I agree, but don't you still have to term it "black basketball"?
I would prefer to call it "street basketball" as in; The 2004 Olympics marked the end of the illusion that US Street Basketball was superior to the rest of the world.
But it begs the obvious point that you simply can't say out loud in our society- the term "street" refers to black ghettos, so this undisciplined work ethic, resulting in this unbelievable embarrassment of 3 (and counting) USA losses when we'd lost one other time, when the officials cheated for the Soviets in 72-in 80 years. Its a game we invented, and this is an indictment of that entire thug mentality NBA fans have allowed to take over the sport.
They should take away Lebron James' shoe contract and give it to one of the Argentinians who whooped him.
Maybe it's just me, but did you watch the medal ceremony.
The American team were jerks. IMHO. They acted like it was a bore to be standing up there. No smiles for the Argentinians etc. It was great watching how happy the gold and silver medal winners were. It would have been a good time for some manners and dignity from our team.
Another statistic:
No undefeated teams.
The Medalists:
1. Argentina, 6-2. Finished third in Group A with a 3-2 record. Losses to Spain and Italy. Lost to Italy to be determined third in Group A. Defeated #2B Greece, #4B United States, and avenged first-round loss to #2A Italy for Gold. At-large bid, 2nd Americas. Earns a guaranteed free pass to the 2006 World Championships in Japan where the winner of Saitama tournament wins 2008 Olympics automatic bid. At-large bids for Olympics based on performance at 2002 World Championships of region.
2. Italy, 5-3. Finished second in Group A with a 3-2 record. Losses to Spain and Serbia-Montenegro. Beat Argentina in preliminary round to be determined second in Group A. Defeated #3B Puerto Rico and #1B Lithuania to advance to finals. Lost to #3A Argentina to clinch Silver. At-large bid, 3rd Europe. (Beat France when the Spurs' Tony Parker Jnr, born to a Chicago native playing pro ball in France and a French wife, missed free throws with 9.9 seconds remaining to seal the final bid.)
3. United States, 5-3. Finished fourth in Group B with a 3-2 record, losing a three-way tie-breaker with Greece and Puerto Rico based on best record among the three teams in a tie-breaker as the three-way record was 1-1, and total net point differential favored Greece. Losses to Puerto Rico and Lithuania. Defeated #1A Spain to advance to semifinals. Lost to #3A Argentina to be relegated, and avanged loss to #1B Lithuania in the finals to clinch Bronze. Automatic bid, won Americas.