Why this year's USA Olympic team can win it all...

By: Byron Parker

The 2008 Men's Olympic Basketball team was announced on Monday and the team looks pretty damn good. Led by the '08 NBA MVP Kobe Bryant, this team looks to make a run at the gold medal, especially since they've struggled to do so in the most recent tournaments. Here are the players and coaches of the 2008 Olympic team, and then my analysis.

Players -the positions aren't the primary positions of the players, but they are the projected positions for that player for the Olympics

* *Projected starter

• **Kobe Bryant (SG- Los Angeles Lakers)


• Dwayne Wade (SG- Miami Heat)


• **Carmelo Anthony (SF, PF- Denver Nuggets)


• Chris Paul (PG- New Orleans Hornets)


• Carlos Boozer (PF, C- Utah Jazz)


• Deron Williams (PG- Utah Jazz)


• Tayshaun Prince (SF- Detroit Pistons)


• **LeBron James (SF, PF- Cleveland Cavaliers)


• **Dwight Howard (C- Orlando Magic)


• Chris Bosh (C, PF- Toronto Raptors)


• Michael Redd (SG- Milwaukee Bucks)


• **Jason Kidd (PG- Dallas Mavericks)

Coaches

• Mike Krzyzewski (Head Coach; Head Coach of Duke University)


• Jim Boeheim (Assistant Coach; Head Coach of Syracuse University)


• Mike D'Antonio (Assistant Coach; Head Coach of New York Knicks)


• Nate McMillan (Assistant Coach; Head Coach of Portland Trail Blazers)

This is your USA Men's basketball team for the 2008 Olympics. It may not be the Dream Team, but it has the potential to be something close to it. It is a team full of high scorers, playmakers, veterans, and maturing youngsters. Out of the 12 players that were selected to this year's Olympic team, six of them were apart of the 2006 USA Men's World Championship team and eight of them participated on the '07 FIBA Americas Championship team that qualified for these Olympics. With most of them already having to work together on previous teams, this will give them an advantage in team chemistry and team cooperation. The most intriguing aspect of this year's Olympic team is the three point guards that were selected to the team.

Of the three, Jason Kidd will be one of the point guards that will bring the veteran presence to the team; especially to the other two point guards who were selected--Deron Williams and Chris Paul. The 35 year old Kidd was apart of the 2000 USA Olympic team that went 8-0 and won the gold medal in Sydney. Also on his resume, he has played on eight USA Men's basketball teams with a record of 44-0. That brings a lot to the team and even though he may not have the speed or outside shot that a typical point guard should have, Kidd is completely unselfish and that may be a reason why he could be the starting PG for a team full of superstars. With players like Chris Paul and Deron Williams sitting under him, the offense from the starting PG position won't be a concern for Krzyzewski because he has already made the decision to have scorers like Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and LeBron James starting. He will be looking for more breaking down of the defense and passing from the starting point guard, and that is something that Kidd is capable of doing. Williams and Paul are both similar to each other in their style of play because they both know how to break down the defense like Kidd, but they are quicker and they can score easier. But when they are needed for scoring out of that PG position, then that's when they'll be used.

The addition of Michael Redd is key for this team because the past US teams have lacked the outside game and that reliable scorer coming off of the bench. Redd is capable of doing both of those things. He was a member of last summer's FIBA Americas Championship team and all while coming off of the bench, he put up 14.4 points a game while shooting a little over 50% from the field, and 45% from beyond the arch. His long range jumper will be a key component for this year's Olympic team and and his bench scoring will definitely be needed. Redd isn't a superstar, but he has the qualities of being close to one. With him sitting behind Kobe and company, I'm pretty sure he'll be the next 2-guard for Coach K to go to. With him being a backup SG with decent speed, he will be with a second unit that also consists of decent speed.

Whether it is Williams or CP3 being the first resort coming off of the bench, they both can run up and down the floor along with Redd which will call for a dangerous guard combo coming out of the second unit. Not to say that the starters aren't as quick as the bench (because that's not even close to the case), but it is always good to have speed on the bench. That way, they don't come in and slow things down. The speed on this team will give them success because they must run in order to wear down the opposition. It's really the case for most team's success.

Even though the team looks good in almost all aspects on the floor, there are a few flaws that could lead to trouble for this team. I feel that with them taking three point guards, they lack depth in the frontcourt. There really aren't enough big men that can really stop the opposition from driving the ball to the basket on them. With Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard being the only two players who can truly play the 5-spot, that may be a problem. Of course Carlos Boozer will see time at the center position, but he is not a TRUE center. If they are playing a team that has players that can run through the defense, there will be trouble for this team. They may have taken a risk by bringing opting to play more "small-ball". Defense will also be a problem for this team. Chris Paul is a guy who can force turnovers here and then, but he sometimes makes risky decisions by attempting to swipe the ball and that may be his downfall. If he doesn't come up with the steal, he gives the opposition an advantage on the floor when he's briefly out of the picture. I feel that the only players on the team that can play consistent defense is Bryant, Tayshaun Prince and if you want to, you can throw LeBron's name in there too. But other than Prince, there isn't really a true reliable defensive player that can come off of the bench and shut somebody down.

I do fear that even though Coach K says that this team won't be taking a numerous amount of jumpshots, the shortened three point line will be a Christmas present for these guys. It's understandable that if you're open for the three, take it and make it. But some of the players on this team has a knack for taking unnecessary shots. That may not be the type of problem that could cause this team to fall off, but it is one thing that Coach K will have to limit. When you don't have a team that is full of spot up shooters, than they all shouldn't be spotting up and shooting. But when they were in Athens and were hit with that zone, they didn't have the shooters to break that down. But with most international teams playing zone on a team of stars, the addition of the shooters this year can kill that off.

Despite the flaws that this team may have, they have too many strengths this year to blow this thing. This year's team consists of smart and determined players with some of them looking to get revenge from their previous failures. There may be a few close games that could scare the US team, but I don't see them allowing teams to run them over. There is a lot of pressure on them and they will be tested in these Olympics, but they have too many weapons to lose this thing.

Do the Spartans have what it takes?

By: Byron Parker

It's no secret that the Michigan State basketball squad have underachieved this season. Don't confuse that statement with me saying that they're not a good team because that would be false. The Spartans are equipped with talent at all positions but their young minds aren't capable of using all of that talent when it is needed the most. This is a team that started off the season strong and showing that they had a chance to bring home a NCAA Title back to East Lansing. But some minor slip-ups around midseason may have caused others to give MSU a second look and ask, "Is this team really championship bound?" It's not like they were automatically picked to have a big season but with only little competition surrounding them, it's kind of hard not to give them the title as "favorites".

The Spartans showed some of their bad habits and their inconsistency by losing to teams that should've been easy wins. Teams like Iowa, Northwestern and even Ohio State. It kind of reminded me of some of the bad habits that the Michigan Wolverines football team had. I don't know if it was cockiness or just a sign of mental flaws. Whatever it was, it showed the weaknesses of the Michigan State Spartans.

This really was the year that State should've won the Big Ten, and if not that, they had a great shot at winning the Big Ten Tournament. They only came minutes...seconds from pulling off a close game against the Wisconsin Badgers, but costly fouls and immature play led them to basically blow that game. The Spartans had four key players foul out within a span of two and a half minutes and that led to a 65-63 loss in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Not to mention, they had a fourteen point lead with about 8 minutes to go in that game. With that, Wisconsin was able to take the title home after an easy win against the Illinois Fighting Illini; a team that I'm sure the Spartans would've been able to beat. Don't get it twisted though because I'm not ripping the Spartans. This is a talented team with mental flukes in the regular season. They are capable of knocking off tough opponents, but losing at the wrong times. One of the wrong times was in the Big Ten Tourney.

Despite that, the Spartans still have a #5 seed in the NCAA Tourney and they have to face off against Temple. As much as people want to yell out "Upset Alert, Upset Alert!", I highly doubt that it'll happen. Why is this? Tom Izzo is one of the smartest coaches in the NCAA and he knows how to prepare his team for a run in the tournament. It may seem like the Spartans haven't gone deep in the tourney in the past couple of years, but that is only because they've ran into tougher opponents. For instance, last season they were knocked out by a pretty good North Carolina team. They did make it a close game, but the youth couldn't find a way to get past them. And since 1999, they've made the Final Four four times.

So State has shown that they knows what it takes to make it to the Final Four. One of those players who has experienced the thrills of going deep into the tourney is star senior, Drew Neitzel. Neitzel was on the team that made the Final Four in his freshman year along with stars like Maurice Ager, Paul Davis and Shannon Brown. This year is different because there aren't any stars like that on this years team. And as much as college basketball analysts like to be superstitious about seedings and little things like that, the last time Sparty made the Final Four was when they were a five seed and they are a five seed in this years tourney. State plays team basketball and Izzo is good at talking players into what roles they will play in each game. The closest Spartans to stars are Neitzel and Raymar Morgan. Morgan is probably one of the most underrated players in the NCAA. He's played solid all season long and hasn't gotten the recognition that he deserves. But this is his time to shine. Neitzel has already done his shining in the green and white, and this will be his last season. Morgan however may have another year left and this gives him the chance to show teams who he is. Neitzel may be capable of putting up 20+ points in a game, but he's not even the leading scorer on this team; Morgan is with 14.5 a game. Morgan plays consistent basketball, and Sparty will need consistency throughout the tournament. Neitzel is the go to guy during clutch time, so that is what Izzo will rely on him for.

The region that they are in gives them a better chance of going deep into this tournament as well. Notable teams include Texas, Pittsburgh, Kentucky and Memphis. Kentucky and Pitt has shown inconsitency throughout the season and even though Texas is a good team, State has already beaten them once this season when the Longhorns were ranked #6 in the country. So MSU most likely has the edge over them mentally. Memphis...we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Right now, their main focus is on Temple. State needs to take it one round at a time and not look ahead because there is no need to believe that the first round will be given. It's win or go home right now and anything can happen in this tournament.