In what is becoming a sports deprived summer in the Dallas area, people who enjoy following the athletic achievements of others are finding themselves searching for unexpected alternatives due to “the great gap“. That may mean following the Texas Rangers and their farm system more closely than ever before and may even include the high return of investing in the 2008 US Open.

With sports boredom increasing by the day, however, the US Olympic trials held over the weekend had no pull on this sports fan. Let me begin by addressing any man caught watching a gymnastics event for longer than the amount of time it takes to change the channel…please turn your attention to a more appropriate blog. With that settled, I’ve realized and take pride in the fact that being conditioned to enjoy only the more marketable sports has resulted in a personal reluctance to stop down for the track & field or swimming & diving events of the weekend. Accuse me of being arrogant if you will, but I love the fact that when considering these sports and even the World Cup, we can look at the rest of the world and say, “enjoy beating us all you want, but we don’t really care about that one”.

The problem with this attitude is that in the sports that we DO care about, we’re no longer able to claim dominance. While it’s assumed that we would demolish anyone willing to compete in a friendly game of American football, there’s no way to measure it with certainty. In 2006, we created the World Baseball Classic to display our greatness in what has been deemed “America’s past-time”, but our baseball team was unable to win the ultimate prize after beating eventual champs, Japan in the second round but being eliminated after losing to both Mexico and Korea.

Finally, after owning the basketball world since MJ & Co. joined the international scene in 1992, the US team’s streak of gold medals ended in Athens four years ago leaving US hoops fans confused and disappointed.

Given the dwindling state of US sports pride these days, the announcement of the US 2008 Men’s Senior National Team yesterday had great significance. To be honest, I wouldn’t have cared if Adam Sandler and Michael Irvin were listed on the roster as long as they come home with the gold medal. Neither Happy Gilmore nor The Playmaker made the cut, but here’s a list of those who we will be cheering for in China:

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); Tayshaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz).

My thoughts on the team?  My initial reaction is to question the decision to suit up ONE center and only three post players, but after further consideration I think I see the justification. The international game has a way of spreading the court on both ends with the disciplined zone defenses making the back court more critical, so I’ll trust Jerry Colangelo with this one. On another note, as a Dallas Mavericks fan, I’d prefer J. Kidd get some rest this off-season, but if he’s not going to bring a title to Big D, then go bring us the gold.

The team will once again be led by Coach K who finds himself under much more stress than even the annual title expectations at Duke can create. It can’t be argued that the US team is the class of the tournament but where the players excel in individual athleticism they lack in on-court chemistry when compared to teams whose players grow up together. Developing this in-game understanding amongst the players is Coach K’s biggest challenge but the reward of a return to dominance is worth his effort.

While nothing would bring me more joy than watching the 2008 USA hoops team obliterate the competition, I guess I really just echo the simple desire made famous by those in Mobile, Alabama… “I wanna know where tha gold at.”

this just in:

Josh Howard is the LAST person I want to hear commenting on the make-up of Team USA.

“With that team now, they have Dwight Howard and I know Chris Bosh is a great player and (Carlos) Boozer is a great player, but they play Yao Ming in the first round of the qualifying,” Howard said. “If Dwight goes, then what are they going to do after that. They got the guard play, but that post play is big. Guys have been playing all season. I’m not trying to knock the U.S. team. I’m just pointing out things.” - mavs blog