The comments directed towards the U.S. team are troubling.
The comments concerning the composition of the team are accurate. The comments about their boorish behavior is accurate.
But people in the U.S. rooting against the U.S. team seems to be a bit much. It's colored with something else, I think.
(Pun intended).
Other comments:
"Colored by something else" is accurate. I've been harsh on the U.S. men's basketball team's performance and attitude in Athens. However, to root against USA is just plain foul and unpatriotic.
Not much different from when we attended U.S. Open Tennis in 2002, where there were Americans who were rooting too hard against the Williams sisters over foreign players. Quite troublesome, at the U.S. Grand Slam event.
Posted by: at August 29, 2004 12:26 AM
That's a great commentary by Whitlock.
Many observers are forgetting that this team's composition was forced by the abdication of bigger "stars" (as I said in the post to which you linked).
Sincemany of them were picked and accepted their spots rather late in the day--due to the above situation--I wonder whether they had enough time to practice. If they didn't, that certainly isn't their fault.
At least they showed.
Posted by: Juliette at August 28, 2004 12:05 PM