Since professionals began playing Olympic in the 1992 Barcelonagames, America had not lost a game in Olympic competition. Thisyear America was an underdog going into Thursday’s gameagainst undefeated Spain.
American guard Allen Iverson confessed, “We expecteverything to be against us. And that is how it’s been sofar. It’s tough on us, but having the USA across our chest,everybody wants us to lose.”
Maybe the reason that everyone wants the American team to loseis that they’re playing like losers. Lithuanian guard SarunasJasikevicius and teammates were able to turn the USA’s bestperformance of these Olympics into a loss for America and a win forLithuania. After the game it was hard to determine by the Americanplayers’ reactions whether they had won or lost. The teamstinks and appears to be okay with that.
The bottom line is this: American basketball players are easy tohate.
But there are some good guys to cheer for this year in Athens.The Iraqi soccer team is one win away from a medal.
This is a team without a home stadium. This is a team whosecountry was reinstated by the Olympic committee just three monthsprior to its qualification for the Athens games. This is a teamwho, despite losing 3-1 to Paraguay Tuesday night, was cheered onby thousands of their fellow countrymen. Most astonishingly,though, this is a team who is one win away from a bronze medal.
The miracle of the Iraqi team’s success, though, is notthe chance for Iraq to take home its first gold medal since 1960but that these athletes have made it here at all. They are fineexamples of the ability of human beings to pursue a passion —whether in the form of love for country or for sport —against seemingly impossibly odds.
It was just three months ago that NBA MVP Kevin Garnett madenews by comparing a playoff series to a war.
“I’m loadin’ up the Uzi.” Garnettclaimed, “I got a couple M-16s … I got a missile launcherwith a couple of missiles. I’m ready for war.”
The NBA is not a war zone. The Iraqi people and Iraqi athletesare familiar with war, yet have had the courage and grace to actlike true sportsmen, playing their best and doing so with dignity.It’s a shame the USA basketball team has done neither.
