Dream Team Is a Snooze
S Y D N E Y, Australia, Sept. 15 -- Setting a new standard for dullness, the U.S. men’s basketball team fidgeted, fussed and flung out endless cliches at its inaugural news conference at the Olympics.
If there was any doubt that this team is not the Dream Team,that point was driven home relentlessly todayin a gathering with the international media that might have beenthe most mind-numbing 35 minutes in Australian history.
Flirting with the all-time Olympic record for use of the phrase“it’s a tremendous honor,” the U.S. team did nothing to dispelthe notion that they are boring and nobody cares about them.
“Our goal is to step on the floor every night and get the jobdone,” said the team’s biggest star, Vince Carter.
To their credit, none of the players was seen yawning.
Different Type of Player
They slumped forward, they slumped backward. They drank water,they tried on headphones and listened to different translations oftheir, um, insight.
The stretched their necks, they rubbed their eyes, they fiddledwith pens, they giggled among themselves.
They arrived 15 minutes late and left 10 minutes early, and noone even considered complaining.
“These guys are a lot different from the ’96 guys,” said GaryPayton, the only holdover from the men’s basketball team that wonthe gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics. “They are younger guys,more athletic guys.”
Charisma, Veteran Showmanship Gone
They are not, however, more interesting guys.
They are not like the 1992 team, a star-studded crew thatincluded Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and JohnStockton. That team inspired awe.
They are not like the 1996 team, a veteran cast that includedfunnymen Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller and Shaquille O’Neal. Thatteam at least knew how to lighten the atmosphere.
This team features the likes of Shareef Abdur-Rahim, AntonioMcDyess, Ray Allen and Allan Houston. They all seem like good guys,they all have a good sense of humor, they all have a flair forshowmanship.
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