[wagglebee]

Puerto Rico is an American territory, its people are American citizens, we spend billions every year on Puerto Rico.

That being said, will somebody please tell me why they have their own Olympic team.

[Jewels1091]

Whoever picked our team this year should be fired. This was awful!

[Lunatic Fringe]

They suck.

[JPJones]

Same as '88, we have no one who can hit a 3 pointer.

[Semper Paratus]

If Port Richard can have their own team why not Taiwan?

[Puddleglum]

Maybe we should build our teams out of hungry amateurs again.

[el_texicano]

American beaten in olympic basketball???

It must be Bush's fault!!!

Call the Kerry campaign... (sarcasm off/)

[SamAdams76]

Americans or not, I'm glad that the U.S. "NBA All-Star" team got crushed. I think we should really reconsider having professional athletes represent us in the Olympic games. I think we should be represented by our young athletes as before.

Think about the 1980 hockey team for example. This was a bunch of mostly high school and college kids who beat the Russians and went on to win the Gold. Many of them never had NHL careers but they will always have that gold medal. There's something special about that. Frankly, I'm not as impressed about Wayne Gretsky or Michael Jordan having a gold medal. When a bunch of NBA or NHL stars collect a gold medal, there's just nothing special about it. In fact, it's expected, which makes the winning of it a ho-hum affair.

[Dazedcat]

Good question. Does this loss mean that we get our tax money back now?

But seriously.....the best NBA "stars" would rather stay at home, polish their Escalade's and chase women (and whaterver the hell else elite NBA stars do) rather than play for their country who affords them such riches.

In a twisted way, I'm glad PR but us. The NBA and USA Olympic Basketball have to seriously re-think their positions.

[luvbach1]

...will somebody please tell me why they have their own Olympic team.?

Political correctness, of course. Also, their desire to have their cake and eating it too by enjoying the benefits of US citizenship (and attendant handouts) while maintaining the ruse of being a sovereign nation. It's the same mentality that gives the the gall to demand the the departure of the US Navy from Puerto Rico.

[Soul Seeker]

The only Dream team I recognize was put together in the '80's.

I, too, would rather see a return to amateurs. My interest in NBA basketball receded years ago when it ceased to about the sport and rather about their antics. Put amateurs in to represent us and I might be tempted to root for our team in this Olympic sport.

[razorback-bert]

The NBA has quit playing basketball, they play a version of street ball.

[Jack Black]

To match Hong Kong?

[dmc8576]

Two points:
1) We deserved getting beat with the team we chose to represent us. I understand, many stars selfishly refused to play and so we had to settle for a team that can't shoot the ball. But, why not just let the Duke basketball team play? I guarantee you that Coach K would have led the Blue Devils to victory over Puerto Rico. After all, they have people who can make 3-pointers. Carmelo and the rest of the Nightmare Team need to stop strutting around, take their head bands off, and start playing real basketball. They may make millions of dollars, but they look terrible.
2) Why is Puerto Rico represented in the Olympics? Last time I checked, they were a territory of the US. They don't have to pay many taxes but they still get tons of benefits. I say cut 'em loose. They want to be independent, let them. Can someone tell me the benefits of having PR be in the US? There may be some, but I'm sure curious to know what they are.

[KeyWest]

The loss reconfirms my not bothering to watch the NBA for the past many years. They lost me long ago. Once was a team sport, now it is gangsters and hotdoggers.

[demlosers]

They are not a dream team.

[handy]

It's still a team game. Looks like a group of superstars can't just mail it in like they used to. Then again, Bird, Magic etc. knew how to play team ball, even if they were not use to playing with each other. Not having to face any real zone in the pro game, the US did not have an answer. Where are the role playing zone busters like a Steve Kerr? At home, no name recognition. Not superstars.

[irishtenor]

Dream Team??????? More like Nightmare Team.

[xzins]

They're a separate nation.

Also, zone defense is not an issue in the pro's, so they our dream teams are not chosen with that in mind.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Any number of Dependent Territories field their own teams including:

Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, American Samoa - USA

British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Cayman Islands - UK

Cook Islands - New Zealand

Netherlands Antillies, Aruba - Netherlands

[dfwgator]

I'm sorry, I'm as patriotic as any American, and normally I want the USA to win, but in this case all I can say is a Nelson-like, "HA HA!"