Same Ol' Team USA ... Just Better

Seriously? Did you watch the game?

Because I saw excellent ball movement, unselfish play with VERY few exceptions, good attempts on defense, and extremely good shooting. True, there were too many gambles for steals, especially on Kobe’s part. And Howard has a long, long way to go before he can anchor America’s interior defense.

But to say there are no differences between the 2004 team and the 2008 team is just idiotic beyond belief. Are you trying to get a rise from people or something?

You’re an idiot.  This team is miles away a better team, no egos, actually wanting to win and be at the Olympics and giving 100% every single play.

This isn’t even close to the other team.  I’m proud to have this team represent my country.  I wasn’t in 2004.  And you’re wrong and this article is wrong.  Go back to the drawing board.

I’m talking about the style of play/players. The 2008 team didn’t move toward the international style of play (motion offense, zone defense etc). They just played much better, partly due to much better players.

"This team is miles away a better team"

Uh, I think that was the exact point Ziller was making.

As usual the media wonks cant leave well enough alone. If the US doesnt win in Dream Team 92 style, there must be something wrong. Since these same wonks love the Euro style of play and laud the Spurs for their international style of play. The NBA players played disciplined defense and who says that the Euro style of play is the best??? The US played a running offense and used their suffocating defense for spectacular breakaway dunks. The honks and wonks whined that the style of play the US favored would not sit well with the supposedly physical Argentines and Spainards. It seems that forcing those supposedly physical teams into the US style of play was the key. I remember the old adage favored by legendary UCLA coach John Wooden, you are at the top let others rise to your level. Making the world play the US style is the way the US teams (both men & women) win the Gold.

"who says that the Euro style of play is the best???"

Certainly not Tom Ziller. You’d know that if you had actually read this post.

By the way, the notion that the zone defense is uniquely international is deeply misplaced. The zone defense is actually rarely played by teams like Spain or Argentina. Teams that normally have superior talent don’t often employ the zone defense. Zone defense is usually the defense of the lesser team against the better – a way to neutralize superior talent and athleticism while emphasizing long-range shooting.

True, zone defense is just about never played in the NBA. But the point is that not playing zone does not make a team NBA or "uninternational." It just means a team has superior talent - or at least superior athleticism.

By the way, the notion that the zone defense is uniquely international is deeply misplaced. The zone defense is actually rarely played by teams like Spain or Argentina. Teams that normally have superior talent don’t often employ the zone defense. Zone defense is usually the defense of the lesser team against the better – a way to neutralize superior talent and athleticism while emphasizing long-range shooting.

True, zone defense is just about never played in the NBA. But the point is that not playing zone does not make a team NBA or "uninternational." It just means a team has superior talent - or at least superior athleticism.

BTW, cmottram. I never said that Ziller said that the Euro style was best. I said that many in the media (I call them honks and wonks) love the Euro style of play and laud the Spurs cause they play the style closest to it. I read Zillers post and was only commenting that many in the media like to say that. I was asking why that was. I actually agreed with Ziller that the 08 team was better in personnel and in coaching.

comttram, you are so quick to leap to the defense of your bretheren that you failed to see I wasnt lambasting Ziller. And I did read the article. I do read article before commenting…

Manu said that for any team to beat USA they would have to play the game of their lives, well Spain did and lost. Several guys had career games and still it was not enough. The game was always in danger of turning into a 30-point beat down but the shots would not stay down at the wrong moments. The Spanish team got away with some hacking that would have gotten you 5 to 10 for assault stateside but that is neither here nor there, we won.

Manu said that for any team to beat USA they would have to play the game of their lives, well Spain did and lost. Several guys had career games and still it was not enough. The game was always in danger of turning into a 30-point beat down but the shots would not stay down at the wrong moments. The Spanish team got away with some hacking that would have gotten you 5 to 10 for assault stateside but that is neither here nor there, we won.