Po Politickin

Spain had just cut the lead to two on a Rudy Fernandez three pointer. It was gut check time for the United States, and Coach Krzyzewski called a timeout with eight minutes left to play in the Olympics. All the sacrifices this team of superstars had made, all the time they put into this Olympics, achieving the gold medal they had to have came down to eight minutes of basketball.

Doubt started to creep, would the Americans crumble? Would they start to play 1 on 1 basketball? Well, fresh out of the timeout team play was still emphasized. Kobe Bryant drove the lane, the defense collapsed on him and he kicked the ball to a wide open Deron Williams in the corner. Williams nailed an open three pointer, and the doubts started to fade away a bit. On the very next United States possession, Kobe drove into the lane once again drew the defense and hit Dwight Howard with a pass for a dunk.

The tables had turned, as the U.S. gave themselves a bit of a cushion on their way to winning the gold medal and putting U.S. basketball back on top. After embarrassments in the World Championships and the Olympics, a lot was said about basketball in the United States. The players being too selfish, the caliber of basketball in the U.S. taking a hit among other things. So in an effort to become a power in basketball again, Jerry Colangelo sculpted this team three years ago, and it has been a commitment ever since then. They brought the best talent over here, arguably having the two best players in the world (James, Bryant), 3 of the 10 best point guards in the world (Kidd, Paul, Williams), the best center in the world (Howard) among other talent. It was getting them to play as a team that was the most important part, because obviously the talent is there. It all came together, and the Americans did it. They brought home the gold.

On a side note, I deserve a face full of crow for my stance on Dwyane Wade being on the Olympic team. As is documented in my initial entry about the U.S. basketball team I didn't think Wade belonged there, as I felt we had three bigger better versions of him. Well, Wade was the best player in the Olympics as no one could guard him and he played great defensively. So, Wade gets props, as he played wonderfully.

Read more at captainclutch.blogspot.com

Welcome to another blue chip edition of The Po Politickin Show. On today's show, we are joined by Cp and Pistol Pete for another edition of 4th and 1. We discuss the 2008 summer games in Beijing (The Dream Team, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt). We also preview and make predications for the upcoming NFL season.

Enjoy the show!


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What has happened to the critics and the talk heard around the world that basketball in the United States is turning into garbage and that foreign basketball is played the right way, and has caught up with U.S. ball players? I'm starting to believe that the media has a love affair with hating on the NBA and it's players. The talk is that the Olympics Mens Basketball tourney is boring and not worth watching because the U.S. team is making it look to easy. I didn't hear any of this rhetoric when Michael Phelps was smashing his opponents and world records on his way to winning 8 gold medals. No single Olympian has ever made it look as easy as Micheal Phelps, but yet were hearing that the U.S. mens basketball competitions are not worth watching. Why can't we watch these blowout games with pride. Pride that we have the best basketball players in the world. Pride that those NBA players put there million dollar lifestyles to the side for a summer and live in the Olympic village with all the other Olympians, represent the United States and bring home Gold Medals in there competitive sport like every other Olympian that has traveled to Beijing. We've been hearing for eight years how bad we have become in a sport that we introduced to the world. But yet this team has been proving all of that talk wrong.

The Question that I ask is why can't NBA players win. If these games were close the media would be killing this team made up of mostly all the top young players that represent the NBA. Instead they are doing what they should be doing, and the country that they represent could care less. The media could care less. A negative story cannot be produced from the success of this young brilliant team so the media can say nothing more but that the games are boring. I remember the games that the original Dream Team played in and cannot remember one close game. I also remember seeing the original Dream Team players posted on Big Mac wrappers and Coke cups, Wheaties Boxes and U.S.A. Jerseys all over the place. But this team is not producing that kind of attention. Because I believe it's deeper.

At some time between those 92 games and these games, the media, and the country has had a falling off with NBA players. Is it the money they make? Is it there lifestyles? Is it because there mostly young, rich and black? maybe. I just thought that when you went to the Olympics, you represented more then your hood. You represent more than your individual race. You represent that farmer in Western Pennsylvania, that hunter in West Virginia. You represent those struggling young kids in New York City that look up to you. That big State of Texas, and that flashy state we call California. You represent the United States. The mightiest country in the world. So it's time that we give this team it's due. What they are accomplishing over there is history, and all of those guys over there representing us will be Gold Medal Olympians for the rest of there lives. Something that no critic will ever be able to take away from them. Hate on that.

'The Original Dream Team


Team roster
Charles Barkley
Larry Bird
Clyde Drexler
Patrick Ewing
Earvin "Magic" Johnson
Michael Jordan
Christian Laettner
Karl Malone
Chris Mullin
Scottie Pippen
David Robinson
John Stockton
Coach: Chuck Daly








2008 Dream Team

Team Roster:
Jason Kidd
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Carmelo Anthony
Dwight Howard
Dwayne Wade
Tayshaun Prince
Michael Redd
Chris Bosh
Carlos Boozer
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Coach: Coach K