International Intrigue with USA and the NBA

Indiana's Paul George had yet to be wheeled into the operating room, and the naysayers/slash/sports pundits were speculating as to the response of the Pacers' Larry Bird and his fellow NBA front office cohorts. The media speculation ran from comments from basketball operations types to team ownership and the viewpoint that everyone knew might come with the most punch was from Dallas Mavericks team owner Mark Cuban, a longtime opponent of allowing NBA players to participate in events run-for-profit and sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and international basketball federation (FIBA).

USA Basketball World Cup 2014 (Getty Images)

Cuban did not disappoint, lobbing his first salvo fewer than 24 hours after George's horrific leg injury, suffered in a televised intra-squad scrimmage between USA Basketball's "Blue vs White" teams of roster players seeking a spot on the senior men's national team scheduled to compete in the FIBA World Cup of Basketball late this summer.

"The [International Olympic Committee] is playing the NBA. The IOC is an organization that has been rife with corruption, to the point where a member was accused of trying to fix an Olympic event in Salt Lake," said Cuban to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. "The IOC [pulls in] billions of dollars. They make a killing and make (fictional HBO organized crime drama character) Tony Soprano look like a saint. The pros in multiple sports are smart enough to not play when they are eligible free agents. But teams take on huge financial risk so that the IOC committee members can line their pockets. The greatest trick ever played was the IOC convincing the world that the Olympics were about patriotism and national pride instead of money. The players and owners should get together and create our own World Cup of Basketball."

First-off, Cuban should've noted it would have to be considered the second greatest trick, because his timing of a multi-billion dollar sale of Broadcast.com to Yahoo will rank numero uno in most debates.

But, taking that aside, let's get back to the international basketball debate currently on a low boil after Bird and the Pacers front office took the righteous and classy step to stop the finger-pointing, take any pressure off USA Basketball and the basic concept of whether to participate in the event or not?

"We still support USA Basketball and believe in the NBA's goals of exposing our game, our teams and players worldwide," Bird said in a prepared statement. "This is an extremely unfortunate injury that occurred on a highly visible stage, but could also have occurred anytime, anywhere."

If taking Bird's viewpoint as the general guideline as the key starting point is the foundation, then framing the debate is rather simple.

Does a players participation in an international sporting event, representing his country, benefit the player and the NBA team paying his guaranteed contract enough so that the player should risk injury and put his body through the training, lead-up and event itself?

Much of the answer to that question cannot be measured on a balance sheet, as Cuban suggests. If it were to be about the money, the answer would be a resounding "No" and the debate would've never begun. The fact is, the debate is not about money and it's not about a measurable outcome. It's not about two basketball tournaments (FIBA World Cup and the Olympic Games), either. The benefits of playing international basketball come from all corners of the earth and from all levels of the game. You cannot ask whether Paul George, Kevin Durant or Lebron James should play for the USA without also wondering if Yao Ming, Serge Ibaka or Dirk Nowitzki would've ever "made it" to the NBA if it weren't for the grassroots national team (and local club) investments poured into the game years and years ago. It's not about "just" the senior men's level, either, it is about men's and women's basketball at all levels, cadet through juniors, Olympics through continental tournaments.

Cuban cannot have it both ways.

He cannot criticize the IOC/FIBA on one hand but then reap the benefits of the talent of German-born and bred Nowitzki on the other. He can not ask OKC Thunder fans and single out Kevin Durant's participation for the USA without considering whether OKC would be a contender without Ibaka, a mainstay of the Spanish national team. He cannot cash his check on the NBA China investments and praise the NBA's overall international popularity without thanking his lucky stars for a 7-foot-4 Yao Ming who timed his NBA career for the league's coffers and overall global tv resume almost as well as Cuban timed his exit before the dotcom bust.

On the USA side of the ledger, you might surmise that Lebron James matured mightily through his USA Basketball experience to help him become a better overall team player and certainly a better overall person, via the first class experience brought forth by USA Executive Director Jerry Colangelo and national team head coach Mike Krzyzewski and their staffs. While contemplating that thought, please remember that the likes of Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley and certainly Lisa Leslie are frequently quoted on their sentiment that the Olympic experience was, by far, the best sporting experience of their careers, and you might get a few international players to agree, especially the likes of Argentina's Manu Ginobili and Spain's Pau Gasol (who broke his leg in the 2006 World tourney in Japan and missed 22 NBA games the following season).

So the issue is solidly framed for more debate. On August 4, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke with ESPN.com's Stein in reaction to the Cuban story he generated on Saturday.

"Without a doubt, basketball has grown tremendously since 1992, when NBA players began playing in the Olympics," Silver said to Stein, a veteran chronicler of international basketball. "Also, it's important to note the [improvement] many of our players have made in terms of ability, leadership and passion for the game by playing for their home countries. Injuries can happen anyplace at any time. The experiences our players have enjoyed by participating in their national teams, however, are ones that are unique and special in almost every other way. At this point, I don't anticipate a major shift in the NBA's participation in international competitions.

"It seems clear, however, that this will be a topic at our next NBA competition committee meeting in September and our board of governors meeting in October. And, of course, we will continue to evaluate the pros and cons of participating in international tournaments."

In doing so, the razor sharp Silver needs to invoke the testimony of everyone involved, but he might simply start with Charles Barkley and Manu Ginobili and save us all some time.

From today's Washington Times ...

OBAMA to TRY to WIN OLYMPICS for CHICAGO

By Matthew Mosk and Tim Lemke -- THE WASHINGTON TIMES

President Obama will put his international star power on the line this week as he travels to Denmark for a last-minute, in-person appeal to members of the International Olympic Committee to choose his hometown of Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Games.

The president had initially said he would have to skip the final presentation to the IOC, which will occur just prior to the committee's selection from among four finalists, Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. But in a bit of theatrics, Mr. Obama reversed course and announced Monday he would attend.

Mr. Obama has made no secret of his desire to capture the games for Chicago.

"Chicago is ready. The American people are ready. We want these games. We want them," he said during a speech at the White House earlier this month.

For a vote that is expected to hinge on the leanings of just a handful of IOC members, his visit could be pivotal.

"I think his presence makes it almost certain that Chicago will win the bid," said former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney, who oversaw the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002. "I think we could have easily lost the bid" had the president not gone to make the case for Chicago in person.

But there is also a political risk that Mr. Obama's personal intervention falls short, dealing the new president a very public defeat on a global stage.

The presidential pitch is part of a well-orchestrated lobbying campaign involving the White House. In June, Mr. Obama created the White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport. Last week, he raised the topic repeatedly with world leaders as they gathered at the United Nations and at the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh.

Observers of the bid process said Mr. Obama's presence this week will help, especially considering that the heads of state of Brazil and Spain and Japan's prime minister are all expected to attend.

IOC delegates have come to expect a personal appeal from the very top from its bidders.

In the weeks leading up to the vote for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, London's chances of winning seemed remote, with many observers predicting the IOC would award the games to Paris.

But London surged to win the bid on the final day after British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived before the final vote in Singapore to speak with IOC members. Like Mr. Obama, Mr. Blair had originally said he could not attend the IOC gathering.

Russia's Sochi bid for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, once seen as a long shot, also got an unexpected boost when then-President Vladimir Putin spoke during the bid presentation on the final day, one of the few occasions he has spoken publicly in English.

Mr. Obama's decision to attend "is absolutely huge," said Terry Lyons, a New England-based sports marketing consultant who has worked with many Olympic teams and athletes. "He has a real understanding and true knowledge of everything that's gone on there and he is clearly backing up the bid. I also think it's a statement of his belief in sport as a very important part of society, and I think that will carry a lot of weight with the IOC."

Chicago's organizers will make their final presentation to IOC officials on Friday morning, with the other bidding cities to follow. IOC members will then vote in as many as three rounds, eliminating the lowest-scoring city each round. The first city to capture at least 50 percent of the vote will win.

Past votes suggest the contest will go down to the wire. London and Sochi each won in the final round of voting by a mere four votes. Sydney, Australia, was awarded the rights to the 2000 Summer Olympics by two votes in the final tally, despite badly trailing front-runner Beijing in the first three rounds.

"Obama will matter a lot, definitely, especially since it's so close," said Rob Livingstone, the producer of Gamesbids.com, a Web site devoted to the Olympic bid process. "Any edge you can get is very important."

Predicting an IOC decision is inherently challenging, and recent technical evaluations of the bids offered few clues on the committee's leanings. The IOC had been critical of Chicago's inability to get a full financial guarantee from the federal government to protect against cost overruns, but those concerns were addressed earlier this month when the Chicago City Council passed a measure ensuring a full financial guarantee at the local level.

All four cities have mounted strong public relations campaigns touting the technical side of their bids, but Olympic observers said emotional arguments often play a bigger role. Some give the edge in Copenhagen to Rio de Janeiro because IOC members might be moved by the notion of holding an Olympics in South America for the first time. Brazil has also played up its high level of support from its citizens.

But analysts said Mr. Obama's presence will boost Chicago's profile.

"What Chicago can use to their advantage is to say that President Obama calls Chicago his hometown and they could try to, in the presentation, use the emotion and swing the votes their way," Mr. Livingstone said. "The final presentation is going to be very, very important to the final results of this election."

No Joy in Mudville

The IOC has spoken; see this...

I.O.C. Decision Draws Cheers and Complaints From Athletes
By JEFF Z. KLEIN

Female boxers were pleased, as were golfers and rugby players. But athletes in other sports with Olympic aspirations — including baseball, softball and karate — were left feeling snubbed Thursday when Olympic officials made some decisions on what games would be played at the Games.
“I’m thrilled,” said Christy Halbert, the chairwoman of USA Boxing’s women’s task force, regarding the International Olympic Committee’s executive board vote to include women’s boxing in the 2012 Summer Games in London. “This has been a long road. I’m so happy that women boxers will finally be able to participate on the world’s most prestigious stage.”
The board also recommended that rugby and golf be included in the program for the 2016 Games, rejecting baseball, karate, roller sports, softball and squash.
“I’d love to play for the rugby team — that would be great,” Tiger Woods said, drawing laughter at his news conference after completing the first round of the P.G.A. Championship in Chaska, Minn. “No. 1, I think it’s great for golf,” he added. “We’re long overdue to have it in the Olympics. Our sport is a global sport.”
The I.O.C. board’s decisions were less satisfying for those involved with sports that were left out.
“Definitely not how I wanted to wake up this morning,” said Ashley Hansen, 19, a member of the United States softball team.
“This sport will continue to grow — it’s come so far in the last 10 years,” said Hansen, who made the national team this summer for the first time. “Everybody is just heartbroken; softball deserves to be there. But we’re optimistic. International play will continue.”
Cheryl K. Murphy, 30, who has won two silver medals in karate for the United States in international competitions, said the ruling was “absolutely crazy.”
“Karate takes a lot of mental, spiritual and physical strength just to compete — it’s really the ultimate Olympic sport. Disappointment is not even the word to describe how I feel.”
Luke St. Onge, the chief executive of the National Karate-Do Federation, pointed out that his sport finished third in the voting. “Rugby and golf are money-intensive,” he said. “I’m not saying it’s wrong, but for television those two sports would be much more attractive than if we were there.”
Murphy said that younger karate athletes would have to decide whether to stick with the sport for at least another eight years if they wanted to compete in the Olympics. Cat Osterman, another United States softball player, had a similar reaction.
“The way we look at it is that it’s going to be a year-by-year decision as to whether we keep playing or not,” Osterman, 26, told Universal Sports. “We don’t know what our funding is going to be now that we are out of the Olympics.”
Harvey Schiller, who vigorously lobbied for baseball on behalf of the International Baseball Federation, was also left reflecting on an effort that came up short.
“On behalf of the millions of people who play the game at every stage, I’m personally disappointed that they won’t have a chance to participate,” he said. “Baseball is the only sport not on the Olympic program that also is the national sport of so many countries.”
Even some women’s boxers were not fully satisfied. They were upset with the I.O.C. decision to use only three weight classes while excluding seven others.
“It’s a Catch-22,” said Marlen Esparza, 20, a three-time national champion and ranked No. 1 in her 106-pound weight class, which was not included in the 2012 Olympic program. “On the one hand, I’m really happy that women boxers have gotten their foot in the door, but on the other hand, it’s really disappointing for me and for so many other boxers.”

Pat Borzi contributed reporting.

IOC on Baseball and Softball ...

Interesting story this past weekend from Washington where the USA Women's softball team was playing in nearby Maryland. The Post delved into the fate of softball as an Olympic sport (1996 to 2008).

As I understand it, the IOC cut softball and baseball as there was limited interest and a limited number of countries who fielded teams. The IOC is also looking to cut down the number of athletes and credentials at the Olympic Games, in general. Read on:


Two With Something to Prove
U.S. Softball Squad Making Pitch To Put Sport Back on IOC's Radar

By Liz Clarke
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 10, 2008; E01

They are the undisputed world's best -- so superior to their competition that losses have become almost unthinkable, and close games signify a stunning development.

Yet the U.S. women's national softball team is barnstorming around the country on tour buses this summer, toting luggage and toddlers, in some cases, and staying two-to-a-hotel room on a 45-city tour to hone their skills, foster teamwork and build good will in advance of the 2008 Olympics.

And they're seeing the payback before they've hurled their first fast pitch in Beijing. It's the squeals of the girls in the grandstands who think Jennie Finch is a bigger star than Miley Cyrus, screaming, "Jennie, we love you!" when she takes the mound and yelling "Bustos!" at the sight of Crystl Bustos, the team's power hitter. And it's the sparkle in their eyes -- one that reminds center fielder Laura Berg of how she felt, 20 years ago, when her dream of becoming an astronaut gave way to an even more outlandish dream of playing softball for a living.

A crowd of 8,000 strong is expected at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie today as the U.S. women, whose record this summer is 30-1 -- with a lone loss to Virginia Tech -- take on the Washington Glory.

The Olympians hope to inspire the youngsters with skill on the field and, afterward, encourage them to pursue dreams of their own during the customary postgame autograph session.

They'll have a far more daunting goal on Aug. 12, when they begin round-robin play in Beijing against Venezuela: Win enough games to claim a fourth consecutive gold medal and, in doing so, win enough hearts to convince the International Olympic Committee that it erred in voting to drop softball from the Games in 2012.

Said Berg, 33, a veteran of three Olympics: "We've got two things in mind: To win gold, and to get the sport of softball out there in people's minds. There are 128 countries that play the sport of softball, and it's important that the IOC see that."

Added Finch: "We're going to do everything we can to prove we belong. And we plan to use Beijing as a platform to do this. In the U.S., girls have the option of getting a scholarship and playing in college. But in other countries, the Olympics is the only place to pursue their dream. We want to continue that dream for the young girls in Croatia or China. That's what it's all about."

Softball became an Olympic sport in 1996, following baseball's inclusion in 1992. Playing before an adoring home crowd in Atlanta in 1996, the U.S. women romped to the gold with an 8-1 record. In 2000, they nearly missed the medal round in Sydney but stormed back to defend their gold.

And they leveled all comers in Athens in 2004, reeling off eight consecutive shutouts before surrendering their sole run in a victory over Australia that delivered a gold-medal three-peat. Sports Illustrated lauded their achievement with a cover photo of the triumphant squad under the banner, "The Real Dream Team."

But the next year, the IOC voted to eliminate softball and baseball after the Beijing Games. The move stunned supporters of both sports.

Baseball presumably lost favor because of the growing specter of steroid use in the major leagues, as well as the U.S. failure to send its top players to the Games.

In softball's case, it appeared the sport was being penalized for the U.S. women's dominance.

"We've heard that," Berg said in a telephone interview. "But that's not a legitimate reason to kick us out. Look at our women's basketball team; they dominate. Look at China in diving, and at Korea in archery. They weren't kicked out. Why are we getting kicked out?"

Ron Radigonda, executive director of the sport's national governing body, the Amateur Softball Association, suspects that multiple factors were at play -- chief among them the impression among many IOC members that neither baseball nor softball is a global sport. Like softball enthusiasts worldwide, he's already at work marshalling a case for softball's reinstatement in 2016.

According to Radigonda, 90 percent of tickets for softball's round-robin games in Beijing have already sold out, and tickets to medal rounds sold out months ago.

"I feel very good about that," Radigonda said from his office in Kansas City, Mo. "That has to have a very strong impression on the IOC members."

Moreover, the sport is gaining a foothold in countries such as Iran, Jordan and Sierra Leone.

Meantime, the U.S. women continuing working on their game and building a pipeline for softball players to succeed them -- ideally in Olympics to come.

"The biggest thing we can do is go and show the best softball they've ever seen," pitcher Cat Osterman said. "If we put on the best show they've ever seen, then we can prove softball should remain in the Olympics."

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