Preparation Game: USA vs Australia

[JGX]

The announcers are calling the game from a studio in the US, and they're like the 20th-string of basketball announcers, so I wouldn't expect any insight from them. It will be much better at the Olympics with Mike Breen and Doug Collins.

LOL at Victor Keyru on Australia's roster, those NBA.com incompetents are priceless

During the USA-Russia game they had Lithuania's players listed for the US, so at least they aren't biased

[hotjam_2]

Yes I did watch the ESPN feed via the online broadcast that I

I personally did not hear much crtisicism on the US team and found it a bit more of "look how great this team is" type commentating. Example like is Redd the best shooter in the world? Isnt Kobe the #1 Time athlete of the year etc

nope! Lebron was Time's #1 athlete; Kobe had to settle for the mere "worlds best basketball player"
and your forgetting "Howard's the #1 center in world"

[Fearless]

The announcers are calling the game from a studio in the US, and they're like the 20th-string of basketball announcers, so I wouldn't expect any insight from them. It will be much better at the Olympics with Mike Breen and Doug Collins.



During the USA-Russia game they had Lithuania's players listed for the US, so at least they aren't biased

now look at Turkey's roster on this..



beautiful

[Unimane]

Yes I did watch the ESPN feed via the online broadcast that I posted below. The only deficiencies I picked up from the commentators were that the US has not called a timeout and that the need to. Then finally they called their first timeout in all the games they have played thus far.

Yes there was mention of the "elite" teams Greece, Spain and Argentina and maybe a comment that they need to prepare for them but I didnt hear him put them above the US team.

I personally did not hear much crtisicism on the US team and found it a bit more of "look how great this team is" type commentating. Example like is Redd the best shooter in the world? Isnt Kobe the #1 Time athlete of the year etc

Yes, the #1 Shooter in the World and #1 Center was a little ridiculous. Kobe does have an argument for best player in the world. Still, I did hear a lot about the stagnant play and too much individualism. They actually had quite a few criticisms.

Otherwise, why would they put Greece, Spain or Argentina above the US?

But, like the above guy said, Frinschilla is an average commentator....much like his coaching was.

[KWSN-Men]

Aren't we a part of that 213 international federations (FIBA Americas) Your world, my world, who is the part of who's world. I guess you to have to live with us, were here to stay. The last time I checked, the north America continent is still a part of this world

Actually, I see Americans here talking about "you internetionals" and other things like that.

So since you are part of the rest of the world, you must play with the same rules, written and not. So you can have your moving picks at the same degree as the other teams are allowed to, and the travelling should be called like on the other teams.

Quite simple actually. It's just a matter of wanting to understand.

[GR8BBALL]

You have to listen to the ESPN commentators, they're totally clueless.

When the calls don't go their way they call out FIBA and the level of the refs.

In the game vs Russia they've even used as an excuse the language barrier for a couple of "bad" calls saying that their English might not be so good...
SO the conclusion is these guys are totally unaware of international club competitions. They don't know that these refs typically have to go to 2-3 international games every week between clubs from different countries. And this is happening for more than 40 years now.

Let's say that a Spanish and a German club play against each other in the Euroleague. What language do the refs use in these games mr ESPN commentator, is it Desperado or Morse code??

[stuart]

I only saw the first quarter and part of the second quarter, but there goes Kobe again trying to break off and score one-on-one again.

Stuart

[jhizzle]

Fran Fraschilla is actually a pretty balanced commentator. When the U.S. was making Lithuania look silly, he repeatedly said that highlight reel dunks weren't going to come easily against better competition.

He has given Spain, Greece, and Argentina due respect. Sometimes too much IMO.

[Unimane]

Game account with player quotes:

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/basketball/news?slug=ap-bko-usa-australia&prov=ap&type=lgns

[L8DBACK]

Actually, I see Americans here talking about "you internetionals" and other things like that.

So since you are part of the rest of the world, you must play with the same rules, written and not. So you can have your moving picks at the same degree as the other teams are allowed to, and the travelling should be called like on the other teams.

Quite simple actually. It's just a matter of wanting to understand.

Thanks for your understanding and patience!

[ffalkec]

now look at Turkey's roster on this..



beautiful

uauu Pozzeco playing again, with Papaloukas and Gorenc... This time for Turkey NT... At least they got the american team correctly..

[g.g]

Thanks for your understanding and patience!

Was todays performance a worry for you guys or not?

[Mouse]

most of the posts made in the game thread are just people arguing

[L8DBACK]

Was todays performance a worry for you guys or not?

For it me I wasn't worried about it. Preparation games are used by coaches to gauge their offense/defence and fine tune their players. It woke up the USA team on how things will be once the Olympics starts. The wins that will count will be in Beijing.

[hotjam_2]

From the scouting reports I've read, the Aussies were suppose to be strong with their big men, weak with their small ones. Looked like we got fooled, it was the other way around! Patrick Mills played superb for a 19 year old. It was in my opinion last month that the Aussies should of had more of their NCAA players on the NT roster. I think it would of helped them do better, and be more physical up front as the 2 US centers combines 100% of their field goals made.
As for the US, don't look like "the best pure shooter in the world" Michael Redd, lived up to his reputation! they hit an horrendous 18% of their 3 point shots. Rather experiemental when Coach K had 2 point guards in at the same time and send Kobe to play forward. It did'nt quite work out that well though.

At least the US can recouperate from their poor showing by playing the 2 easiest teams in group B, 1st. Anybody knows why Boozer did'nt play?