Flexing our Muscle

Okay....it was only an exhibition game....a warm up for Olympic play...but...

It seems that the United States of America....can play some basketball.

This is not ....and we repeat...this is not the "Dream Team".

But this team does have more talent and more skills than any team on the planet.

Just ask Great Britain ...

 

Team USA Blows Out Great Britain In Exhibition

• Comments
• | London Olympics 2012

USA 118, Spain 107

The Redemption is complete........

But it was not easy. This Spanish team the Americans beat by 37 points just last week ....gave Uncle Sam's boys all they could handle.

In fact , the U.S. trailed by 5 points in the first quarter, and led by only 2 with just eight minutes left.

That's when the superstars .....as in Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade....took over the game.

Kobe , hitting big shot after big shot.......Wade hitting clutch 3 point goals.....and LeBron bringing that defensive force and will.

The U.S. never panicked.....never lost their composure.....

They never really figured out how to stop Spain on this day........but they slowed then down ....just enough to out score them.

And .......to think I watched the entire game.......at 2 a.m. !!!!

Go figure.....

And congrats.......USA!!


BEIJING - AUGUST 24: (L-R) Kobe Bryant #10, LeBron James #6 and Dwyane Wade #6 of the United States wait to receive the gold medal after defeating Spain in the men's basketball final during Day 16 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Off......and ......Runinng

A statement was made ......


Last night in Beijing......and this morning in the states.


GAME REPORT: USA 101, China 70


The game was played in China Sunday night......we saw this morning....



I'm so confused....





Team USA put on a spectacular show......over coming a huge crowd.....some fierce 3 point
shooting by China....To pull away at the end.

Hump Day News & Views

And we wonder why the rest of the world hates us...

Leave it to Americans.....to always try to make a point. Yes, Beijing, which is hosting this year's Olympics......has a slight smog problem. Seems the air might be a tad unsafe at times.

Well, our USA cycling team arrived Wednesday wearing black pollution masks. Of course, this immediately pissed off all of China.

Has the cycling team ever heard the term "Ugly American"? China knows it has a smog problem. They have been shutting down plants and manufacturers for months now, and didn't deserve the "rub it in your face" actions of a few snobbish, spoiled, American athletes.



A much needed win........

The Atlanta Braves won a baseball game last night. Not a big deal. They are just playing out the string........too far out of the pennant race.

But guess who the winning pitcher was? Yep! None other than Mike Hampton himself. Hampton got his first win in about 3 years......hit an RBI double....and helped the Braves defeat the San Francisco Giants, 11-4.

With the recent loss of Brave's announcer, Skip Caray..........and the stark realization this season is done.....it was good to see a win.

And it was better to see it with Mike Hampton pitching.



Who's cover ....is it?

Sports Illustrated.....is playing mind games with college football fans. The magazine has a long standing tradition of having different covers for different geographic regions.....But come on........this is .....all south.

I've seen 2 completely different covers for the August 11th edition. Which will it be, guys?

























USA Men's basketball team struggled?


Yes they did......

In it's final exhibition game against Australia, the US led by only four points midway through the third quarter and was up only seven in the fourth, but held on to win, 87-76. The Aussies rested their best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, who sat out the game.

Guys.......get real. We here at 5 on Five were bold enough to predict you would not only win the gold medal.......but dominate as well.

And dominating is not shooting 3 of 18.....from the 3 point line. Or hitting just 20 of 33 from the foul line. Let's just hope ......you needed a game like this one...to get it out of your system.




Some .....things...I think ........I think.......

I think it's hot.....my body ...knows...it's hot. In this southern college town, today....it was 99 degrees.....and humid.....and very uncomfortable.

I think ......Obama needs to lighten up with all the TV commercials.....one every ten minutes it seems. All it's doing is pissing off the conservatives......don't peak too early.....Save it for November, man.

I don't think my "DIRECTV" likes the heat either....several channels are digitally .....screwed up in the heat of the day......only to come back to normal....when the sun goes down. Go figure.

I think....I'm tired.....at least my eyelids are.......and the rest of me will follow.

Have a great Hump Day.

Blacks.....Banned.....From Bars?

This has been researched.....

We have verified the sources......It is indeed true.

Our own GaPeach913 did the homework, checked out the Chinese newspapers, and qualified this story.

Troubling.......to say the least.......but .......here it is:


From GaPeach913.....


At first I didn't think it was true. I did a search in the Beijing paper and it is definitely true.

http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2c913216495213d5df646910cba0a0a0/?vgnextoid=267a08a88f13b110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=teaser&ss=China&s=News



Chinese Paper Says Blacks Banned From Bars During Olympics Published on: Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Nsenga Burton
What do Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Jason Kidd have in common? They are the starting five of the 2008 Olympic Men’s Basketball team and none of them will be admitted to any bars in Beijing because they are black. No, this is not fiction -- it is fact as reported by the South China Morning Post (7/18/08). Beijing authorities have forbidden bar owners to serve blacks during the 2008 Olympics.

How hypocritical is it that the host of the largest international sports competition in the free world would ban an entire group of people based on race? This blanket discrimination is couched in the idea of “controlling” Beijing’s problem with prostitution and drugs, which is primarily driven by Mongolians. Somehow, this policy smacks of impropriety, pun intended, and underscores China’s continuous policies of discrimination. You would think with the global embarrassment over the mistreatment of Tibetan Monks, faulty consumer products, and the suppression of information about deadly diseases, that China would have figured out by now that the systematic exclusion of an entire group of people, many of whom have histories of horrendous discrimination in their home countries, would not reflect well on the mainland. Further, I was not aware that blacks owned drug trafficking and prostitution worldwide. Amsterdam anyone?

Let’s get this straight. Black people can participate in the games, add money to the economy in “permitted” spaces like hotels, lodges and restaurants, but they cannot go to a bar, which may be located in a hotel, lodge or restaurant. This is outrageous. Would the world stand still if in 2008 the United States was banning entire populations of people based on perceived ideas about race?

Pretending to control drug trafficking while controlling the movement of black folks is out of control. To define an entire race of people as drug dealers and prostitutes is unacceptable. I guess this is what you get when an international committee overlooks a country that has transgressed human rights without recourse. The world community needs to unite against this injustice and demand that China allow all Olympic participants, athletes and visitors alike, equal access to all venues.

As China prepares to take the world’s stage in celebration of athletes all over the world, and by extension their people, it is tragic that they have decided to add blanket discrimination to the many offerings during this year’s Olympic games. Perhaps our expectations of China are too high? It is kind of ridiculous to have the expectation of moving freely in a country that does not allow its citizens to move freely. Complicated countries have complicated practices. The fact that Beijing is being allowed to ban all Blacks from any place or event, without rebuke or scorn, is maddening. Will the world stand by while China further institutionalizes another human rights debacle?

Since this posting.......

We have found out that the bars in question, and the Chinese government have denied this story........And the original story from the link we had....has been erased.

Folks........this is communist China.....did you expect more?

Developing..........

Dream Team 2008?

Introducing..........



The 2008 USA men's basketball team:










Thanks to NBA.com for the following......

2008 USA Men’s Senior National Team Roster

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	TEAM	SCHOOL
Carmelo Anthony	F	6-8	230	5/29/84	Denver Nuggets	Syracuse University
Carlos Boozer	F	6-9	258	11/20/81	Utah Jazz	Duke University
Chris Bosh	F	6-10	230	3/24/84	Toronto Raptors	Georgia Tech
Kobe Bryant	G	6-6	220	8/23/78	Los Angeles Lakers	Lower Merion H.S. (PA)
Dwight Howard	F/C	6-11	265	12/08/85	Orlando Magic	Southwest Atlanta Christian Acd. (GA)
LeBron James	F	6-8	240	12/30/84	Cleveland Cavaliers	St.Vincent-St. Mary H.S. (OH)
Jason Kidd	G	6-4	212	3/23/73	Dallas Mavericks	University of California
Chris Paul	G	6-0	170	5/06/85	New Orleans Hornets	Wake Forest University
Tayshaun Prince	F	6-9	205	2/28/80	Detroit Pistons	University of Kentucky
Michael Redd	G	6-6	215	8/24/79	Milwaukee Bucks	Ohio State University
Dwyane Wade	G	6-4	212	1/17/82	Miami Heat	Marquette University
Deron Williams	G	6-3	205	7/26/84	Utah Jazz	University of Illinois

TEAM STAFF

Managing Director: Jerry Colangelo

Head Coach: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University

Assistant Coach: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University

Assistant Coach: Mike D'Antoni, New York Knicks

Assistant Coach: Nate McMillan, Portland Trail Blazers

Team Physician: Sheldon Burns, Minnesota Timberwolves

Athletic Trainer: Keith Jones, Houston Rockets

Athletic Trainer: Casey Smith, Dallas Mavericks

A few points to make.......

This team consists of 6 guards, 5 forwards, and 1 center/forward. No true big man. But in International play.......none necessary.

Michael Redd is the designated zone buster, a magnificent outside shooter.

Tayshaun Prince is the defensive stopper..........Dwight Howard is the beast in the middle.....Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul are the setup guys.

Jason Kidd is the "old man" of the bunch.....he will bring leadership.......While Carmelo Anthony, Carlos Boozer, and Chris Bosh will be counted on for energy and rebounding.

Kobe and LeBron? Those two will just take over a game..........when needed.

In this summer's Beijing Olympics, this team will not only win the gold medal..........they will destroy the competition.

Welcome to Dream Team 2008.