The Rant

Funny thing happened when I got out of bed this morning. I think I woke up off the coast of Cuba

The public evisceration of American basketball players who have chosen not to play in the Olympics is baffling. As if somehow by choosing not to play pick-up games in Beijing for three weeks suddenly makes a few players candidates to join John Walker Lindh's band of American Taliban

The notion is utterly ridiculous.

What makes joining the Olympic team such a stunning act of patriotism? The Games in Lake Placid took place 26 years ago. Will an Olympic medal in China somehow stave off the remnants of a socialist regime? Does Ray Allen's presence open a door to the Pacific Rim that would be otherwise be closed? Is turning down an Olympic invitation tantamount to treason? I don't think so.

The truth is the Olympic experience, for NBA players, is overrated. Most of the elite players ( Allen, Jason Kidd, Shaquille O'Neal) already have medals. They "served" their country four and eight years ago and did it honorably. Why berate them for not wanting to do it again?

It's not like Allen is suiting up for Canada or Kidd is defecting to the Russians. These guys are well, old, by NBA standards. Allen will be 33 by the time Team USA hits the Chinese mainland. Kidd will be 35, Duncan 32. They aren't kids anymore. Bumps and bruises that used to heal overnight tend to have more staying power. Wives and children who have to contend with long road trips and seasons that extend into June want their husbands home in the summer. They don't want any part of USA hoop el jefe Jerry Colangelo's three-year commitment.

Leave these guys alone. You don't want them anyway. The last thing America needs is a team full of malcontents, which is exactly what the U.S. squad will be if you guilt reluctant players into committing. Fill the roster with young players excited to wear the red, white and blue.

I mean, you want to win, don't you?