There's gold in them thar hills!
Team USA's mission was to bring a gilded medallion from China home to the States. Said mission was accomplished last night (this morning, if you're watching on American TV) with a 118-107 victory over Spain. It was considered a foregone destiny by many heading into tourney that the Redeem Team (meh, but everyone else seems to find the name catchy) would bring closure to the Americans' 2004 disappointment. Fate indeed went fulfilled, but not without a fight and some enemy scare tactics. Credit Spain--playing without starting point guard Jose Calderon (of Raptors fame)--for hanging tough with the U.S. They were ultimately outmatched, but not by such a margin that they couldn't make things uncomfortably interesting down the stretch.
I was at a party last night and got home with about two minutes left in the first half and haven't had a chance to watch the DVR recording this morning (fantasy football draft!!!). But even without having seeing the footage, I'm willing to report as iron clad fact that Dwyane Wade's 21 first half points seriously helped the U.S. box score, especially with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in foul trouble (on a side note, I'm glad to see a great player healthy again, which only makes the NBA that much better). As for the second half I did see, lots of exciting, fun stuff. Up and down action a-plenty, with either squad putting up shots incredible and ill-advised, coming up with key steals and playing a little more O than D. Back and forth pushes where alternately sloppy and frenetic play was offset by non-stop energy and determination.
It was also a particularly fun day for patriotic Lakers fans, who saw
the gold secured in large part due to a fourth quarter absolutely owned by
Kobe. His 13 points/2 dime final frame highlights included a skying block of
Juan Carlos Navarro's layup, being directly involved in six American points via setup or shot during a 69 second stretch
(helping bump a four point lead back to nine), and a pair of triples,
the latter a four point play after some contact by Rudy Fernandez, whose strong play and dunk on Dwight Howard likely had Blazers fans all giddy. That sequence also allowed Kobe a moment of
entertaining showmanship; a finger pressed to his lips, reminding the
rowdy Spaniard crowd that a duller roar might be in order. It was also cool to see the excitement plastered all over Kobe's face, having accomplished a goal that clearly meant tons to him and his mates. As a bonus, Pau Gasol enjoyed a commendable 20/6/1 performance in an ultimately losing effort.
With basketball's natural order now restored (until 2012, at the very least), we can go back to worrying about other pressing issues. Like whether the Lakers can take that next step from "Finals runner up" to "Finals champions" in 2009. Or whether Jamal Lewis can serve as a low-end #1 running back option, providing a third punch for an already explosive Randy Moss-Terrell Owens receiving tandem.
Did I mention my fantasy football draft was this morning?
AK
LakerTom
Yeah rigth. But here we have a regular league, plus a national cup, and the euroleague between the better teams (not national teams, city teams) of europe. still far from 82 games but not so far.
thekobebryantblitz
lol No, I´m not relative to HugoBoss, and for that trademark making tons of money you can be sure I don´t.
HugoBoss
I agree with you it´s a cool name. In case you don´t know it comes from old nordic tradition, it means Intelligence. It was one of the crows Odin/wotan carries in his shoulders. the ancient name is Hüggins. Odin was always worried that Hüggins goes away and never comeback, but he was more worried for the other crow, which name I can´t remenber but means Memory
JustaLakerFan
You can bet your soul we will. Muy buen español, mejor que mi inglés. Viva U.S.A! Viva Lakers!
Taliq
lol I is more kinda: "Next time, next time..." Anyway they should be talking soon, cause they bet a dinner. Pau is paying this time... but just this time" lol
Fearless
Oh my god! You really don´t know who is calderon? The PG playing for the Raptors that combined with T.J. Ford? That take away his starting role and achieved a millonaire contract with Raptors this summer, forcing T.J. Ford to be traded. Well look at his numbers and statics at NBA.com His name is Jose Calderon. 1#rank in asist/turnover ratio with an incredible 5.20 i guess. He has developed brigth. well you see him when we play Raptors.
Butler
Your post 09:34 am is and indication of your willing to draw blood, not a sign of smartness. Hope you have medical assistance for that. Go to a doctor.
Jams
You can tell manu that I´ve seen all spanish national team games since I´ve got use of reason and that was a good game for them but not the game of their lives. If they face again U.S in a final you can be sure you´ll be scared again, and maybe next time you´ll be using that medal (not the one you already got, but that future medal) for what it´s crafted: Killing were-wolfes. don´t let manu fool you. He knows that playing victim roles drives the opponent to relax, thinking all is done.
Posted by: HugoSpain | August 25, 2008 at 02:43 PM
How about some love for rock vocalists? Off the top of my head, in no particular order, here are some favorites (I'm sure I'll leave some out)...
Robert Plant
Chris Cornell (my personal all-time favorite)
Peter Cetera
Matt Bellamy
Freddie Mercury
Roger Daltrey
Burton Cummings
McCartney/Lennon
Jim Morrison
Eddie Vedder
Liam Gallagher
John Fogerty
Personally, I'm not a fan of some of the big guns...
Steven Tyler
Steve Perry
Don Henley
Mick Jagger
Rod Stewart (I'd rather die than have to listen to Rod Stewart)
Bono
Posted by: puddle | August 25, 2008 at 02:49 PM
Long Time Laker Fan,
"Okay, let's play with those parameters.
Some Olympic player traded for Lamar. Here's the list of
possibilities I can come up with that are at least moderately
realistic:
Tayshaun Prince (probably the only Team USA player)
Andrei Kirilenko
Chris Kaman
Rudy Fernandez + ?
Marc Gasol + ?
Linas Kleiza + ?
Andres Nocioni + ?
Luis Scola + ?
Yi Jianlian + ?"
Considering what the Lakers need to be a better team, a PG or a SF?
I don't see any of these guys being an upgrade over Lamar Odom.
Lamar Odom = Laker for Life.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | August 25, 2008 at 02:51 PM
exhelodrvr,
>>>I would make the Prince for Odom trade and possibly a
>>>Kirilenko for Odom trade.
Prince for Odom would absolutely rock. Of the Team USA
players, he's the only one reportedly on the trading block.
And he would clearly be a superior starting SF to Lamar.
They'd need to add a player to match salaries. How about
Tayshaun Prince and Amir Johnson for Lamar?
If it's Kirilenko, it would be about a salary dump by Utah
so they wouldn't have to worry about re-signing Boozer
and Okur next summer. It's a lot of salary for the Lakers
to take on, but he would be an excellent lockdown wing
defender. He's got a bit of an ego to him, though. I'd almost
prefer to offer Lamar a big extension to trading for AK.
I'd also gladly accept Scola + ? for Lamar if the ? is Shane
Battier. And as I pointed out earlier, that trade would kinda
make sense for Houston, as Lamar is the best player of the
3 and would allow them to start Artest at SF where he's
more suited. And it would give the Lakers Battier to start
at SF and Scola as an excellent backup PF.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | August 25, 2008 at 03:01 PM
puddle,
"Rod Stewart (I'd rather die than have to listen to Rod Stewart)"
Then you've been listening to the wrong Rod Stewart. EARLY Rod Stewart--when Ron Wood was his guitarist and co-songwriter--rocks! Later Rod Stewart, post-Wood, totally sucks something obscene.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | August 25, 2008 at 03:29 PM
LTLF,
Johnson + Prince would offset the loss of depth at PF a little.
Scola + Battier would be even better. That would give the team the SF skills they need (defense and 3-point shooting) and a very good back-up PF. That would allow them to ease Bynum back into the lineup (giving Gasol time at C) and provide good depth in case of injury.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | August 25, 2008 at 03:56 PM
uh oh, guitarists. a list of the ones i think are important would be far too long and inappropriate for this blog.
however, i ran across this comment somewhere, comparing the 100 best guitarists with the 100 best NBA free throw shooters. here's Shaq (i think he came in rather high on the list, owing to his groundbreaking style):
"No one captured more attention at the line in his era than the "Diesel". Using a finger tip style, his stiff rope trajectory and rim clanking touch gave his shots a true rock feel."
couldn't agree more. the man is sheer artistry at the line.
Posted by: watching from home | August 25, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Jesterguru.......
Janes Addiction .....STRAYS.....Is in my top 5 albums of all time ....Dave with the Peppers ...Not as good....
Although when he co -hosted the INXS comp i lost a little respect for him.....Good topic today guys
Posted by: Thirty2 | August 25, 2008 at 05:55 PM
I love what Kobe brings to the table as a Laker player. Someone else posted this but here it is again, Kobe the scout working overtime when he could have been partying or be otherwise distracted:
"I think he's very talented, actually," said Bryant. "I was very impressed by him. I think he has great size, great length, good shooting touch, good ball handler, good vision, good pace.
Kobe the scout.
WQes
Posted by: | August 25, 2008 at 06:01 PM
Page and Plant. Yeah. I love Page's work as the producer of all those early Zeppelin albums. His work is amazing, even when he's playing an instrument. And John Paul Jones doesn't get a quarter of the attention and credit he deserves. The guy is massively skilled.
I still can't listen to Stairway to Heaven without being catapulted back to the summer of 1980. Something about that song and that summer refuses to dissipate, even after all these years:
Speak of the Devil:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKg4g9zMeHI
Go Lakers!
Wes
Posted by: wesjoenixon | August 25, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Xodus......Tom sits alone at the top of the tree for me at the moment
Posted by: Thirty2 | August 25, 2008 at 06:46 PM
@Wes:
hm... things i was listening to in the summer of 1980:
X / Los Angeles
Dead Kennedys / Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
The Residents / The Commercial Album
PIL / Death Disco
The Soft Boys / Underwater Moonlight
Gang of Four / Entertainment!
Wire / 154
Magazine / Secondhand Daylight
Durutti Column / The Return of the Durutti Column
Young Marble Giants / Colossal Youth
i guess we were in different parts of town...
Posted by: watching from home | August 25, 2008 at 07:46 PM
HugoSpain,
I stand corrected. Also, the latest count is 7 of the Spaniards are NBA property. It seems that two have been here and have gone back to Spain already. That's huge.
Xodus,
Not being able to play in that Championship game probably makes Pau's pain even worse. What you just told me should make him even hungrier. Especially since some have said on this blog that they won because Pau was out. That's gotta hurt (he says with an evil laugh).
Also, I take that quip about Spain's coaching back. On second thought, they made some pretty clever and brilliant adjustments between their first game against us and the second game. Their game plan gave the US squad everything they could handle. Doug Collins pointed out that they would have won against either of the two previous US squads.
I know he was right.
--Fearless
Posted by: Fearless | August 26, 2008 at 08:20 AM