole world disagrees with me. The whole world once agreed that Africans were sub-humans, so majority opinions don’t hold much weight in my book.

  • chintao Posted: Aug.27 at 4:35 am
    Guys, guys, guys…. What about Spain’s thespian antics. I haven’t seen such bad acting since the European Cup (soccer). As an international person who hates both the U.S. and Spain, it seemed to me that Spain had the benefit of virtually EVERY whistle, throughout the game. The officials called the U.S. for everything, while Spain appeared to get away with all but the most obvious infractions.

  • Swellhead Posted: Aug.27 at 3:12 pm
    It would appear from so many of the comments that there are no good losers and no gracious winners. If you’re going to highlight some particular calls or no-calls from the refs then we should also highlight that other much larger human factor that influenced the game so much more: the players. How many shots were missed? How many blown lay-ups were there? How many turnovers? How many blown defensive assignments? How many times were players outhustled by others? I could go on. The day that every single player and coach plays a perfect game is the day when we can complain about itty-bitty calls that the refs failed to get right. Until then, quit bleating and revel in the glory of a fantastic game. Jeez.

  • white castle Posted: Aug.29 at 1:55 pm
    spain=ignorant, crybaby pussies no offense, but any team that comes into another country and makes fun (even if it was just a joke) of the people living there do not deserve to win… i really wish china would’ve beat their asses. i would take sebastian telfair over ricky rubio any day… pau gasol is lucky because he has kobe, marc gasol will never amount to anything. rudy fernandez might prosper but other than that spain is a ton of cry babies and they’re all softer than philadelphia cream cheese

  • Robert Posted: Aug.31 at 5:33 am
    Wow RV, do you make it a point to write down every mistake Kobe makes? Kobe is perennial all defensive team player while your boy Lebron is not. Now RV, can you give everybody a list of Lebron’s mistakes whether be it on offense or defense, I’m pretty sure all you see is how great he is. So biased.

  • SoulChaser Posted: Sep.2 at 12:13 pm
    Do you know what TRAVELLING is in basketball?? With good referees, SPAIN should have been the GOLD MEDAL. Watch: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=KdgMATXP49U

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