# Dwyane Wade thinks NBA players should be paid for playing in Olympics



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Dwyane Wade thinks NBA players should be paid for playing in Olympics









> Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat star who made a reported $26.2 million in salary and endorsements last year, thinks NBA stars should be paid for playing in the Olympics.
> 
> He told ESPN.com's Michael Wallace:
> 
> ...



Dwyane Wade thinks NBA players should be paid for playing in Olympics | Fourth-Place Medal - Yahoo! Sports


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 12, 2012)

I say we should go back to the days when the Olympics were actually interesting.  That was when amateurs competed... and before NBC became the Olympic coverage network.

NBC ruined the Olympics when they decided 22 hours of "Up Close and Personal" interviews per day were more important that covering the events.  Get rid of NBC!

As for professionals playing in the Olympics?  They had their chance before they went pro.  It is time to get them out and go back to making the games interesting.  Give us competitors that we can get behind and care about, not someone making thirty million a year to play a game and then whining because they aren't being paid for two weeks during the Olympics.

Immie


----------



## Moonglow (Apr 12, 2012)

if the basketball team is professional, why do they lose?


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.



Wade saying this is one thing but Ray Allen saying it surprises the hell out of me.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> I say we should go back to the days when the Olympics were actually interesting.  That was when amateurs competed... and before NBC became the Olympic coverage network.
> 
> NBC ruined the Olympics when they decided 22 hours of "Up Close and Personal" interviews per day were more important that covering the events.  Get rid of NBC!
> 
> ...



The thing is the article says they do get paid during the Olympics though, they get all kinds of endorsement deals and not all the players agree with Wade, even Lebron James disagreed with him on this.


----------



## The Infidel (Apr 12, 2012)

Another reason I stopped watching NBA years ago... and I love B-ball.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > I say we should go back to the days when the Olympics were actually interesting.  That was when amateurs competed... and before NBC became the Olympic coverage network.
> ...



It doesn't matter... they don't belong in the Olympics.  It is against the Olympic spirit for professionals to participate and truthfully, I don't care what the communist countries did.  Give us back the games as they were meant to be played.

Immie


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 12, 2012)

And let a network that wants to televise the games rather than interviews cover the games too!!!!!

Immie


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.
> ...



Youi would think he has more sense. A lot of these guy's think because they play ball they're God's gift to the world.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Immanuel said:
> ...



Well if we are going to go back to amateurs it has to be done for every country across the board, its not fair if we send college kids to go up against NBA Professionals like Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



From what I understand about Ray he's not like that, he's one of the more down to earth guys in the league, most recently he offered to come off the bench, and he has been a starter since 1996, most players would shit their pants if you even suggested they come off the bench.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > High_Gravity said:
> ...



He does seem more mature and level headed than the typical athlete. I'll try to find the llink.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

That was easy. here it is HG.

Ray Allen thinks guys should be paid to play in Olympics | ProBasketballTalk


----------



## syrenn (Apr 12, 2012)

The way i see it, once you go pro your Olympic days are over.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> That was easy. here it is HG.
> 
> Ray Allen thinks guys should be paid to play in Olympics | ProBasketballTalk



Yeah I read about it on Celticslife, damn what a shame. I still think Ray Allen is one of the better NBA players out there, hes from a Military family, well spoken and a hard worker.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

syrenn said:


> The way i see it, once you go pro your Olympic days are over.



used to be that way, until the 94' dream team.


----------



## syrenn (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> syrenn said:
> 
> 
> > The way i see it, once you go pro your Olympic days are over.
> ...





I know, and i think its wrong.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> syrenn said:
> 
> 
> > The way i see it, once you go pro your Olympic days are over.
> ...



92 dream team homie.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > syrenn said:
> ...



my bad


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

syrenn said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > syrenn said:
> ...



I wouldn't mind going back to college players as long as everyone else does, like I said its not fair to send our kids to the Olympics against NBA professionals like Marc Gasol, Ricky Rubio and Steve Nash, they will get eaten alive.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

syrenn said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > syrenn said:
> ...



I agree, but it was cool to see Jordan play with Magic and Bird.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> syrenn said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



The 92 Dream Team was awesome, they killed everyone by like 60 points.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > syrenn said:
> ...



Yep. kind of embarassing how the U.S. lost a few time recently though.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



Well we haven't lost since 2006, only reason that happened cause our best guys weren't playing, plus the rest of the world has caught up a bit, have to give them that kind of credit.


----------



## jgbkab (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > syrenn said:
> ...



The most important part was that they were professional.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

jgbkab said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



Good point.


----------



## samjones (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> "It's a lot of things you do for the Olympics -- a lot of jerseys you sell. We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. [...] Unfortunately, it's not there.



I have a better plan that will accomplish the same thing.  Any able-bodied American NBA player who declines an invitation to try out for the US Olympic team is fined 2 million dollars by the NBA.   

The NBA uses the proceeds to help less well-financed sports, such as weight-lifting, wrestling, etc.

Dream Team members are also fined in a similarly punative way for failing to play up to their ability or for failing to show good sportsmanship or teamwork during the Olympics.

Furthermore, all Dream Team players are required to stay in the Olympic Village, eat and socialize with the other olympians, and generally act as good ambassadors for my country and the game that I love every bit as much as any of them do.  If they can't manage that then the NBA can go ahead and levy steep fines on them.

Maybe I'm ranting a bit here, but I'll never forget the pricks of '04 - like Bryant and O'Neal.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

samjones said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > "It's a lot of things you do for the Olympics -- a lot of jerseys you sell. We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. [...] Unfortunately, it's not there.
> ...



Please don't remind me, 2004 was a disgrace, nobody wanted to go to the Olympics that year, our best guys all stayed at home.


----------



## imbalance (Apr 12, 2012)

Ridiculous headline is ridiculous.  All Wade is saying is that players whose jerseys are being sold to generate revenue should see some of that revenue.  Completely reasonable.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

imbalance said:


> Ridiculous headline is ridiculous.  All Wade is saying is that players whose jerseys are being sold to generate revenue should see some of that revenue.  Completely reasonable.



I thought they were? the article suggests they get some kind of money.


----------



## imbalance (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> imbalance said:
> 
> 
> > Ridiculous headline is ridiculous.  All Wade is saying is that players whose jerseys are being sold to generate revenue should see some of that revenue.  Completely reasonable.
> ...



meh



> To focus on those issues misses the bigger point: In essence, he is getting paid to play in the Olympics. Nike pays Wade a reported $12 million per year in endorsements. Nike also sponsors USA Basketball. Those jerseys Wade wants a cut from? They're made by Nike. You do the math.



A lot of assumptions here so I'll add one more: I assume Wade knows more about what he's being compensated for than some hack who's putting words in his mouth.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

Correct me if I'm wrong. He is suggesting he get compensation, because of his involvement in the Olympics?

If so, my eariler point stands.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong. He is suggesting he get compensation, because of his involvement in the Olympics?
> 
> If so, my eariler point stands.



I thought thats what he said.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > Correct me if I'm wrong. He is suggesting he get compensation, because of his involvement in the Olympics?
> ...



It is what he's saying.


----------



## Truthseeker420 (Apr 12, 2012)

I hope the Heat go down in flames.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



Yes, that's what I took from the article.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Truthseeker420 said:


> I hope the Heat go down in flames.



Yes and the Lakers.


----------



## samjones (Apr 12, 2012)

imbalance said:


> Ridiculous headline is ridiculous.  All Wade is saying is that players whose jerseys are being sold to generate revenue should see some of that revenue.  Completely reasonable.



Prick Dwayne Wade is a prick.  He thinks that the nonprofit USOC is getting too rich off of the names that the multi, mulit-millionaire Dream Team members put on the back of their jerseys?  

I believe that every member of the Dream Team should personally donate 1 million dollars to TeamUSA for the absolute privilege and singular honor of being allowed to play for their country.  The NBA should simply impose this on them and be done with it.

I looked at the web site and counted 38 sports programs that TeamUSA sponsors for the olympics.  This is everything from Archery to Judo.  Maybe 3 or 4 make money.  If I was so fortunate to be worth untold millions despite the fact that I could barely read or write, I would try to at least be smart enough to shut my mouth and enjoy my success.


----------



## Douger (Apr 12, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.


It's genetic. Neither of his parents were smart enough to spell the name "Duane".


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Douger said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.
> ...



I bet he is smarter than your dumb ass.


----------



## Truthseeker420 (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Truthseeker420 said:
> 
> 
> > I hope the Heat go down in flames.
> ...



Yes, I'm a Cav fan but always liked Boston.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Well didn't take long to back pedal on this one.

Dwyane Wade: No pay for Olympics









> MIAMI -- Heat guard Dwyane Wade says money is not his motivation for the London Games this summer.
> 
> In a statement Thursday, Wade said, "I do not want to be paid to go to the Olympics."
> 
> ...



Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade backs off compensation for Olympics - ESPN


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Truthseeker420 said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Truthseeker420 said:
> ...



I'm a Celtics fan, Kevin Garnett is my favorite player.


----------



## Douger (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Douger said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...


It is possible ! Although highly doubtful. He surely has you beat. You live in Baltimore for fucks sake !


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 12, 2012)

Douger said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Douger said:
> ...



Whatever motherfucker, you are a racist pig fucker so what you say on this is irrelevant.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

> Wade was quoted Wednesday saying he thinks "guys should be compensated" for playing over the summer and noted the schedule demands of being an Olympian.



To me, that means getting payed for his participation in the olympics.


----------



## Rocko (Apr 12, 2012)

These guy's shouldn't be able to make any money off the Olymipics, period.


----------



## jgbkab (Apr 12, 2012)

He said compensation. So maybe he wants international whores flown in daily. I can't read the man's mind.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 12, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > syrenn said:
> ...



They helped kill the Olympics too.

Immie


----------



## imbalance (Apr 12, 2012)

Y'all just fishing for reasons to hate on mah man Dwyane.  Fact is though, without Dwyane Wade Team USA does not win gold in Beijing.  Wade was undoubtedly the MVP of that team.


----------



## Toro (Apr 12, 2012)

My bet is that he will be one in the long, long line of broke ex-NBA players a decade after he's done playing.


----------



## samjones (Apr 12, 2012)

imbalance said:


> Fact is though, without Dwyane Wade Team USA does not win gold in Beijing.



Idiotic, moronic and stupid all at the same time.


----------



## samjones (Apr 12, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



Not really.  They totally internationalized the NBA though.  TeamUSA Basketball wasn't exactly riding high after John Thompson Sr. screwed the pooch in '88.

'92 was merely restoring the order.


----------



## sealybobo (Apr 13, 2012)

imbalance said:


> Y'all just fishing for reasons to hate on mah man Dwyane.  Fact is though, without Dwyane Wade Team USA does not win gold in Beijing.  Wade was undoubtedly the MVP of that team.



I don't hate Wade.  He's got a ring so gotta give him the respect.  Its his buddy Lebron we punk out.  So funny to see him fall short year after year.  If he was that humble kid he once was but now he's arrogant.  And without a ring.  Can't be cocky without a ring.  Can't consider yourself one of the best without a ring.  But no biggy for Wade.  He's already got a ring.  

And what about Kobe and Carmelo in 2008?  Wade was great, but I don't think we needed him to win that Gold.  We had plenty of talent on any of our past Olympic teams.  The ones that bring home gold didn't play as a team.  Give credit to Coach K for 2008.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 13, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Barry44sucks said:
> ...



How do you figure that?


----------



## Douger (Apr 13, 2012)

It'll be fun to see what stunts your masters pull while you have your focus on a bunch of children on the playground.


----------



## Douger (Apr 13, 2012)

Good timing.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvn01P3jKtg&feature=fvsr]Gerald Celente 2012 Forcast - YouTube[/ame]


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 13, 2012)

Douger said:


> It'll be fun to see what stunts your masters pull while you have your focus on a bunch of children on the playground.


----------



## Roudy (Apr 13, 2012)

Barry44sucks said:


> Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.



I agree, but the problem with that is its nearly impossible to draw the line between who is and isn't an amateur these days. And even more impossible for the Olympic committee to determine the truth..  Some countries will help hide the truth about certain athletes, while others such as China will have an unfair advantage because their athletes are training is paid for by the state. Athletes with talent and potential are seperated from their parents at a very young age and put in state run training camps with the sole purpose of winning medals at world events.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 13, 2012)

Roudy said:


> Barry44sucks said:
> 
> 
> > Ray Allen said the same thing a while back. Obviously, what Wade is saying is stupid.
> ...



Yup in 1988 for example we sent college kids and the Russians sent fuckin Arvydas Sabonis, a 7 foot 3 center who played professionally in Russia and was a total beast, that was not fair to expose our kids to that.


----------



## samjones (Apr 13, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Yup in 1988 for example we sent college kids and the Russians sent fuckin Arvydas Sabonis, a 7 foot 3 center who played professionally in Russia and was a total beast, that was not fair to expose our kids to that.



Ironically, Center was the one position where we clearly had the upper hand, putting a clearly superior David Robinson up against a mediocre Sabonis.

They both played against each other in the NBA.... there's no question who the better Center was.  Sabonis was big and strong, but Robinson wasn't easily pushed around.  I'm a Big Man, so I'm biased, but I feel like the offense doesn't really start until the Big Man posts up.  We had a long, long thread about the greatest center of all time - and David Robinson wasn't him, but I would say that he was just a really, really, really great Center.  We were so fortunate then to have any number of Centers in the league who were every bit as good as Howard is now.  

The problem we had in '88 was that TeamUSA was not prepared for the exact same thing that the NBA wasn't really prepared for just a few years later when the same Eastern European players showed up.  They weren't really ready for players like Marciulionis who could actually hit 25+ footers with amazing regularity.  At the time college players and NBA players alike would toe-up to the 3 point line to attemp their shot and so from a defensive perspective that became the outer-border of where you would attempt to contest a shot.

The Eastern Europeans then and everybody now - you give them a good look at the basket from 3 or 4 feet outside the 3 point line, they square up and sink the ball.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 13, 2012)

samjones said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Yup in 1988 for example we sent college kids and the Russians sent fuckin Arvydas Sabonis, a 7 foot 3 center who played professionally in Russia and was a total beast, that was not fair to expose our kids to that.
> ...



Well when Sabonis came to the NBA in 1996 he was past his prime, in 1988 he was in his prime and an unfair advantage over the college kids we sent, I don't know what other players the USSR sent but odds are those were grown professional men as well. I was only 7 in 1988 when these games were played so I don't remember them but this is what I read.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 13, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > High_Gravity said:
> ...





High_Gravity said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > High_Gravity said:
> ...



First of all, I am not speaking only about basketball.  The spirit of the Olympics has been destroyed by allowing professionals to participate.  They have actually destroyed the Olympic games.  Not just the professionals who are participating, but the officials who have allowed them to do so.

Immie


----------



## samjones (Apr 13, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Well when Sabonis came to the NBA in 1996 he was past his prime, in 1988 he was in his prime and an unfair advantage over the college kids we sent, I don't know what other players the USSR sent but odds are those were grown professional men as well. I was only 7 in 1988 when these games were played so I don't remember them but this is what I read.



It doesn't matter what you read.  What matters is what you're reading right now.  Robinson and Sabonis are basically the same age.  Centers can be "in their prime" well into their 30s.  When Sabonis came into the NBA in '96 Robinson was a multi, multi All-Star who would eat his lunch every single night.

I was not "only 7" in '88, I was a college basketball player who watched my contemporaries with great interest.  There have been lots of big strong centers.  Robinson was an outstanding defender.  He was big and nimble.  He was as good at fronting his man as anyone I've ever seen the game and you did *NOT* want to give him a chance at blocking your shot.  

If you really want to know what happened in '88, I'll tell you.  We were out-coached.  Most would choose to revise history and not tell it like it really is, but we all thought that the TeamUSA coach was overrated.  Nova's '85 win didn't seem like ancient history then.  TeamUSA's coach consistently underperformed with the talent he was given and he seemed to be easily outsmarted.  

And that's what the Soviet's did - they outsmarted him.  Plus, Manning was probably the most overrated player of all time, so building an offense around him was at best ill-advised.

We had a bad coach.  Plain and simple.  We were uncomfortable saying it at the time, but I think that there was a sortof anxiousness from everybody, black and white, when he was named head coach.  Nobody wanted to lose.  We hadn't played in 12 years.   The idea that the coach was being picked (truth be told) because of the color of his skin made the thought of losing even more painful.


----------



## samjones (Apr 13, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> First of all, I am not speaking only about basketball.  The spirit of the Olympics has been destroyed by allowing professionals to participate.  They have actually destroyed the Olympic games.  Not just the professionals who are participating, but the officials who have allowed them to do so.



No - that's not true.  The last 5 Olympics have been peaceful (Atlanta-bombing aside), sportsmanly, goodwill events.

'88 was good.  Before that they were fucking messes of stupid patriotism interfering with simple sporting events.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 13, 2012)

samjones said:


> High_Gravity said:
> 
> 
> > Well when Sabonis came to the NBA in 1996 he was past his prime, in 1988 he was in his prime and an unfair advantage over the college kids we sent, I don't know what other players the USSR sent but odds are those were grown professional men as well. I was only 7 in 1988 when these games were played so I don't remember them but this is what I read.
> ...



Thats fair enough, I didn't know Sabonis and Robinson were the same age, I thought Robinson was younger. I'll take your word for it, all I saw of the 88 games were old clips and some articles I read.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 13, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > First of all, I am not speaking only about basketball.  The spirit of the Olympics has been destroyed by allowing professionals to participate.  They have actually destroyed the Olympic games.  Not just the professionals who are participating, but the officials who have allowed them to do so.
> ...



No, that is not true.  After professionals were allowed to participate they became nothing more than money grubbing spectacles.  They have been commercialized to the max and are barely even worth watching the 11:00 news to see what the medal count is any more.

Immie


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 13, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> samjones said:
> 
> 
> > Immanuel said:
> ...



Well if the Olympics are making money off professionals I wouldn't count on it changing anytime soon.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 13, 2012)

High_Gravity said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > samjones said:
> ...



Yeah, believe me, I certainly understand that, but that doesn't mean I particularly like it.

Immie


----------



## imbalance (Apr 13, 2012)

samjones said:


> imbalance said:
> 
> 
> > Fact is though, without Dwyane Wade Team USA does not win gold in Beijing.
> ...



Subtle "I didn't actually watch the games" post.  No way the US beats Spain in the gold game if Wade isn't carrying the team most of the game.  



> If you were going to name an MVP of the Olympic games for the Redeem Team you would have to go with Dwyane Wade. Wade once again proved that, when healthy, he is still among the top 5 players in the world.
> 
> Nobody on the planet can hit as many acrobatic shots around the rim as Wade, nobody. Hes so good at controlling his body in the air and his upper body strength is amazing. Wade, like Kobe, saved his best performance for when the Americans needed him the most, shooting a scintillating 75 percent from the field, including 4-for-7 from three point range.
> 
> Wade finished with a game-high 27 points. He led all American scorers with 16.0 pts per game and shot over 45 percent from three-point range during the eight games in the Olympics. The former Marquette star also averaged four rebounds per game and 2.3 steals per game. Clearly, it isnt any secret why the Redeem Team played its best basketball when Dwyane Wade was on the floorhe was their MVP.


The Wide World of Wade Hampton Peery: The Redeem Team: USA Basketball Claims Gold in Beijing


----------



## imbalance (Apr 13, 2012)

samjones said:


> We had a long, long thread about the greatest center of all time - and David Robinson wasn't him, but I would say that he was just a really, really, really great Center.



I'd be interested in reading this thread^^ 

Personally, I'd take Hakeem Olajuwon over any center of any era.  Hell, I'd take Hakeem over any player period not named Michael Jordan.


----------



## samjones (Apr 14, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> After professionals were allowed to participate they became nothing more than money grubbing spectacles.  They have been commercialized to the max and are barely even worth watching the 11:00 news to see what the medal count is any more.


I can't imagine what you're actually referring to. 

So, first of all there are very few olympic athletes that can make a living doing their event as a full time job.  Allowing "professionals" into the olympics practically speaking affects very few people.

I would say that '08 produced probably the single most unbelievable moment I have ever seen in sport when a man ran much, much faster than any other man has ever run before and then turned around to check out the competition as he crossed the finish line.  Alot of people run that 100M distance.  I don't think that I will ever in my lifetime see someone blow the world record away like happened in '08.  That would not have happened if the Olympics didn't allow professionals.

In '10, I watched my most anticipated match ever between 2 teams of outstanding professionals who see each other on the ice every night, but this night it was for the pride of their country.  I know that World Cup countries see this every 4 years, I had never seen this kind of high quality, high stakes match before from my own country.

In '92 I saw the first Dream Team, which was simply an unbelievable collection of players to take the floor together.  In '08 I saw the best basketball team I have ever seen take the floor.

The list of benefits for allowing pros extends to women's basketball, marathon runners, volleyball, tennis, etc., etc.

In the case of tennis they're obvously playing for national pride, because the tournament isn't really is big a deal as Wimbledon before it or the US Open after.


----------



## samjones (Apr 14, 2012)

imbalance said:


> samjones said:
> 
> 
> > imbalance said:
> ...



Son, you're barking up the wrong tree.  Wade lead all scorers in the gold medal game in '08.  That's true.  Bryant had a better game and it's hard to say what would have happened if Wade would have spent more time on the bench.  He certainly wasn't the only guy on the team who could put the ball in the hole.

I think Spain '08 was probably the greatest non-US team to ever take the floor.   And they're all back (maybe Rubio) and they have a couple of additions.  I'm not sure that any of them have really lost a step.  Pencil in Spain for the Gold Medal match in London.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 14, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > After professionals were allowed to participate they became nothing more than money grubbing spectacles.  They have been commercialized to the max and are barely even worth watching the 11:00 news to see what the medal count is any more.
> ...



We'll never have another "Miracle on Ice" again, because we are expected to and damned well better win every game.

Miracle on Ice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nothing you mentioned even comes close... and to think.  I missed the damned game because I was in boot camp!

Immie


----------



## samjones (Apr 16, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> We'll never have another "Miracle on Ice" again, because we are expected to and damned well better win every game.
> 
> Miracle on Ice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> ...



So, the USA is definitely not expected to win every hockey match.  The Dream Team is definitely expected to (and damned well better win) every game it plays.  But the gap between the US and the rest of the world is closing, even if it is still vast, and as I said earlier, Spain will likley field the greatest non-American team ever this summer.

There's no way a bunch of college kids would be beating this Spanish team.

Back to hockey, the Miracle on Ice was such a big deal only because of the outcome.  Had the Soviets won it would have been a forgotten match.  I didn't watch it, I believe because Basketball was on and while I do have a love for TeamUSA, I also have this thing about not watching games if I expect my team to get blown out.  I've seen it on re-runs, like most people who have seen the match.

This was not the dynamic of the Gold Medal '10 match, which was certainly the most television-watched hockey match ever (by far, totally destroying the Miracle on Ice) and should likely go down as "the greatest of all time".  I wish we had won, surely, but I assume that all involved thought it was a hard-fought match between 2 very evenly matched teams.

Furthermore, the Miracle on Ice was played in a small venue in an out-of-the-way location and it simply didn't have the same buzz that '10 had.  

Were you old enough to watch amateur-only Olympics?  I was.


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 16, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > We'll never have another "Miracle on Ice" again, because we are expected to and damned well better win every game.
> ...



You are right theres no way our college kids could compete against the Gasol Brothers, Rudy Fernandez etc if Rubio wasn't injured they would be even better.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 16, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > We'll never have another "Miracle on Ice" again, because we are expected to and damned well better win every game.
> ...



You talk about not watching a game because your team is expected to get blown out.  Yet, you seem to be thrilled to death to watch a game when your team is expected to do the blowing out?  What the hell fun is that?

NBA basketball is nothing if it is not boring.  And now you want to make it part of the Olympics?  Why not just drive a stake into the heart of the International Olympic Committee and get it over with now?

Immie


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 16, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > We'll never have another "Miracle on Ice" again, because we are expected to and damned well better win every game.
> ...



You are absolutely right, the Miracle on Ice would have been nothing had USA not gone on to win the Gold... guess what... they did.  That was why everything was so thrilling.  They were not expected to win.

Now you want The Dream Team to win every game 117-40.  /yawn.

No, thanks.

Immie


----------



## High_Gravity (Apr 16, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> samjones said:
> 
> 
> > Immanuel said:
> ...



Dude 117-40 is what it was like in 92, we didn't beat Spain by very much in the 08 Olympic games, the rest of the world is alot better than it was back in 1992, shoot in the world championships in 2010 we only beat Spain by 1 point in a exhibition game.


----------



## manifold (Apr 16, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> I say we should go back to the days when the Olympics were actually interesting.  That was when amateurs competed... and before NBC became the Olympic coverage network.
> 
> NBC ruined the Olympics when they decided 22 hours of "Up Close and Personal" interviews per day were more important that covering the events.  Get rid of NBC!
> 
> ...



Get rid of the pros and suddenly the track and field events are gonna really suck.


----------



## rightwinger (Apr 16, 2012)

I think it is time to consider giving prize money in the Olympics. The purity of amateurism is long gone. If the Olympics were free to attend in the spirit of amateurism, I can support not paying the athletes. But with the hundreds of millions in TV rights and escalating ticket prices, the Olympics are a cash cow


----------



## manifold (Apr 16, 2012)

Michael Phelps was a professional swimmer while winning 8 Gold medals in Beijing.

Perhaps it would have been more entertaining if his being a professional made him ineligible to compete.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 16, 2012)

manifold said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > I say we should go back to the days when the Olympics were actually interesting.  That was when amateurs competed... and before NBC became the Olympic coverage network.
> ...



They were much more interesting when it was just the amateurs.  At least if we had the Amateurs back, NBC's 22 hours per day of "Upclose and Personal" interviews would be interesting.

Immie


----------



## samjones (Apr 16, 2012)

Immanuel said:


> You talk about not watching a game because your team is expected to get blown out.  Yet, you seem to be thrilled to death to watch a game when your team is expected to do the blowing out?  What the hell fun is that?
> 
> NBA basketball is nothing if it is not boring.  And now you want to make it part of the Olympics?  Why not just drive a stake into the heart of the International Olympic Committee and get it over with now?
> 
> Immie



I'll watch if I think it's going to be a good game.  I admit that it makes me seem like some kind of fairweather fan, but there are 2 things I just can't bear to do.

1. Watch a  game when I truly don't think my team has a chance.
2. Watch the post-game interviews if my team loses.

It has more to do with cursing in front of the kids and throwing things at the TV than anything else.

So - I don't know if you were aware of this or not, but the NBA *is* part of the Olympics.  The gold medal winner in London '12 *WILL* have NBA players at the heart of its team.  Whether professionals are allowed to  compete or not has zero impact on the IOC.  They would be thrilled if the NHL would take a break to send its players to Sochi.  If you ask me, I think (don't laugh) that they should move ice hockey to the summer games so that the professional leagues don't have to make this difficult choice between breaking for the olympics or not.

I think that the gold medal game in '10 probably did more to market the NHL to the world and to the USA than anything that has ever happened in ice hockey before.


----------



## Immanuel (Apr 16, 2012)

samjones said:


> Immanuel said:
> 
> 
> > You talk about not watching a game because your team is expected to get blown out.  Yet, you seem to be thrilled to death to watch a game when your team is expected to do the blowing out?  What the hell fun is that?
> ...



I must confess my reasons behind my feelings on this may have a lot to do with the I'm getting old factor and things just aren't the way they used to be.

Funny you should mention the cursing at the tv.  I tell my wife that the characters on tv can't hear her talking to them.  I tell her that the only exception to that is the NFL referees,  they can hear me calling them every dirty name in the book.  

Immie


----------

