Which update and debate is more annoying right now: 2012 Team USA vs. the Dream Team; or the Dwight Howard saga? It’s close for me, because at some point our Dwightmare will end but the unanswerable, theoretical Dream Team debate could go on seemingly forever.
Case in point: At a pre-Olympic media session on Friday in London LeBron James was asked if he agreed with Kobe Bryant that the 2012 team could beat the original Dream Team (an idea Michael Jordan and Barack Obama scoffed at).
What did you expect LeBron to say? Here is his quote, via AP and ESPN.
Here’s the thing — if LeBron (or Kobe) had said “there is no way we could have beat the Dream Team” half of you would have jumped all over them for being soft and not competitive enough. But they are both competitive. Very competitive. They are guys who have had success on the court in part because they believe they will always have success on the court. You don’t want another mindset from your players.
So, if you ask them if they think they can win, there is only one answer a true competitor can give.
I think Kobe hit the nail on the head when he followed up on this issue — in a one-game situation this 2012 team could win. In the same way a team like Spain could beat the USA in the gold medal game this year in 2012. Play a seven game series and the outcome is pretty obvious (USA over Spain, and Dream Team wins) but the opponents are good enough to steal a game or two. And so it is like the NCAA tournament — for one night, yes this USA team could win. Doesn’t make them the better team.
Can we all just move on to the games now?