Exporting hoops

I have a question that I would love to have somebody answer for me. Why does TEAM USA have to win gold in Japan this month? And then in China in 2008? Ok, I slipped a second question in, but for a good reason. It seems that every pundit and fan I speak to is saying or writing things pertaining to getting America back to being the dominant team in the world. As if going a decade or so unbeaten is a worthy, or attainable, goal. I’m not someone who typically looks for the negative in a given situation, but I must confess some truth as I see it here.

America will never, ever, dominate international basketball the way we once did. And I would not have it any other way.

 Who dominates golf? The Scots, who basically invented the modernized game of golf? Um, no. A young man from California is far and away the best in the world, before him was a Golden Bear from Ohio, and a Palmer preceded them both. All Americans. The game was initially played in primitive form in western Europe, but the South Africans today are likely just behind America in producing champions, not the Germans or the French. So, are the Scots miffed that they no longer destroy the competition? Or are they thrilled and honored to have helped refine and export their wonderful game so that millions of people around the world can enjoy it? We all know the answer.

 The Greeks began a wonderful sport called Track and Field. Canadians basically modernized what we call Hockey. But neither sport is dominated by their founding countries. That a man from Massachusetts invented basketball, and Americans were the first to play it in an organized fashion, are facts that will never change. But why are sports invented, and practiced, and refined? My view is simple-sports at a young age, and an older one, provide for recreation and fun. But there are larger forces at work that benefit us all. Life lessons can be learned, and should be taught, utilizing a sport to better citizens and societies. I know that in my experience, because I can help young players make more shots, or jump higher, or dribble better, my players tend to listen to me about more important life skills with a little more attention than I might otherwise receive. So it is my duty to impart those lessons-along with thousands of other coaches in America and millions around the world. I’ve had the great pleasure of coaching players and teaching coaches on 3 continents, and nothing is more warming to my heart than to give a coach the gift of being able to effectively communicate with a student, through the language of basketball. Men like Hubie Brown, Bobby Knight, Mike Fratello, and hundreds of other long-time American coaches have traveled the world teaching this wonderful game. Because of them, the world has learned to shoot, pass, and defend much better on the court, and far more importantly, learned the true meaning of words like selflessness, dedication, caring, and hope. Men like Jordan, Magic, Bird and Dr. J have inspired young players around the world to dream big, and to chase those dreams by listening to their coaches. So coaches the world over, and their players, worked and worked and improved and improved. That Americans didn’t is a subject for another day. That work has helped the world “catch up” to us as players, and in some cases even surpassed us. But it also helped millions of players find a focus in their life, and hopefully a happiness too. And that is the point of sports. That America exported their game to help the world makes me beam with pride, and love this game even more.

 And we are still doing it-as anyone who has read about the Playing for Peace initiative in the
Middle East knows. Again, using basketball as a tool to teach important life lessons. Like learning to live in peace with your teammates while your governments are at war. And giving a friendly face to your enemy. It’s hard to hate someone who just threw you a beautiful pass for a layup. Those players in the West Bank and Israel are no different than any other set of teenager in the world that play hoops on a slab of concrete. It’s about teamwork, and effort, and fighting over picks, not land. Basketball has kept millions of kids away from gangs, or drugs, or many other demons. Perhaps it can now keep a group of kids from one day killing each other, and many others in the process. I know it can.

 So we may win some gold medals, and we’ll lose some too. But that seems an incredibly small price to pay for helping the world play together, doesen’t it? My high school coach used to always say “basketball players don’t get sick”, to inspire us to take care of our bodies (and not miss practice). But I think a new slogan is in order, with respect to the world we live in today, featuring young men and women who want to blow themselves up-and others too- to further their cause. My slogan is simple but powerful, energized from all the great things Americans have done in bringing basketball to the world.

 “Basketball players have hope”. Hope for winning games. Hope for a special play. And most importantly, hope for a better life. The world may beat us in many International competitions, but they are really saying “thank you for teaching us this special game, it has made our country a better place to live”.

 Well, your welcome, but here comes Bron Bron, ‘Melo, and the Flash, so lace them up and may the best team win!!

Comments

[JY]

Two headlines:

1. Basketball was invented by a CANADIAN

2. CANADIAN is not spelled CANADIEN

[Wake UP!!!!]

"Basketball has kept kids from gangs, drugs and man other demons" While this may or may not be true, many athletes in every sport (including basketball) have taken many drugs. A good portion of my high basketball school team smoked weed (amoung other things) and havent a few NBA players been banned from the league for drug use. Didnt Chris Anderson get "banned" for 2 years for using like crack or LSD or something (and that was last year). As far as the gangs go, there have been man kids who have been victims of gang violence while playing basketball and this is especially prevelent in the inner city. I dont know what other demons you speak of but basketball like any other sport is not all peaches and cream. I live it/ love it but its just like anything else. It can be used for good or bad but at the end of the day its just a game.

[posey]

Of course Team USA doesn't HAVE to win, they just SHOULD win. We SHOULD win not because we invented the game, but because we have the best players. While the world has closed the gap dramatically from the 1992 Dream Team, our talent level still surpases that of every other country by a good margin. That is why it was such a shock that we lost in 2002 and 2004. We learned that the international game is different, that the world took it more seriously than we did, that the talent gap had diminished a lot and that a team with good talent that plays together as a team can beat an All-Star team. That doesn't change the fact that the US still has the best players and that if they play good team basketball, they SHOULD win and we SHOULD be THE dominant team (though maybe not as dominant as we have been) for years to come.