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Saturday, September 09, 2006
Sayson: Team USA gets a grilling
By Homer Sayson
Secondovertime
CHICAGO — My readers swamped me with e-mails on the pathetic finish of Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championships in Saitama, Japan. Let me share some of those thoughts, beginning with a letter from Ethelbert Molina of Barili, Cebu.
“My condolences to Team USA. Let’s face it NBA basketball is not world champion anymore. As other nations are catching up with the game, NBA players are still practicing a subculture: in its struggle to look fanciful to express acquiescence to street vices, they become individual players suggestive of Darwinian survival of the fittest.”
Good point, but then again, remember that the NBA is an ego-driven league. The product it sells is not necessarily basketball, but the individual stars who play on it.
K. Monterroyo (aol.com) is still “shocked at what happened with the US Team, a shame I refuse to call them Dream Team.” The Americans’ dismal showing was hardly a surprise. In their elimination round struggle against Italy, Team USA already showed symptoms of an unfortunate demise — poor shooting and so-so defense.
Narciso Tapia (tapboy2@yahoo.com) offered: “I remember Joe Johnson saying Team USA is ‘unbeatable’ when their ‘shots are falling and when they’re not falling’. Do you think these comments further motivate the opposition?
NBA players no longer intimidate international players and I’m sure that nobody paid attention to JJ’s blabber about his team’s supposed invincibility.
Finally from Yani Dy (sbcglobal.net): “Even if Shaq and the other superstars will play, it won’t make any difference because they are so beatable now in the world stage.”
Yes, the Americans are vulnerable, but if the big NBA stars would commit, they’re still unbeatable. My fantasy five is made up of Shaq at center, Tim Duncan and Rasheed Wallace at forwards, with Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade at guards. The bench will have T-Mac, Ben Wallace, Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Garnett Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Dwight Howard.
Honestly, I don’t see how that crew can be beaten.
OTHER E-MAILS. From Kevin Villa-ganas (killville_27@ yahoo. com): “I’m sad that “Boom-Boom” Bautista can’t fight under the Barrera-Juarez II undercard. Send him my regards, I’d like to see him win a world title”.
Okay Kelvin, I’ll text message your best wishes to Boom-Boom.
From Dindo Sala (dndzlist_2@ yahoo.com): “Why did Kobe change his jersey number? What’s on his mind?” I don’t know. And I don’t care.
And from Lee Marvin Tababa (lmvtababa@hotmail.com), who just moved here and can’t find my columns online: “How can I get a glimpse of your juiciest NBA and boxing columns? I wish your pen is still hotter than Adonis Dumpit’s .45 caliber pistol.”
My columns are still juicy, and on good days, they can match Dumpit’s bravado word-for-word. And guess what? My columns are also free, just go to sunstar.com.ph. Click Cebu and click sports. Enjoy.
P.S. TO MANANG LORENZA. Manang Lorie, a friend and longtime neighbor at Forrest hills in Banawa, turned a year older recently. She is ageless. The lovely bride of CPA Leopoldo Becoy Sr., Manang Lorie celebrated the milestone with a grand party at her wonderful abode.
Two of the Becoy children, Irene and Marivic, visited from Holland for the gathering. Richard, who is in Florida and Elizabeth, who is in France, couldn’t make it. But they were there in spirit, of course. Belated happy birthday, Manang Lorie, and may the golden years continue to bring you joy and happiness.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 9, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
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