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Yugos' other victims Unsung losers from the United States' surprise defeatPosted: Friday September 06, 2002 1:58 AM
INDIANAPOLIS -- So this is how it ends for the good ol’ U-S-of-A? With some guy named Milan Gurovic outgunning Reggie Miller in his own house? With Clippers backup point guard Marko Jaric hitting four straight free throws to help beat Clippers starting point guard Andre Miller ? With a pro-Yugoslavian flag-waving crowd turning Reggie’s Hoosier Home into something resembling Belgrade West? Dr. James Naismith would have been so ashamed -- and he wasn’t even an American. OK, so maybe Team USA’s 81-78 loss to Yugoslavia on Thursday night at Conseco Fieldhouse -- knocking the Americans out of the medal hunt -- isn’t really that big of a deal. As we all know by now, the rest of the world has been gaining ground on the U.S. for years. Their best players now pass, dribble, shoot -- and yes, sometimes even run and jump -- as well as America's best players. Moreover, as the Americans showed in their loss to Argentina 24 hours earlier -- the first loss by a U.S. team with pro players -- this was a squad poorly constructed for international play. No real post-up players. Not enough scorers. Too many bad foul shooters. Still one has to feel bad for Paul Pierce, Michael Finley and the rest of the U.S. stars that gave up their summer to represent the U.S. All they will get out of this deal is being remembered as part of the first NBA-based team that didn’t come home with gold. It’s got to be a tough pill to swallow; wonder how many of them knew they had to stick around and play consolation games. At least they won’t be alone in their misery. This historic loss promises to leave a long trail of victims. Here are a few more:
Memo to this trio of NBA first-teamers who decided to skip this year’s World Games: Don’t make any summer vacation plans for ’04. This year’s debacle all but guarantees that the public will demand we send our very best players to restore national pride at the next Olympics. No lame excuses about sore big toes or tired hammies will be accepted. Michael Jordan, worn out from winning a second NBA title in ’92, answered the call for the Dream Team. And he already had a gold medal from ’84 in his sock drawer. Now it’s time for Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to do the same.
First his Bucks go belly up, now this. Fair or not, George Karl never will fully be able to erase the stain of having coached this U.S. squad. It will stick on his record, just like his old Sonics club that got upset by the Nuggets in the '94 NBA playoffs -- becoming the first top seed to lose to a No. 8 seed. Other No. 8 seeds have won since, but Karl’s Sonics always will be remembered as the first. Just like this U.S. team will. But, hey, at least Karl still has a $7 million-per-year contract.
American fans weren’t the only ones counting on Team USA being around until the final game. NBC was on board to broadcast Saturday’s semifinal round and Sunday’s gold medal contest regardless of which countries were playing. The early departure of the U.S. means NBC now might be showing Yugoslavia-Argentina to an American audience. That should do real well against college football and the NFL. Somewhere the peacock is burying his head in the sand.
Concerned about poor attendance, World Championships organizers slashed ticket prices for upcoming games. And this was before the U.S. got ousted. It’s not like folks were turning out in droves to see the Americans anyways. Thursday’s contest drew a crowd of just 5,362 -- most of them flag-waving Yugo fans. Tourney organizers might as well tell the ticket-takers and security guards to stay home.
Just 24 hours after being hailed around the world for defeating the Americans, the Argentine team suddenly doesn’t look so special. In fact, the Argentines might have been the only non-Americans in Indianapolis rooting for the United States. Like the song says, "Don’t cry for me, Argentina. You were supposed to have been immortal." Sorry, now only the losing U.S. players can make that claim. Marty Burns covers pro basketball for CNNSI.com. Click here to send Marty a question or comment.
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