The Redeem Team

No More Lebronze Chants!

Well, they've done it. After eight long years, the USA is officially back on top of the basketball world.

Eight years is a long time to not hold Olympic gold, but that just means that the Summer Olympics take a really long time to take place. It's every four years people! It's not like they hand out gold medals every year!

I mean they won in 2000, barely defeating Lithuania 85-83, but we all remember Vince Carter's dunk...



The chinks in the armor were present at that time, as it became more and more obvious that the international game was getting better. Let's face it, Europeans grew up watching Magic and Jordan dominate the game, and when these kid-Euros finally hit their athletic prime, they were ready to go!

The proof is in the pudding my friends. Just look at all the great NBA international players. Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Yao Ming (China), Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Paul Gasol (Spain), and Darko Milicic (Yugoslavia). Um, maybe not the last one I mentioned...but my point exactly!

By the time 2004 rolled around, Americans were dropping out of the Olympic team left and right, and as a result, the U.S. reached to a man they didn't totally understand. "The ultimate team player" Allen Iverson, whose isolation game flopped in international play.

Even the great Tim Duncan was rendered useless in the Olympics, as he was double-teamed and harassed by swarming zone defenders. He couldn't stay out of foul trouble and theics as he was constantly double lack of three point shooting destroyed the U.S. chances. It didn't hurt that hard-ass Larry Brown didn't have a hold on his team, with a young Carmelo and Lebron looking like they didn't know what hit them.

As a result, one of the greatest American failures occurred. The U.S. finished in 3rd place with NBA PLAYERS. They took the bronze medal and LeBron became LeBronze James.
By the way, I just heard of that nickname recently, and it's freakin' hilarious! Too bad I can't use it any more...lousy USA winning the gold shedding that nickname...What?! I mean USA! USA! USA!

The "Redeem Team," did just that. They accomplished redemption by defeating every single foe that stood in their way.

Team Redeem took down a supposed tough opponent in the Chinese, who disgraced themselves in their own country. Yao Ming must've not been at 100% because he was quoted as saying it was one of the biggest opportunities of his career. He floundered like those poor swimmers who were in the same pool with Michael Phelps.

They also took down the 2004 Olympic champions in Argentina. The Argentines had a great team with Manu GI-NO-BI-LI (as Charles Barkley would say), "Fabulous" Fabricio Oberto (NBA champion with Spurs), and Luis Scola (very good player for Rockets). The U.S. beat them handedly, even before Manu got hurt.

Team USA was only fiercely tested in one game, and how fitting that it was in their final game, where the best player in the NBA did what he does best. Kobe Bryant closed the game and brought the gold medal back to the USA.

It came down to the 2006 FIBA World Champions in Spain and the brothers Gasol. The U.S. had previously humbled the Spaniards by 37 points in a previous round, but this game was much different. It was fiercely contested even if the Americans were up by 12 or more points at times. The Spanish continued to nail three after three and were not flustered by the Americans.

Future Portland Trailblazers Rudy Fernandez scored 22 (as if the Blazers didn't need any more young talent right?), Pau Gasol had 21 points and was actually effective, unlike their first encounter, and Spain was playing without the injured and current NBA raptor Jose Calderon. Their young point guard also displayed grit in Ricky Rubio, but he unraveled down the stretch, earning himself a technical foul.

If Olympics awarded an MVP, it would have went to Dwayne Wade who is officially back, after a rash of injuries. Wade scored 27, while Kobe hit two key 3-pointers to ice the game. Every play that Kobe was involved in down the stretch led to a positive from his team, whether it was defensively or an assist. Kobe now is a three-time champion with a gold medal to match.

So, what do we take from all of this? Well, the USA had it's best players and won a tight game vs. a good team. The days of the Dream Team are over, but this core group can win another one if they stay intact. Even if they don't, their leadership, unselfishness, and class they showed off the court should be a model for future USA basketball teams.

I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free!