USA athletes and international competition

Discussion in 'OTHER SPORTS Forum' started by islstl, Sep 25, 2006.

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  1. islstl

    islstl Playoff committee is a group of great football men Staff Member

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    The US has had a steady decline in the quality of play in international competition culminating in 2006, which had been a total disaster.

    Both the Men's and Women's basketball teams are upset in the FIBA championships.

    Our baseball team, comprised of some of the best we have to offer in the majors, failed to make it out of group stage in the World Baseball Classic.

    Men's soccer was a total joke (as was our 5th place ranking in the world), as we also did not make it out of the group stage.

    And now the vaunted US Men's golf, sending the top 3 players in the world over to Ireland only to be spanked and embarrassed.

    Just today Andy Roddick, playing maybe his highest quality of tennis ever (see US Open), lost to some nobody from Russia today, eliminating the US from Davis Cup. The women had already lost their semi final match vs. Belgium as well in the Fed Cup.

    This trend is, by all accounts, disappointing.
     
    islstl, Sep 25, 2006
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  2. LSUDeek

    LSUDeek All That She Wants...

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    Why should the US athletes care about international competition? Tiger Woods makes millions a year dominating all comers in golf. Melo and King James make 20 million a year dominating the NBA.

    It's no longer a source of pride to the athletes. Why should it be?
     
    LSUDeek, Sep 25, 2006
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  3. clair

    clair Rockets

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    exactly...

    If you're in the NBA, you're taught as a kid to win an NBA title

    If you're a golfer, you're taught to win the Masters

    If you're a baseball player, you're taught to win the WS

    And

    If you're a soccer player, you're probably not an American.
     
    clair, Sep 25, 2006
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  4. Aubie16

    Aubie16 Founding Member

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    Don't forget...our 12 year olds won it all in baseball! Take that world :wink:
     
    Aubie16, Sep 25, 2006
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  5. DallasLSU

    DallasLSU Founding Member

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    I think everything said so far is right. Where is the motivation for a player to go out and risk injury and limb to win a "world title?" Unfortunately, I really cannot blame them for not giving 100%.

    What would interest me is if you gave financial incentives (worthwhile financial incentives) and then also put the Miami Heat or Dallas Mavericks or San Antonio Spurs as the US team. I wonder then with financial incentives and team play whether we would beat the Argentinians or the Greeks,etc...
     
    DallasLSU, Sep 25, 2006
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  6. islstl

    islstl Playoff committee is a group of great football men Staff Member

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    exactly Dallas, that's what I would like to see for the Olympics

    whoever wins the NBA championship in 2008 gets to go to the Olympics as an entire team...I guarantee we would win the Gold
     
    islstl, Sep 25, 2006
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  7. martin

    martin Banned Forever

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    but many nba teams are not made up of just americans. they probably would win, but they wouldnt be an american team.
     
    martin, Sep 25, 2006
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  8. islstl

    islstl Playoff committee is a group of great football men Staff Member

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    true Martin
     
    islstl, Sep 25, 2006
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  9. LSUDeek

    LSUDeek All That She Wants...

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    we need to just put amateurs out there. we would at least see them be more competitive and prideful about their accomplishments
     
    LSUDeek, Sep 25, 2006
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  10. TigerBait3

    TigerBait3 Guest

    Lets play a football game against someone...that would be fun.

    Their DT's would be 5'8'' 141 lbs.
     
    TigerBait3, Sep 25, 2006
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