EDITORIAL: Redemption in gold

OPINION:

In an Olympics that saw world records shattered by Michael Phelps in almost every individual swimming category and by his aqua-compatriots in the team categories, historic achievements by women athletes, perhaps the sweetest victory was the redemption of the U.S. Men’s Basketball team claiming gold after a disastrous and disappointing performance by the 2004 Olympic team.

After the disappointment of the 2004 Olympics team’s third-place finish and the taint of steroid use - one we have yet to overcome - Americans were beginning to wonder if our athletes had lost their sense of fair play and their patriotic spirit, just three years after the horiffic September 11 attacks had united us all. Certainly, the members of the USA Women’s Basketball team hadn’t lost their zeal for the games and their American spirit, claiming nothing short of gold, four straight olympics and always ecstatic about being on the team.

The men’s 2004 bronze performance and the reluctance of some players to join, spurred a backlash against the practice of composing the team of players from the National Basketball Association and against the players themselves - most notably seen in the repercussions against Carmello Anthony for appearing in “Don’t Snitch” commercials in his native Baltimore and the punishment Kobe Bryant received from his sexual assault case which began in 2003 which kept him from joining the 2004 Olympic team.

Both Messrs. Bryant and Anthony were members of this year’s 2008 team, aptly dubbed “The Redeem Team,” that won gold. Indeed both the players and American basketball dominance have been redeemed in the eyes of the American public, none more so than Mr. Bryant. The cheerful statements about his pride in wearing the Team USA uniform were unfairly questioned by NBC’s Chris Collinsworth - arguably the worst on-air, color analyst for football or any other sport. Mr. Collingsworth’s ridiculous, unpatriotic suggestion in asking Mr. Bryant whether it was cool to be proud of the team uniform resulted in a rebuke against the press by bloggers and other analysts.

And it didn’t stop there. When members of the team were interviewed about their Olympic experience, gone were the arrogant notions of not caring about the other athletes competing. Instead, all of them recited how they had watched Mr. Phelps, the sprinters and American olympians in other events perform, to whom they gave whole-hearted congratulations.

Yes, it is cool to be proud of the uniform. That is what the Olympic games are all about, after all - nations from all over the world showing pride in their heritage and their people. The men’s basketball team lost sight of that in 2004, but thanks to the members of the 2008 gold medal team, we reclaimed that spirit and are redeemed.