Olympics: Basketball
Mike Wise
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 24, 2004; Noon ET
The U.S. men's basketball team beats Angola, 89-53, and plays in the quarterfinals on Thursday. The U.S. women's team had an 100-62 victory over China despite outside shooter Katie Smith's knee injury. They will play Greece in the quarterfinals.
From Athens, Post columnist Mike Wise will be online Tuesday, Aug. 24, at Noon ET to discuss both the U.S. men's and women's basketball teams' quest for a medal.
Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.
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Mike Wise: Greetings from Athens. Thanks for your questions. I hope I can get to all of them in the next hour. A quick perusal of my Olympic experience: I love hoops, as many of you know, but have been fortunate enough to be able to cover everything from Ancient Olympia, to the 100-meter final, to women's softball to critiquing cheese pies. So the more diverse, the better. We'll start with hoops and that maddening U.S. team.
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Laurel, Md.:
The media has been very critical (perhaps correctly so) of the play of the U.S. men's basketball team in Athens. Do you think there should be more discussion of the NBA players who chose not to play for the team due to being busy, tired or scared of a terrorist attack?
Mike Wise: Yes, Laurel, there should be more criticism of the players who did not make it, instead of doling out all the blame on the players that actually came. But they knew for a long time Shaquille O'Neal and Kevin Garnett weren't coming, so I think much fault, if the gold medal is not won, should go to USA Basketball for its inability to construct a team worthy of winning the biggest international tournament in four years.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
Bluntly, why does Larry Brown refuse to use a full court press in the Olympics. THEORETICALLY it would solve all of the US's problems. It should create easy baskets. It should wear less deep teams out. It should take the other teams 10-12 seconds to get into their offesive set whch would only leave them with 12-14 seconds to shoot. This would be less time for shooters to run through screens and get open looks from three. Basically it would use the US teams athleticism to win games. Is Larry Brown to stubborn to win any way but 'his way'?
Mike Wise: yes, Larry Brown is stubborn. He wants to win his way. But a full-court press would be disastrous for the U.S. Why? The world can now handle our athleticism. Doug Collins, who's over here doing analysis for NBA, showed me a great stat before the tournament started: The U.S. had averaged 22 steals per game in Barcelona. That number was down to 13 in Atlanta and 7 in Sydney. In our tune-up games, other countries were forcing us into more turnovers than we were forcing them. Translation: We don't scare the world with our athleticism and quickness any more. They work diligently on beating traps and full-court pressure. We would be dragged all over the court if all we did is press.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
I like women's hoops just fine. I went to college with Dawn Staley, so it was pretty tough not to like watching her play; however, I don't remember the 1992 women's hoops team winning the gold medal in Barcelona. The Dreamettes as they were called were supposed to be one of the greatest women's teams assembled and they didn't win the gold. I don't recall them being ridiculed in the way that the men's team has been so far. They haven't played well, but I don't see Bird, Jordan and Magic on this team. The lack of support for the team has been a great contrast to the support from the bench on the part of the players, waving towels, backing up their teammates. I hope that the men win the gold medal and then tell the U.S. of A. to go jump in a lake.
Mike Wise: Good point. We never got after the women critically like we've gone after the men. But it's all relative, too. We are judging the men based on phenomenal Olympic success, especially since NBA players were allowed to play. When you get beat twice in the span that the last two losses at the Olympics took 68 years, well, people are wondering what's wrong with our game. And despite the most ardent pleadings of others from abroad, basketball is still viewed as our game. If the French produced stale croissants, we would revolt. If the Canadians stopped ending up in the medal round of Olympic hockey, the Toronto Globe and Mail would do an expose on what happened to their sport.
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Anonymous:
When are the medal rounds for both men and women's basketball?
Mike Wise: Wednesday the women's medal round games begin. The U.S. plays at 2:30 p.m. our time and, if you're on the East Coast, 7:30 a.m. your time.
Thursday the men's medal round begins, with the U.S. taking on Spain. The finals are Saturday.
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Suitland, Md:
Unlike your colleague Norman Chad, who wrote "...if I hear the national anthem one more time in the next week, I'm swimming to Cuba and seeking asylum", I enjoy hearing it. Especially the version being played in Greece during the gold medal ceremonies. Do you happen to know where this recording came from? Who is performing it? I still believe it will be played for the U.S. men's team. That great coaching staff will get them to rise to the occasion and play up to their potential.
Mike Wise: Norman, the satirist he is, was probably half-kidding and half-serious. Our national anthem is fine, but his point was probably that NBC focuses too much on our athletes and neglects the great stories from around the world. We tend to be pretty parochial about Americans winning all the time, and often miss the Greek weightlifter and the great distance runner from Morocco, Hiccam El-Gharrouj (apologies to the El-Gharrouj family if I've misspelled his name). As for the U.S. men's team winning gold, it would be a great story because they are now officially an underdog.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
I'm happy that Sarunas Jasicavicus can shoot the basketball. Let's not forget that it took Juan Dixon to bring a championship to Terpville: someone who could shoot AND play the defense necessary to win games. NBA scouts make mistakes all the time and overlook a player for whatever reason, it's part of scouting; however, Sarunas will get some interest because of his performance and the advent of the zone defense in the NBA. It will take youth basketball and the NCAA time to catch up and develop players that can score against zones. Doug Collins announced the Lithuania game and praised shooting the basketball to the high heavens. In his mind, the USA should never lose in hoops. He should tell that one to the baseball purists because there is no Team USA baseball at the Olympics this year and no one's ready to scrap the MLB, are they?
Mike Wise: The problem with Team USA baseball is, it's all guys who don't play in the major leagues. That's why they're not here. Personally, I'd never invite the U.S. to compete in baseball at the Olympics. Winning an Olympic gold medal is not the pinnacle in their sport; a World Series is. I feel the same way about tennis, many of the cycling races and, really, the U.S. in men's basketball. If you ask the players, they would rather win an NBA title than Olympic gold. That's why so many didn't show up that they invited. As for the U.S. never losing, that's a little jingoistic. We're going to get beat and it will probably be good for all of us hoopheads, at least for our humility.
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Barcelona, Spain:
What do you think of Spain and the possibilities of each team? For the first time here the press talks about Spain as favourite against the US on basketball, something unthinkable by anyone before the games started.
Mike Wise: The Spanish beat us at the World Championships in Indy in 2002. Everyone forgot about this because it's not viewed as a big-time tournament in the States -- in fact the crowds in Indy were pathetic. But...they beat us.
So, given how well Pao Gasol is playing and how we're 3-2 so far, yes, I would make Spain the favorites. I see the U.S. losing in either the semifinals or the gold-medal game. I think they can beat Spain, but three knockout games in a row will take their toll on this team.
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Virginia:
So who are the men's team playing against tomorrow? How's Iverson's thumb?
Mike Wise: Iverson's thumb is still hurting, from trying to hitchhike back home. : ).
Seriously, I don't think it will affect him that much. He's such a competitor. The U.S. meet Spain on Thursday in a medal-round game.
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Philadelphia, Pa.:
Mike, do you basically accept the criticism that questions why this basketball team is comprised of 12 superstars, rather than putting together a complete team with role players, outside shooters, etc?
Mike Wise: I accept it, but I also believe it denigrates the other players who have essentially kicked our tails in this tournament. I mean, everybody just assumes we messed up.
Maybe, just maybe, Puerto Rico and Lithuania and the other got it right. They're playing better together, and that's what matters. It reminds of when I could actually play a little, maybe 15 years ago, and me and my friends showed up at this gym and there were those old hairy guys with knee braces and paunches on the other court. And they ask us for a game and I'm like, "Come on, Grandpa, give it up." And these old cats kicked our be-hinds, dropping in 3s, hitting little up-and-under, McHale-like scoop shots while we jumped in vain trying to pin their balls against the glass. They knew how to play together, and all the athleticism and youth meant nothing to them. I'm still bitter about that.
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Toronto,Ont:
I do apologize for this somewhat "nit-picking." You stated in your article "A convincing shift in balance of power" that the United States of America invented the game of Basketball. Perhaps it would be prudent to acknowledge the fact that the inventer of the sport, Dr. James Naismith, was a Canadian working in the United Sates. I do realize my own bias within this statement, for I am a Lithuanian-Canadian. Nevertheless, "your game" has always been, and always be, an international game. Please also keep in mind that the NBA is the direct off shoot of the Basketball Association of America. Basketball at the first game in this association (on Nov. 1, 1946) was an international game (yes, New York beat Toronto 68-66) as it was hosted in Toronto, Canada. I will not deny the fact that you(as American's) have a lot of pride about the game. As well a lot invested in the game. But very rarely does a sport belong to a country. Even our beloved hockey is played quite well around the world. It is made better though this process. Maybe it is time to relize that the best things in life (such as music, sports and food) are somethings that every nation can partake in without a sense of ownership. Thank-you for your time, and I do hope that the United States and Lithuiana can meet at the finals. It would be a fantastic game...
Mike Wise: This is perhaps the longest and most thought-out question of my chat shelf-life. Unfortunately, I must catch a plane in 10 days, which is the time it will take me to read through it again. Just kidding. Sort of : ). You make many great points, the least significant of which is Mr. Naismith being Canadian. Yes, he was. BUT HE INVENTED THE DAMN GAME IN SPRINGFIELD, MASS., the birthplace of OUR BELOVED SPORT OF BASKETBALL, WHICH MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE DENIGRATING RIGHT THIS SECOND! If he had nailed peach baskets up in Ottawa or Victoria or, hell, even New Foundland, I might even give the Newfees credit. But he did not, which is why I parochially and unequivocally refer to it as our game. As for a Lithuania-U.S. final, I'm with you. That would be sweet.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
After reading about Spain's team is it just me or did the US luck out with that draw? I understand that Spain is 5-0, but that really could work in the US teams favor if Spain comes out flat and not hungry. Also I read they are a very physical team that does not shoot well from outside. Sounds familiar huh? I think this is a good matchup for the US team, am I wrong? Also Pau Gasol is not an unknown quantity to the US team, which should work in their favor.
Mike Wise: You are dead wrong. You're like the guy who was happy that Houston scored 35 points on Buffalo in that AFC Playoff Game years back, only so they could get overconfident and lose to the Bills in overtime. Memo to U.S. Fans: 5-0 is 5-0. I would not want to play Spain right now. Also, the draw kills the U.S. because they will most likely have to play the three toughest teams in the tournament to win the gold -- Spain, Argentina and Lithuania, if all the two latter teams continue to win. That's a brutal schedule.
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Washington DC:
I completely disagree with your assessment about the use of a press by team USA. Other teams may work hard to beat it, but they are much more comfortable playing that half-court game and shredding the US from sets and (moving) picks. A press would make the game helter skelter, create fouls and allow the US to press its athletic advantage fully.
Mike Wise: Earth to Reader: Helter Skelter does not work anymore with these teams. Did you see the Lithuania game? Did you not see the press and half-court traps employed against the Lithuanians early on? Did you see what happened when they began bringing their big people to half court to help the guards with picks and entry passes? I am amazed that people are so confident about our athleticism as Americans that somehow we can just disrupt a team into a loss. In the open court, TEam USA is wondrous to watch. But defensively, we don't scare people like we used to. They like helter-skelter, or was that just my imagination when Puerto Rico starting dropping in 3s off broken plays the U.S. tried to disrupt? The playground game has been co-opted. The half-court Hoosiers game has been co-opted. Hell, are coaches are being co-opted. It's a different world, until we fix our system of grooming young players at home. Sorry to vent, but I've witnessed this for too long.
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Georgia:
Hope that the U.S. team loses because their arrogance of "owning" basketball is ridiculous.
Mike Wise: I say it's OUR game, but it is indeed the World's Game now. And there's nothing wrong that, unless you're a Yankee fan and you just buy your championships, and you want us to buy a gold.
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Washington, D.C.:
I've never heard of a cheese pie - sounds yummy! Details please?
Mike Wise: Cheese pie is awesome. It's got this filo dough around it, and I think they just dropped it in the fryer or the oven. The outside is flakier than a croissant, kind of like baklava without the honey. And the inside is pure heaven, all this gooey white feta or some other version of white cheese, oozing out, blending in with the pastry. I mean, if the U.S. team ate more of these, their Olympic experience might not be so wrenching. The American version of this is the spanokopita pie, which is kind of a spinach and cheese pie. They make that here, too.
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Arlington, Va.:
So, the rest of the world has finally caught up with the NBA. Nothing to be surprised about, when almost every team has at least two international players. But I am furious with these multi-millionaires who are "too busy" to represent their country. No wonder the U.S. lost to Lithuania! Remember when it was an "honor" to be on the Men's Olympic basketball team, when they didn't have to beg for players? And, as usual, it will be the WOMEN who will uphold the honor of this great country in basketball. Go USA Women!
Mike Wise: Arlington, thank you for speaking some sense. When people say "Basketball is declining in our country," it's almost a mysogynistic statement. They mean men's basketball. Because that women's team is the most cohesive, physical and smart group I've seen comprised. Dawn Staley is awesome, Lisa Leslie. All of them.
Another great point about "honoring" your country. When Larry Brown and Doug Collins represented their country, winning a gold medal for the U.S. was the paramount accomplishment in basketball. They could not dream of anything higher. Being selected to the team was heaven. Now, it's a summer inconvenience for a bunch of sore-and-tired NBA players who want to make sure they come to training camp well-rested. If you want my two cents, and David Stern will never do this because it involves losing money, I say shorten the number of NBA games during an Olympic year, say from 82 to 70. Those 12 games would just about take care of the commitment it takes to win a gold -- eight Olympic games and about four tuneups. But that will never happen, because the owners would revolt if they didn't get that preseason game in Oklahoma City guaranteed.
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Rockville, Md.:
What are your comments about the game between the US basketball team and the Spain one?
Mike Wise: Team USA 90, Spain 89. Duncan hits a banker at the buzzer after a 40-point night from Gasol.
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Suitland, Md:
I understand sending the NBA champs to the Olympics would be difficult, but how about the NCAA champs? I think UConn, including its graduated seniors, would put on a great show.
Mike Wise: They would not win, but they would put on a great show. I'm of the opinion you need to take a couple of stars and meld them with Sixth Man of the Year types, a blend of role players and stars. If they go down, so be it. But at least they would all give their right arm to be an Olympian. That's not the case now.
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Oakton, Va.:
Did you see the China game, and what did we miss out on? Del Harris has said it was his best victory ever.
Mike Wise: Didn't see it, but I'm happy for Del and Yao. He only had one assistant, had to break down game film by himself after his assistant hurt his back or something and basically had to weather the questions from the Chinese press about whether he was the right guy for the job. They're just inexperienced is all, but that was a huge win, to beat Serbia-Montenegro, even with all their missing players like Peja and Vlade.
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Silver Spring, Md. Re Pressing:
Did you see the Lithuania game? While the US was pressing they were winning. When they pulled back, they lost. Sarunas J is a nice player, seen him live and in person plenty of times, but he is not a true point guard. A press the whole game would have wore him out, big time, and he woudlnt have had the legs to knock in three threes in the last 2 minutes, if the game was even that close.
Mike Wise: Thank you, Mr. Naismith. The US could not press anymore because the Lithuanians, if you remember, were dropping in jumpers in their mugs, thus disallowing the U.S. time to set up a press. yes, they discombobulated them a little at the start of the game and in the third quarter. But when push came to shove, Sarunas wanted it and guys like Marbury and Iverson weren't sure whether to pass or shoot. You people that think the U.S. played a bad game against Lithuania make me laugh. The players thought they played their butts off. Next up: How the refs robbed us of the Puerto Rico win. Come on, people. We got beat, not by bad coaching or inept players. We just got beat. Deal with it.
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West Palm Beach, Fla.:
Hello, Mike. What time and T.V. station will the Men's USA vs. Spain be on in my area?
Thank you
Mike Wise: I was told these games would be live on NBC, but I would check your newspaper. We're not getting the Post overhere except in printouts, so the online version might be good. Whatever you do, West Palm Beach, don't check the Miami Herald. They get everything wrong. : )
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Maryland:
Seeing how well the U.S. women's team is playing, will they get enough credit at home for the WNBA?
Mike Wise: What's the WNBA? All right, bad joke.
I wonder if Olympic success for our women's team will translate in an attendance spike for the WNBA when it reconvenes its season in September. You hope it will translate, but you never know.
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New Bern, N.C.:
Hi Mike - thanks for taking questions
Don't you feel Larry Brown has done a terrific job so far. I mean if we can somehow turn it around and make it seem like we're underdogs instead of favorites, dont you think we do have the best team in the olympics and perhaps they would play up to their potential instead of just feel the weight of the expectations?
Mike Wise: I'm tired of Larry Brown, but let me qualify that. I think he is the greatest teaching NBA head coach today. Unfortunately, most players at that level don't want to be taught, so what you get is Larry bemoaning about his players' work habits and lack of fundamentals. It's one thing to berate your guys in practice, it's another to let the media know that this U.S. team is not your fault, it's American basketball's fault. If I'm a player on that team and the coach keeps distancing himself from us with those comments, at some point, I'm thinking, "Hold up. Is coach with us or against us." Now, maybe this breaking the U.S. players down is scripted out of some cheesy sports movie with Gene Hackman. But until he wins gold with this group, I'm off the Brown bandwagon.
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Riverdale Park, Md:
Hello Mike,
Which NBA coaches do you think are watching the Olympics to learn how to beat their NBA rivals?
Mike Wise: Jeff Van Gundy and Stan Van Gundy, because both of them have no life during the summer -- give or take a few days breaking down film with their dad.
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Silver Spring, Md.:
Bluntly again, why do we double team in the low post? This is just plain stupid. It leads to non stop open threes, are we to assume Tim Duncan can't gaurd these people one on one?
Mike Wise: Great strategy question, Silver Spring. I don't know, other than we think the guy we're double-team is the Shaq of Crete.
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McLean, Va.:
On the subject of the history of basketball - I understood it to be a derivative of the english game of Netball, played mostly by women. Netball has similar rules with the exception of not being able to move your feet while in possession of the ball.
Mike Wise: Which would make Netball, Netball, not basketball. I do not know the exact origin of the game, other than Naismith gets credit for it. And since I'd like to believe my trip to the Hall of Fame in Springfield was historical and not some sham, I will continue to expound this belief.
Although, that Netball Hall of Fame in Devonshire is really cool.
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Mike Wise: I'm going to take a couple more because i'm working on a long basketball story that's going to run in a couple of days. And I might have to go off to track or wrestling in a minute.
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Washington, D.C.:
FYI - The greek weightlifter you said we should all have paid attention too had his bronze taken away after a positive drug test.
Mike Wise: I was not referring to that bronze medalist, Simpanis. I was referring to Pieros Dimas, who won a bronze and made his country proud without performance-enhancing assistance.
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Falls Church, Va.:
Wilbon is at beach volleyball.... how did you get stuck with the men's basketball team?
Mike Wise: Well, my boss here, Tracee Hamilton, wanted a hip, sophisticated, good-looking guy to carry the torch for us at such a fashion-conscious event.
And I'm still wondering why they sent Wilbon.
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Detroit, Mich.:
C'mon Mike, you asked for the more diverse the better so let's talk archery. Isn't shooting at the right target, Archery 101?
Mike Wise: It is indeed, Motown. But then, are basketball team can't shoot either.
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Fairfax, Va.:
Is Pau Gasol weird or what? What is up with his odd facial expressions and mannerisms whenever he makes a play. I know he is trying to show off a little but its more embarrasing than cool. Have you noticed this?
Mike Wise: Yeah, I'm with you. He should just start chest-bumping and tongue-wagging if he's going to be representing the NBA.
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Washington, D.C.:
Were those air horns I heard at the U.S.-Lithuania game? The noise sounded deafening, you couldn't hear the announcers... so much for international sportsmanship. The U.S. lost fair and square, but still-- I can't help but think Americans would have been berated for doing something like that...
Mike Wise: The Lithuanians were a little rude, to say the least. But wait till Spain and possibly Argentina. Their fans are bonkers. I mean, everybody was giving the U.S. a hard time about beating Greece by only a few points. I was in that gym and I was thinking, "Damn, this is a better road win than Maximus in the Colosseum."
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Yankees Fan:
The Yankees don't win ALL the time.
Mike Wise: God bless, Josh Beckett.
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Arlington, Va.:
Was the earthquake serious?
Mike Wise: Nnnnnoooo prrrobbbblem here. iiii ddin't eveeeeen feeeel the earquadfsak;lj.
Seriously, I just thought it was the pork slouvaki rumbling in my tummy. I didn't even feel it.
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Takoma Park, Md.:
Do you think the US men's team could get the gold if they added Sue Bird and Dawn Staley? At least they can put in some 3s.
Mike Wise: No, but I do think Stephon Marbury would destroy the chemistry of the women's team if you put him on it. In fact, I think Stephon would destroy the chemistry of my rec-league team.
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Washington, D.C.:
Who assembled the team? 90% of the team play like swingmen, it's like trying to build an engine out of all carburators.
Mike Wise: Good point. It was Stu Jackson, chairman of USA Basketball. He's a good, smart man and I feel for him. He got turned down more times than I did trying to find a prom date. But what's done is done. This is their team, for better or worse. I know I've sounded like I drink Haterade and I'm a member of the Hateration Nation, but I actually want to see the men win gold. It would be the greatest accomplishment in international play by a men's Olympic team, that's how great this field is.
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Mike Wise: I know I didn't get to everybody's questions, but I want to thank you for signing on and chatting nonetheless. Great questions, good debate and, well, enjoys the Olympics. It's been one of the best work experiences of my life, right up there with Sydney, and I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am.
Mike
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