This is the United States Calling ...

Camelot in 2012

By LARRY CAMELOT

HELLO: United States Olympic Committee, may I help you?

Yes. Hi, I'm an intern from the office of the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, may I speak with Mr. Sandusky, please? 

US: Patrick Sandusky?

MITT-TERN: Is there another?

US: Well, um, yes, but PATRICK Sandusky works here.  He's the head of communications for the USOC.

MITT-TERN: Yes. That's the guy.  May I speak with Mr. Sandusky, please?

US: Well, he's a pretty busy man.  The London Olympics are about to begin and Mr. Sandusky...

MITT-TERN: I know, I know, he's very busy, but I'm calling on behalf of Mitt Romney, the presumed republican candidate for the office of the President of the United States. Mr. Romney is a busy man, too, and he is trying to become the President of the United States. Indirectly, Mr. Romney could become Mr. Sandusky's boss.

US: Good point, but, I'm here in London and the people around here have a very different opinion.

MITT-TERN: Well, I know. That's why I'm calling.

US: Are you in London?

MITT-TERN: No. I'm just an intern. Mr. Romney's in London, though.

US: Oh yes, we know. He's made quite a name for himself with our colleagues over at the London 2012 Organizing Committee, and, with the British press, God Save the Queen.

MITT-TERN: Well, I know, that's why I'm calling.

US: You see, your candidate, your presumed candidate - and I do stress presumed - decided to undermine the efforts of the entire London Olympics on the day before the Games were about to begin with the Opening Ceremonies. In one fell swoop, he managed to un-do about four years of painstaking preparations, millions of hours of hard work and he thoroughly and unabashedly embarrassed the entire nation.  He was asked a simple question in a television interview -- over here, they call it, the telly - and he began an unnecessary rant about the lack of qualified security officers, then he started in on ticket sales issues, And, then ...

MITT-TERN: I know, I know, that's why I'm calling.

US: Hold on, now, your candidate is trying to beef-up his resume on the foreign relations side but he proceeded to second-guess one of our closest and longest standing allies? On the nightly news?

MITT-TERN: Yes, yes. he did. I know. I'm calling to get the emails and phone numbers of some of the media people over there in London.  We need to contact them with a new statement.

US: You mean, Romney wants you to call up or email the media to cover up his mistake?

MITT-TERN: Oh, no, we wouldn't want to use the word cover-up, that's too strong.  How about back track?  Or, better yet, we'll clarify what Mr. Romney actually meant to say. Cover-up reminds people of President Nixon, one of the great Republican Party Presidents, along with President George W. Bush, uhh.

US: You mean during his live, on-camera interview, they might've mis-quoted him?  We have the tapes, here, and most - make that all - of the London tabloids have already called seeking apologies from the State Department or at least the Olympic Committee.  It's late over here, you know?  It's well past deadline.  They still have deadlines here in London because they actually have newspapers that people read.  They sell dozens of them, all day and night.  Your man is on most of the covers of all of those broadsheets and tabloids tomorrow, you know?  And, since you brought up President "W" - he was quite the darling of the British media, you know. I think they're looking for a new foil, and your man stepped right into his tea and crumpets.

MITT-TERN: Oh no.

US: Oh yes. On the Olympics, he's quoted as saying, "It's hard to know just how well it will turn out.  There were a few things that were disconcerting." He said that on camera to NBC News, then, he went on to talk about the bane of all event organizers, the hated (psst) SECURITY ISSUES, then, he speculated about a proposed customs strike that never materialized.  The guy has no clue! Even when he went to apologize today, he said something to the head of the organizing committee that really pissed him off.  Let me get it for you, hold on."

Silence ...

US: Oh yeah, all the reports say he met with the Prime Minister, not the head of the organizing committee, that guy's too busy. Romney is quoted as saying, "Of course there will be errors from time-to-time" but they'll be over-shadowed by inspiring performances. So, even in his "back-track" he totally blew it.

MITT-TERN: I know, I know, but can I JUST speak with Mr. Sandusky?

US: Well, Patrick Sandusky is on another line, right now, can I put you through to his voice-mail?  He checks it often, and it works great, except when the mailbox is full, like this past Friday, Saturday, Sunday, when your Romney candidate caused this stir, this semi-international incident of the most ridiculous proportions, especially for someone who is already so weak at foreign relations.  

MITT-TERN: Now, wait, that's not fair.  Mr. Romney is a good man.  He's helped many nations by taking decent paying American jobs and while he worked with his old company, Bain, he bought-out companies, then directed them to out-source those jobs to places like India.  Millions of Americans lost their jobs, but they need those jobs in India, you know, it's one of the burgeoning world powers, just the way China was a few years back. Mr. Romney catches quite a bit of flack for that portion of his life, when he started Bain, made hundreds of millions of dollars that he's been living off from off-shore accounts he's invested in heavily for the past decade or so, while he avoids paying high income taxes and tools around in politics.

US: Really? I thought he had some type of Olympic Games experience?

MITT-TERN: Well, he did, but that's another story. You know, he was the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts when they began a universal healthcare initiative on his watch.  He was quite proud of it until all his Republican colleagues started to criticize President Obama for trying to do the same thing, you know?  And, while we're on that topic, I saw where the Opening Ceremonies paid quite a tribute to Great Britain's (National Health System) NHS, they had a lot of nurses out there, along with Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and even Paul McCartney!

US: Well, that's not here nor there, because those Republican friends of your man, Romney, keep voting down the healthcare bill, then when it passed, they keep trying to repeal it, even though the Supreme Court made a ruling that's it's certainly constitutional. Then they tried some word-smithing, the way you are trying now, with this “Mitt-Flip,” and some guy named Boehner who always cries when he gets emotional said it was a TAX!”  Can you believe that? You think those guys don’t think the American public can tell when they are lying right through their teeth, trying to manipulate the truth, then pointing fingers all over the place. Even when the Supreme Court rules, they try to reverse it, always trying to make things stand still, always stagnant, stuck in the same old place without trying to fix things their predecessors screwed up from 2001 until 2008.

MITT-TERN: Well, now. If that's what you say? You didn't have to bring the United States Supreme Court into the issue, now did you?

US: So, well, Mr. Sandusky's line is free now, let me see if I can connect you.

MITT-TERN: Thanks.

Silence...

US: Oh, sorry, he's stepped away from his desk and he said something about Mitt Romney making him sick.  Can I connect you to his voice mail?

London 2012: Olympic Hoops Predictions

The boys in Vegas won't be shocked with my chalk-laced prediction that the United States will successfully defend its 2008 title as gold medalists at London 2012. But the forecast for Team USA's road to gold will come with severe storm warnings. 

To those close to the team, we might replace the Olympic motto of "Faster, Higher, Stronger" with the predicted outcomes of "Close, Closer, Closest." The USA's all-out dominance of men’s basketball – dating back to the ’36 Olympics but underlined in 1956, ’60 and ’92, then re-established by the 2008 "Redeem Team” – will be replaced by one huge factor which will determine the outcome of each and every game, and that will be the USA's ability to force turnovers and score in transition.

It's that simple.

Russell Westbrook of USA vs Tunisia.

"If we win the gold medal, it will be because of how well we play defensively," stressed USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski after his team won-out over Brazil in its recent exhibition game because of a 20-5 second quarter run.

The philosophy developed for the 2012 version of USA Basketball's elite is born from a combination of many factors. That philosophy began the day after the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, then it transpired throughout the 2010 World Championship in Istanbul, and it further unfolded during the basketball season leading up to the 30th Olympiad.

So, let's get one man's take on the big picture surrounding the current USA Olympic basketball team.

First, on the day after the Beijing Olympics, USA guard Jason Kidd hung-up his "USA" jersey and announced he’d played his last game for the national team. Kidd's presence and the obvious addition of LA Lakers guard Kobe Bryant to the '08 squad, were monumental.

While Bryant's ability to guard the perimeter might be over-looked by some, his uncanny leadership skills – along with his willingness to step-up and hit big shots – was an element that put Team USA over the top. So, while Bryant's game made the USA exponentially better, it was Kidd's locker-room demeanor, confidence, and "We're not going to lose on my watch" attitude that gave the younger members of the '08 team a level of swagger that the 2006 USA bronze-medal world championship team did not possess.

Kidd, David Robinson and Ray Allen are unquestionably the best international players the USA had on its roster since the '92 Dream Team passed the torch, along with the impossible task of living up to the legendary efforts in Barcelona. Don’t overlook the fact - losing Kidd hurt.

At the '06 worlds, the USA left home with a backcourt that could not defend the bigger, stronger guards of international play. While the likes of 6-foot Chris Paul, 6-foot-3 Kurt Hinrich and 6-4 Dwyane Wade played defense with tenacity and skill, they were simply outmuscled by a Greek team that ran its pick and roll offense to perfection. Coach K and Team USA – joined by with USA Basketball head-honcho Jerry Colangelo – countered by sliding Lebron James to play the point, but James' defensive abilities in 2006 were nowhere close to his "D" in 2012.

Secondly, after the triumph and relief of '08, the United States had to field a team for the 2010 FIBA world championship.

Gone were Bryant, Wade, James, Kidd, Paul, Deron Williams and the entire core from '08. Instead, Team USA stocked up with a ton of big-time, versatile guards such as Chauncey Billups, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook and a bevy of 6-6 to 6-9 swingmen like Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Rudy Gay.

Meanwhile, as the 2011-12 basketball season and playoffs unfolded, several players – including former NBA MVP Rose, center Dwight Howard and forward Chris Bosh – all suffered nagging injuries that kept them from pushing their bodies through a grueling summer of try-outs, exhibition games and, ultimately, eight tough Olympic games.

The loss of Howard and Bosh, in particular, combined with the personal trials and tribulations of C-F Lamar Odom (possibly the MVP of the 2004 and 2010 national teams), handed the USA with a roster void of big men, the so-called traditional centers. The result: the United States headed to London this past week with a team that might jump "higher" and is infinitely "faster" but is under-sized and certainly not "stronger" in any sense of the word.

The rest of the world’s teams have all studied Team USA closely and will calculate different ways to defeat the Americans. Certainly, it will involve getting the USA's only true center, Tyson Chandler, into early foul trouble. It will involve the defensive strategy to allow the USA to penetrate and pitch for long, outside jumpers.

If the likes of Carmelo Anthony, James, Iguodala, Bryant or Durant are hitting from three-point land, it will translate to 20-plus point victories for Team USA, no matter who the opponent. However, if an Anthony or James struggles with the outside shooting, like Mr. Melo did in the 2006 elimination game against Greece in Japan – or even as the entire USA squad did in its Washington, D.C. exhibition game against Brazil – the upset vultures will be circling, much the way they did when Lithuania ran with the USA until the waning moments in Sydney in 2000.

***

While there wasn’t much suspense to the bold prediction that the USA will win gold at London 2012, the first part of this preview begs an answer to the question; Who might upset the US in men’s basketball?

That's easy, but with these predictions, you’ll be reading about more chalk. The likely contenders for medals, along with the USA, will be the same three teams that graced the medal stands over the last three FIBA world and European competitions. Those are: Spain, Argentina, and Lithuania with Russia and France as sleepers.

Editor’s note: Turkey (2012 silver), Serbia (2010 4th place) and some of the other traditional powers, like Croatia and Italy did not qualify for London.

Here are thumbnail sketches on the medal contenders in London:

SPAIN: The frontcourt size of 7-footers Pau Gasol and his "little" brother, Marc, will be reason for concern for the undersized USA but the key factor for Spain when it faces the USA in medal-round action will be the play of guards Jose Calderon, Juan Navarro, Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez. If the backcourt can hold its own and not turn the ball over against the pressure USA defense, Spain will be in the game. Spain has no fear of the USA and will pound the ball into the bigmen in an attempt to get to the free throw line. Spain won the 2011 European championship, no small accomplishment. If both the USA and Spain win their respective pool play rounds, the likely meeting will not come until the gold medal game.

ARGENTINA: Similar to the “last go ‘round” for the core members of the 2006-2012 US national team, the Manu Ginobili-led Argentines know this is the end of the trail. Add that to the potential for the Olympics to be a tournament for 23-and-Under tikes, and it only underlines the fact that Argentina will be competing with heavy hearts and the intangible of sentiment and desire. Ginobili, himself, can become a USA defense-breaker or a turnover machine while Carlos Delfino is a suitable international guard.  Upfront, Luis Scola and Andreas Nocioni are as tough and experienced of an international tandem you will see. Argentina is dangerous, especially to the team that will see them in the quarterfinals and the semifinals.

FRANCE: Seven current or former NBA players dot the roster of the French national team, the runner-up at the 2011 European championship. While the name Tony Parker, the MVP of the 2007 NBA Finals, flows from the mouths of world basketball fans like fine champagne in a NYC nightclub, the key factor for the French team is the absence of one, Joakim Noah, the 6-11, New York City-bred, pain-in-the-ass center of the Chicago Bulls. Because of Noah’s French heritage (nearly every sportsman knows his father, Yannick, was a world class tennis star), and his friendship with many a player on the current French national team, Noah was ready to suit up until a left ankle injury curtailed his 2012 NBA Playoffs and continues to require extensive rehabilitation work. While the French team can do some damage in London, Noah, the NCAA champion from Florida, would’ve made a huge difference when it came to to play Spain, Lithuania, Brazil or the USA.

LITHUANIA: Every time you look up, Lithuania is right there. Whether it’s a European championship, a world championship or the Olympic Games, Lithuania comes to play and they come with size, rebounding and shooting. A pair of Toronto Raptors team members, Linas Kleiza and Jonas Valanciunas will be most familiar to North American fans, along with Darius Songaila of Wake Forest fame and guard Sarunas Jasikevicius, formerly of the University of Maryland. Fans might remember it was Jasikevicius’ potential game-winning three-pointer that was in the air but fell short, partially because of tenacious defense by Jason Kidd and also because of a partial block by Antonio McDyess at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. At London 2012, look for Lithuania to be in the mix for a medal.

RUSSIA: When FIBA created the current system for Olympic qualifying, they sliced off three tournament berths and created a pan-continental, pre-Olympic tournament and money maker. In doing so, they also created “the hot hand.” In the summer of 2012, Russia is the hot hand, coming off the first-pace finish at the recently completed tournament held in Caracas, Venezuela. Coach David Blatt is one of the top international coaches in the world and he’ll bring Andrei Kirilenko, a signee by the Minnesota Twolves, Denver Nuggets center Timofey Mozgov and NBA newbie Alexey Shved.

BRAZIL: As the USA experienced in one of their five friendly games leading up to London, Brazil’s formidable frontline of Nene (Washington Wizards), Tiago Splitter (San Antonio Spurs) and Anderson Varejao (Cleveland Cavaliers) along with quick, sharp-shooting guards, like Marcelinho Huertas or Leandrinho Barbosa, can create some havoc unless Brazil’s opponent forces a ton of turnovers. Aside from the USA, no other team features a game-long, relentless full-court attack, so Brazil can advance deep into the medal round, if the big fellas stay focused, out of foul trouble and relentless on the boards.

The Medal Pretenders:

Australia and Great Britain could all leap-up to grab a medal round berth, especially Great Britain with Chicago forward Luol Deng carrying his national team on his shoulders in front of the hometown fans, who would rather be at Wimbledon, Equestrian or a local cricket game. Australia’s Boomers come to London equipped to grab a fourth place berth in Pool B and from there, a match-up with the Americans, as long as the Americans win-out in their side of the preliminary round.

Happy to be there:

China, Nigeria and Tunisia do not figure to be in play for one of the eight medal round berths. Nigeria surprised all in gaining the third slot at the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament. China has taken a giant step backwards with the loss (retirement) of Yao Ming while Yi Jianlian cannot fill the huge roll left from Yao’s departure, although his tremendous athleticism will be on display for all to see.

***

2012 Men's Basketball tournament odds (courtesy of #DigSportsDesk)

USA 1/8

Spain 13/2

France 25/1

Argentina 25/1

Lithuania 30/1

Russia 30/1

Brazil 40/1

Australia 100/1

China 125/1

Great Britain 250/1

Nigeria 250/1

Tunisia 1000/1

NBAE Super-Slow Mo Cameras on USAB

Check out the latest in super-slow-mo tech -- the Phantom Cam - from NBA Entertainment - covering the USA Basketball Olympics Team as it makes its way to London:

In the Spirit of the Olympics

How will the evils of war be cast aside in the country of Afghanistan? Is it possible? What will happen after the coalition of world peace-keeping soldiers departs from the land?  

One small aspect of healing might come through sports.  From ping-pong diplomacy to the current day NBA Cares efforts, world leaders often look to the world of sports as a way to heal the wounds of war and close the gap between vastly different cultures.

Here is one small example:

Posting Up

Be sure to visit Jack McCallum's new blog which will be promoting his new book, DREAM TEAM.  

Mark Cuban Remains Clueless on Olympic Basketball

Mark Cuban remains in the dark with his broken-record denial of the fact that the Olympics actually help the NBA in its endless quest to promote itself and the sport of basketball to people "other" than the very core fans the league is constantly reaching on a regular basis.
The Olympic Games reach a far broader audience than the NBA and its 200+ broadcast outlets can ever reach, even during the annual All-Star Game or NBA Finals. Cuban refuses to recognize that the broadcasters that have Olympic broadcast rights are far superior in scope and reach than the limited audience of the NBA's niche rights holders. (A good example is the broad reach of NBC relative to the limited audiences of the likes of Comcast SportsNet New England, MSG Network, TNT/Turner (via Cable).

See Cuban's myopic, mindless, -- not to mention boorish and repetitive -- viewpoint in his recent blog post:

There was a note in today’s NY Times saying that European Soccer leaders have unanimously backed a proposal to limit participation in future Olympics to players under the age of 21. (Currently, the Olympics are limited to under 23 plus 3 overage players. ).

All I can say is Amen.

I have argued why its crazy for the NBA to loan its best players to the USOC , which is first, last and middle a for profit organization that is using our players to generate billions of dollars of revenues. Not millions, BILLIONs.

Its crazy on every level.

Now that the European Soccer Community is pushing to remove their most highly paid and best players from the Olympics, we should support their efforts.

For the major revenue generating sports, the Olympics are no longer about Patriotism. They are a business.

If we want to find out which country has the best basketball, lets create a competitive tournament that is honest about why it exists and make it a profit making entity that shares the profits with its participants. A notion that is foreign to the Olympic Committee .

When we sent the Dream Team in 1992, it was the right thing to do at the right time. Our competition was sending what were essentially professional teams to face our collegiate players. Today, that is no longer the case. The NBA and professional basketball has become an international sport.

We could still send our under 21 players to the Olympics. They will represent our country admirably, Im sure. More importantly, it would be a great business move for the NBA. Those players we send will get far more branding and marketing assigned to them then their current one and done collegiate careers (and the prospects of playing in the Olympics may incent them to stay in college as well).

The incremental branding the Olympics would provide the players would make them far more valuable to, and marketable by the NBA should they make it to our level. To those who can’t, as young Olympians, their opportunity to continue their careers as pro players in other leagues would improve as well.

NBA fans, and this owner are tired of players who are unable to play to their full potential because they play for other profit seeking enterprises . Its not just about Mavs players. Its about players for all NBA teams. Its harder to sell tickets when a star on the other team cant play due to injury. Its time we follow the lead of these European Soccer leaders and ask our players to only play for the profit seeking enterprise that pays them and limit the Olympics to players under 21. IF the Olympics can make billions using our under 21 players, more power to them.

In case Cuban hadn't noticed, FIBA has a tournament that he describes and its called the World Championship. FIBA has organized Under-21 world championships, Under 20 world championships, Under 19 world championships and Under 18 world championships. At the last U21, the US finished fifth. For history, click HERE.

A Kodak Moment ...

This news item caught my attention in a big way:

KODAK ENDING OLYMPIC SPONSORSHIP

Photography and imaging firm Eastman Kodak Co. said Friday it will end its sponsorship of the Olympic Games following the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008 as the company moves in a new direction.

"Our new business strategy requires us to reassess our marketing tactics as well, and adapt them to changing market conditions and evolving customer behavior," Kodak's director of brand management, Elizabeth Noonan, said in a statement.

Kodak is one of 12 sponsors in "The Olympic Program," the top tier of business partnership for the games. Kodak will provide an imaging center for photojournalists, a diagnostic center to treat athlete injuries and imaging for Olympic identification badges during the games in Beijing.

The decision by Kodak sparked a number of thoughts as I read about their 'new business strategy' and how Kodak will 'adapt to changing market conditions and ...evolving customer behavior.'

The random thoughts?

Overall, the announcement made me think that the new age of an Olympic photographic sponsor is more apt to be a growing and global company, such as Getty Images.

Secondly, Kodak, as the Olympic sponsor/advertising incumbent, had a huge investment into the Olympic movement and a program for consumer outreach that touched sports fans, media and professional photographers, alike. But, the changing world - i.e. the prevailing use of digital photography - made a high-priced Olympic sponsorship a luxury that could not be afforded. (And, keep in mind that they know that the 2012 Olympics in London will be a tremendous platform).

Lastly, I applaud and agree with Kodak's decision. While I am never one to 'give up' in my sports marketing endeavors, there is a time to fold the hand and toss the cards back in the deck for a re-shuffle.

Times have changed in the world of photography. I actually spend time "worrying" about the future of the still image. The beauty of a black and white action photo, the art of capturing the image and preserving it for eternity.

What will "still" photography be and become in 5-10-20-25 years?

My daughters - on their own - both decided (at different times, I might add) to take after-school photography classes. They have been taught the artistry that is photography. They have been taught how to develop film in a dark room. It will be a "lost art," no doubt. They dream of being 'real' photojournalists.

Will the dream change in front of their eyes? I wish I could change that, for old-times sake, but Kodak's decision illustrates the cold, hard truth.

It's too bad, isn't it?

Time and progress march on.

Great Britain Basketball ... 1 win away

Luol Deng has earned his share of pounds sterling. And, not a tuppence has made it to his pocket. Instead, he has earned the respect of a nation. If he keeps it up, it might be Sir Luol someday soon.

Great Britain basketball is one victory away from promotion to the upper tier of European basketball and a chance to qualify for the 2010 FIBA World Championship to be played in Istanbul in the summer of 2010. In all likelyhood, this summer's work will cement a slot for GBB to earn a place in the 12-team 2012 Olympic basketball tournament in 2012 as host.

The Times' Ian Whittell has followed Chris Finch's squad throughout the summer, working his way from Belarus to Albania to Sheffield and back to Geneva for the capper this weekend.

While the eyes of euro-basketball have been fixed on Madrid for Eurobasket 2007 the Lords of Olympic basketball have been hoping that GBB earns their way to a (very) respectable finish and a successful march towards Turkey.

The issue remains? Should the host country get an automatic berth in the relatively 'small' 12-team Olympic basketball tournament? Should it be written to have both men's and women's teams?

Should the Olympic basketball tournament be increased to 16 teams? That is 192 more athletes for men and 384 more athletes if the same increase is made for the women's side.

Believe it or not, organizers are seeking ways to reduce the size of the Olympics and ease the strain on housing/hotels/transportation. That is one of the reasons that Baseball got the big heave-ho.

I believe that basketball's global popularity is reason enough to increase the tournament to 16 teams for men and women. However, the organizers could stage a portion of the Olympic tournament in a nearby city and pass along the medal round or semifinals and finals to the Olympic host city.

This year, the early rounds might be staged in Shanghai beginning the day after the opening ceremonies, then return to Beijing for the final weekend of the Olympics.

In 2012, Manchester could play host, then pass the basketball torch to the O2 arena in London for the finale.