I am rooting against the Dream Team

[alarimer]

I always have, since the first time it was allowed for professional NBA players to play in the Olympics.

I was utterly disgusted at the lopsided victory the other day, where they ran up the score on some hapless opponent.

Fuck those unsportsmanlike NBA millionaire crybabies. You don't need a gold medal. Take some of your riches and have one made.

Leave the Olympics to college players. At least then the tournament might be competitive, instead of this boring nonsense.

[ohiosmith]

1. Couldn't agree more!

[taterguy]

2. Sorry, it's not the responsibility of the winning team to keep the score down

In a tournament like this you don't have much time, and every minute you're on the court you should strive to get better. It's not like Coach K left the starters in the whole game.

As for whether or not pros should play, why not? 'Amateur' athlete just means someone who has some other means of support. Why should the Olympics be only for people lucky enough to be born into wealthy families?

[alarimer]

4. It's not about amateur or professionals.

It's about the fact that a bunch of American prima donna basketball players make the tournament as uncompetitive and BORING as all get out. I can't believe this is in the interests of the Olympics as a whole.

They epitomize the term "Ugly American." Bad sportsmanship, bad conduct, special treatment.

[taterguy]

6. Seriously, what bad sportsmanship?

They win by a lot in some games.

Are they doing anything else? I haven't seen any clips of them behaving obnoxiously or rubbing it in. (Well, except for CP3's low blow)

They're just very very good at what they do.

[Bertha Venation]

8. "'Amateur' athlete just means someone who has some other means of support."

I'm sorry I don't have any stats to back this up, but I do believe some Olympic athletes are there because of fundraisers. If you consider that to be "some other means of support," so be it. But I don't think one can assume that all Olympic athletes are elites in other ways.

[KamaAina]

3. I hear you

They beat Lithuania the other night by five points. Five! All they really needed was one or two!

[alarimer]

5. Too bad they didn't lose.

I am rooting for their opponents, whoever they may be, even though it won't do any good.

[Bertha Venation]

7. Take some of your riches and send some poor and deserving athletes to the games

no matter their events.

I detest the millions-of-dollars contracts that professional athletes command. It is thoroughly disgusting.