The World's Got GAME

摘要

Basketball has been a source of such exaggerated American pride for so long that it was hard not to admire Larry Brown's humility last week when it all sank in a sea of Puerto Rican flags. After the U.S. men's team lost to its little island cousin by an irrefutable 19 points, becoming the first Olympic squad to drop a game since the NBA started packing the team with stars in 1992, coach Brown said, "We got beat in every area. Every area." His mood did not improve following a clumsy 6-point victory over Euro doormat— but home favorite—Greece, and he was hardly buoyant after a 10-point win over Australia: "We've got athletes. They've got basketball players. They've got kids that are truly committed to being part of a team."