Team USA Will Be in Hostile Territory at 2010 WC

[L8DBACK]

The home crowd in Turkey will be cheering against the USA team in every game they'll play. They will be in hostile territory from beginning to the end of the tournament. Majority of the people will definitely want to see Team USA go down in defeat. Team USA will be the team to beat in the WC in Turkey.

[Franz]

Draw was made already?

[TrueBluePinoy]

Draw was made already?

The guy was just talking about home court advantage for Turkey.

[Dtown]

It's 100% true, and it's one of the interesting subplots to the tournament.

Even if team USA returns the internationally experienced core of the Redeem Team they will have never faced such a hostile crowd in international competition together.

Japan was mostly neutral, kind of hoping for upsets but not fervently anti USA.

The Americas championship in 07 was in the United States.

China is a huge market for the NBA, and the Redeem Team was definitely the second (arguably most) popular team there.

Personally I don't think it will cause any difference in the US's run of blowouts, it's the close games, including a potential rematch with Spain where this could matter.

[HIGHLANDER]

Interesting as the USA are the ones who back the Turks to receive membership into the EU.
So why so hostile to the US or does everybody just hate Americans?

[Fedfan]

Yes I believe that will be the case.BUT when wasn't team USA the team to beat anyway?ever?

[Fedfan]

Wake up. USA would be in hostile territory anywhere in the world but USA itself, Japan and Poland and Georgia.

And Israel,and China,and Australia and New Zealand and South Afrika and the Uk.And that's about it.

[Federoy]

The home crowd in Turkey will be cheering against the USA team in every game they'll play. They will be in hostile territory from beginning to the end of the tournament. Majority of the people will definitely want to see Team USA go down in defeat. Team USA will be the team to beat in the WC in Turkey.

There's no question the USA will be playing before hostile crowds during their tournament run, both from the Turkish fans and from fans of other nations. I imagine most of the hostility will emanate from people who want to see the favorite lose; in this case the USA, Spain or whoever else.

But some of the whistlers and boo-birds will be expressing long standing, often politicized anti-American sentiment, and it doesn't help that the NBA players are highly paid, perceived-to-be-spoiled/arrogant athletes that deserve some measure of come-uppance in their opinion. I get the sense that, unlike Brazilian soccer players, who, like their American counterparts are famous, highly paid and supremely skilled at what they do, US NBA players don't get the same reverence, at least not to the degree that past "Dream Teams" got. When Brazil's soccer team plays abroad, with the exception of places like Argentina or Uruguay (traditional rivals), opposing fans of Brazil (or just neutral fans in general) cheer their home team to victory rather than behave openly hostile towards Brazil because they're "Brazil." Not so with the US. There's definitely more of a bloodlust to see the US lose because of the issues I stated above.

Unfortunately, despite how successful our national team has been internationally, Americans have among the weakest fan support for national teams travelling abroad. In fact, the average American probably isn't aware this tournament will be going on. The best the US players can hope for as far as support will be from US military personal stationed in Europe, and even then their USA! USA! chants will be drowned out by boos and whistles.

I agree with D-town. In the long run, all the booing and jeering won't have any effect on the outcome in most games. The US won't have any trouble with teams they're suppose to beat, but against Spain, the hostility might make a difference. NBA players are use to playing in hostile environments, so I'm hoping that gives them an advantage once the tournament reaches the critical rounds.

[Qba]

Wake up. USA would be in hostile territory anywhere in the world but USA itself, Japan and Poland and Georgia.

Sorry for offtopic, but why?

[Federoy]

You almost made me cry. I had no idea it was so tough being an NBA super star getting paid tens of millions

I didn't ask you to feel sorry for them because they make more money than you"ll see in a lifetime. I'm addressing the issues of why the US team will face hostility. You can accept my explaination for what it is or not.

[Remon]

But some of the whistlers and boo-birds will be expressing long standing, often politicized anti-American sentiment, and it doesn't help that the NBA players are highly paid, perceived-to-be-spoiled/arrogant athletes that deserve some measure of come-uppance in their opinion. I get the sense that, unlike Brazilian soccer players, who, like their American counterparts are famous, highly paid and supremely skilled at what they do, US NBA players don't get the same reverence, at least not to the degree that past "Dream Teams" got. When Brazil's soccer team plays abroad, with the exception of places like Argentina or Uruguay (traditional rivals), opposing fans of Brazil (or just neutral fans in general) cheer their home team to victory rather than behave openly hostile towards Brazil because they're "Brazil." Not so with the US. There's definitely more of a bloodlust to see the US lose because of the issues I stated above.

Brazil in football wasn't always the team to beat, as is the case with the USA in basketball for the most part of the 20th century. They don't have that big of a win/lose ratio in the international scene, and certainly not as many championships as the USA world championships and olympic golds. It's a bit different. And then there's the political stuff.



As for the Japanese being neutral in the '06 WC, el oh el. (I almost never use these abbreviations, and it's the first time I've written it this way)

[Federoy]

Brazil in football wasn't always the team to beat, as is the case with the USA in basketball for the most part of the 20th century. They don't have that big of a win/lose ratio in the international scene, and certainly not as many championships as the USA world championships and olympic golds. It's a bit different. And then there's the political stuff.

That's why I mentioned MOST fans in Turkey would prefer to see the favorite lose. It's human nature in most instances for people to root for the underdog. I'm not suggesting that all Turks or Europeans are blatently anti-American, but that behavior certainly exists and can't be ignored.

[ip84]

I have the same problem btw.

I was in Turkey once, and a lot of Israeli where used to go to Turkey for vocations. It is was the closest non-hostile country except Cyprus for Israelis.

I thought before that WC at Turkey is just perfect for me to be there (regardless Israel would or not be at WC... didn't count on that).
But recently it changed.
I don't really know whether it is just government of Turkey that is hostile to Israel or the people in Turkey too, but I won't check it on myself...


Btw, when I was at the Eurobasket one Iranian which for some reason supported Greece approached me and my friend (when he is all excited from meeting Israelis) and told us the Iranian people have nothing against Israel and that it is only the government and their small group of people. He also repeated the world "Salom".

[kyosphere]

wow fellas fellas...something is very wrong here, let me clear it for you.

First of all, It's won't be the first trip of team USA to Turkey. They've been in istanbul in 2004 and played 2 friendly games against Turkish National Team. I was in the game, I remember most of the fans didn't come to support Turkey,but watch NBA stars. Even Hedo Turkoglu didn't get much applaus than Allen Iverson. The whole crowd went crazy when AI stepped into court. Yeah, They might be political discontent against USA, but who cares when it comes seeing Lebron or Kobe playing in front of you.
USA is the team to beat. That's for sure. Hostile atmosphere? No way. You'll see that most of turkish fans will support them.

[kyosphere]

I have the same problem btw.

I thought before that WC at Turkey is just perfect for me to be there (regardless Israel would or not be at WC... didn't count on that).
But recently it changed.
I don't really know whether it is just government of Turkey that is hostile to Israel or the people in Turkey too, but I won't check it on myself...

Neither government nor turkish people is hostile towards Israeli people