Men’s basketball struggles in Athens

MATT CAMPBELL SPORTSEDTIOR MCC724 @CABRINI EDU

The National Basketball Association has displayed to the world that these top dollar players are overmatched in national competition.

Countries across the world send its best players to represent their nation. This year the United States sent the best that they could get. The fact is the United States is at war and to many players security was an issue. Many of our best players for whatever reasons declined the invitation from the U.S. Olympic committee to represent the country.

Allen Iverson in fact verbally expressed his desire to play on the U.S. Olympic basketball team, and the committee never gave him an invitation. However this year when top name players like Tracy McGrady, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant declined the invitation, the committee came crawling back to Iverson who ignored previous years being passed over and accepted the invite.

Through no fault of their own, the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team was overmatched. They were a group of very talented players; however there seemed to be no semblance of how the committee put together the team. The committee simply got the best they could for each position without regard as to whether the players could play well together.

Matched against other countries teams that play together throughout most of the year, minus one or two superstars that play in the NBA, the United States had little time to learn one another’s styles of play.

What became evident through the games is that NBA players are not paid millions of dollars for shooting ability or defensive skills. People come to see dunks and fast paced play with high scoring. The pure shooters of the NBAare foreign players, and come Olympic time the U.S. committee is slim pickings for decent shooters. Defensive ability is another story. The only defensive minded team was the Detroit Pistons who coincidentally won the national championship, but did the committee bring in big Ben Wallace? No.

The committee certainly needs help in picking players for the next Olympic games. I realize it was difficult to get the cream of the crop due to political and personal reasons. I truly believe in sending a team, and not necessarily the big names. Invite players who have compatible skills, and find a way for whoever is selected to have more time to practice together.

MATT CAMPBELL SPORTS EDITOR MCC724@CABRINI EDU

The 2004 Tour de France was anything but anti-climatic with Lance Armstrong winning his record breaking sixth consecutive tour. This year’s tour saw 189 riders and 20 stages, ending in the final ride into Paris. This year’s tour was expected to challenge Armstrong and his blue train of U.S. Postal riders.

Former U.S. Postal riders Tyler Hamilton and Roberto Heras now lead their own teams for the yellow jersey. Only two years ago Hamilton was Armstrong’s first lieutenant guiding him up the grueling Alps.

German Jan Ullrich, riding for team Telekom, was said to be Armstrong’s top opposition. He won the tour once and since then has finished runner-up five times to Armstrong.

This year however Armstrong won the tour decisively by a margin of six minutes and 19 seconds. Finishing second was Andreas Kloden, third place went to Ivan Basso and in fourth Ullrich had his worst tour finish. Armstrong broke the record of five consecutive tour wins set by

Miguel Indurain (1991-1995). “I live for this race. I love it. I want to win in more ways than most will ever know. I cherish so much my days in yellow that is keeps me busy almost 365 days a year. To lose a Tour and have to face my team, who have worked so hard, would be heart wrenching. I don’t want to see that day and I’ll do whatever I can to prevent it,” said Armstrong.

The U.S. Postal Team set the tone winning stage four, the team time trial and putting Lance in top contention to win. Staying close to the front of the main peleton, Armstrong avoided many crashes that eliminated some others including rival Tyler Hamilton.

Armstrong then went on to win stage 15 and a very decisive stage 16, individual time trail, by passing his closest opponent just kilometers from the finish on the slopes of L’Alpe d’Huez. Lance also won stages 17 and 19 en route to his tour victory.

The U.S. Postal Service will no longer represent Lance and his team. Discovery has decided to pick up the endorsement as Lance goes for his seventh consecutive tour victory in 2005.