From: hatch@gandalf.nosc.mil (Mark D. Hatch)
Subject: Re: Australias would heve beaten dream team
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 14:51:14 GMT

In article <1992Aug18.183329.1@wombat.newcastle.edu.au> c9111381@wombat.newcastle.edu.au (ROBERT BUCK) writes:

>There has been quite a bit of talk about teh american olympic baskeball
>team and how easily they won but you have to consider the fact that
>the U.S.S.R. and the Yugoslavian team weren't together as a complete
>force.

Sorry, but even with the old USSR or Yugoslavia teams in full force, the 
US would have won easily.  The Dream Team was more talented at every 
single position than either one of these teams.  The smallest margin of
victory in the Olympics was 32 points, and the Dream Team never played
at full intensity after opening up an early big lead.  Against a better
team, they would have simply played better, and won by a ton.

>I was disappointed with the teams performance after waiting three years
>to see them play. I think that the problem is that there is quite a bit
>of glamour and hipe that goes along with the N.B.A. so everyonbe thinks that
>it is the best league on earth but I strongly believe that the australian
>N.B.L. is a better hardcore league. see the aust league is more of a 
>blue collar than finess league and so doesn't get quite as much publicity

>I think the aust would have beaten the U.S. all over the court had they 
>played.

I think that you're fellow Australians would tell you that you're dreaming.
Australia didn't even make it to the medal round.  Correct me if I am wrong,
but the Aussies lost to Lithuania and the Unified Team, as well as at least
one other team.  The Dream Team dominated Lithuania, and beat up on Croatia
twice, who beat the Unified Team in the semifinals.  Australia would have
had their head handed to them.

>They even look better on paper

OK, let's look at them on paper.

>Luc Longely is aparently one of the biggest stars in the N.B.A

Is this what the local papers tell you?  I had the pleasure of watching
Luc play several times in college, as well as the pros.  Even in the WAC,
a college conference frequently devoid of quality centers, Luc hardly
dominated.  He often played rather poorly, though he would have an
occasional great game.  He has decent skills, but he does not play hard.

He was absolutely PATHETIC in his rookie year with the Timberwolves.  He
wouldn't even be considered in the top dozen centers in the league.

>Andrew Gaze scores 44ppg as opposed to MJ 29ppg

Gaze played his college ball here in the States at Seton Hall.  He wasn't
even the leading scorer on that team.  He was given a tryout by the Seattle
Supersonics, and didn't come close to making the team.  He scores more points 
than Michael Jordan because  he plays in a MUCH weaker league.

>The Australians also have "LEEPING" LEROY Loggins, The general Phil Smyth
>and the thunderbolt Damian Keogh.

Loggins is from the US, no?  He is playing in Australia because he wasn't 
good enough to make the NBA.

>They have more power, the elephant Andrew Vlahov would have too much strength
>for Barkley or Malone.

Again, Vlahov played his college ball here in the States.  I'm sure that 
Stanford fans will tell you that he is no match for either Barkley or
Malone.  He wasn't even as good as his teammate, Adam Keefe, who is no
match for Barkley or Malone.

>You will probably read tyhis and think that it is B.S but I what both leagues
>you probably haven't seen the ausralians play.  

This is the only reason I responded to this article.  I initially thought 
that you had your tongue firmly planted in your cheek, until you informed
us otherwise.  While it is true that I have never seen any NBL games, I
have seen several of your top stars here in the States.  Decent college
players, but definitely not NBA calliper players (Longley will stick
around as a reserve, and Gaze, if he tried, might have become a journeyman,
but that is about it).  I have a hard time believing that you watch much
of the NBA, though.  If so, you would have known that Longley is hardly
a star.

							Mark Hatch