A long trip that was fun to watch from afar

It’s been my pleasure.

That’s kind of what I wanted to say after the women’s basketball team got finished with its rather impressive run Tuesday afternoon in the quarter-finals with the Yanks.

It was a predictable result – the Americans are head and shoulders better than anyone here – but that’s not what the story was.

The story was this very interesting group of young woman have now restored Canada to a level of prominence on the world stage they haven’t enjoyed in a decade or so.

I can remember many a night in the early 2000s when they’d be at some FIBA Americas qualifier for the worlds or the Olympics somewhere in South America and every night a couple of us would have conference call with Allison McNeill and maybe a player so we could write a little story about the drubbing they’d just taken.

They knew, and I knew, and everyone really knew that they weren’t ready to compete at that level in the post-Sydney era. They were young and, frankly, not skilled enough to compete with Brazil, Cuba, Argentina.

And after every tournament just about, I’d talked to Allison for a wrap up and she’d say something to the effect of “we’re going to get there but it’s going to take time. We just have to commit and keep going.”

It had to be hard, no one likes getting their brains beat in regularly with no real end in sight. They could have chucked it all, gone on with their lives and left the game.

But they didn’t. They got jobs in far flung places – Turkey, Lithuania, China, Greece – and played and worked on their games and got better. And every summer they’d come back to the program a little bit better, a bit closer as a team, a bit wiser about what the task was like.

And then they got to the worlds in 2006 and the worlds in 2010 and now the 2012 Olympics and the quarter-final.

It’s been a tremendous story that’s unfolded in basic anonymity for a decade, a story of athletes slogging it out with one goal in mind, to get here. Some women came and some women went, that’s always going to happen. But most bought in, stuck it out, got it done.

It’s not a big story, I guess, never was. But the totality of it, what they did, is an important story and should be told.

I’m glad it got told, I’m glad they got here, I’m glad they were rewarded.

-

So they put on these little concerts most nights in the courtyard area between the Main Press Centre and the International Broadcast Centre. Usually two or three acts a night and they’ve had a gospel choir, a barbershop quartet, some dancers.

Last night they had these guys, Gentlemen Duke doing something called Country Folk.

But any band with a fiddler and a bass player needs to be listened to.

-

Attention, world media:

I’ll say it again, especially to the guy who sat next to us in the press centre yesterday and particularly to the fellow sitting beside me on the bus home:

SHOWER

I beseech you in the name of all that’s good in the world.

SHOWER

-

No, it’s not all fun and games and The Ship here.

It’s work and as I recall, this is how the conversation went:

“What are you writing?”

“Tripe. You?”

“Treacle.”

So there you have it, he’s treacle, I’m tripe, or the other way around.

Seriously, it's not all fun and games and pubs over here; we do do some work.

-

In the whole brouhaha over the woman’s football and the officiating, the great Michael Farber had the best line.

It takes a bloke of a certain age to get it but when Mike tweeted this, I laughed out loud.

“For Canada. Soccer ref Christiana Pedersen = hockey ref Josef Kompalla. Discuss.”

Anyone?

-

Zaniest thing I saw yesterday?

Wandering down Southampton Row from the bus to the hotel just after 11 p.m. and there’s a Mexican TV crew walking the other way. Two hangers-on, a guy with a camera, and a fellow talking quite rapidly into a handheld microphone while other people on the sidewalk scattered.

Not sure what they were reporting on, there was nothing at all going on, but it sure sounded like an exciting story.

-

Hey, you Irregulars have to get up bright and early tomorrow.

Every great needs a caddie and, barring any zaniness like news happening today, I’m going to carry Cathal’s bag up to Coventry for the big football match and I’ll be joining him on what should be an epic IGBT.

Be there, or be square.

-

Big.

Boy.

Basketball.

Quarter-final day in the men’s tournament and I cannot wait, to tell you the truth.

Going to go and sit through all four games – first men’s hoops I’ve seen since I got here – and the plan is for some kind of day-long diary here on the web later tonight or overnight or whenever I get it done.

Kind of looking forward to it.

And much looking forward to the games – Spain-France, Russia-Lithuania, Brazil-Argentina and USA-Australia.

As I mentioned, thanks to my new career as an archery-beach volleyball-swimming-cycling-athletics reporter I haven’t been to a game but I have watched some and talked to some people and I’m not going back on my original prediction.

I think Spain gets the USA in the end to win gold and Russia’s going to win bronze.

Trust me on that, would you?

-

 

 

Comments

[Marc]

I'm going up to Coventry tomorrow too. I bought tickets for the women's gold medal soccer match at Wembely almost a year ago, but decided to dump them and get tickets to the bronze medal match instead so I could support our girls.

I'm afraid I've never been to Coventry though, so I can't offer any recommendations. It doesn't really have a great reputation as a tourist destination here in the UK though. It was badly bombed during the war and what replaced it is supposed to be pretty uninspired.

Blogger's note: Cathal doesn't speak all that highly of it and he's practically a regular. Train up, game, train back and if I can get a pint before the train back, I'm a happy camper

[Andrew Potter]

That full day men's basketball journal could prove to be an excellent longform article. Look forward to reading it!

[RK]

I usually admirea and agree with your assesments on all things basketball, but you surely cannot be serious about Spain winning gold over USA?
Am I missing out on something or is this just a debate-evoking method of yours?
It would be one hell of a gold medal game though.

Keep up the excellent work.

Blogger's note: Was four years ago and Spain didn't have Ibaka, Jose or an experienced Marc Gasol. If Spain gets by Russia, it could be epic

[Andre]

So let's see. Team USA, with the exception of the Lithuania game, has been destroying opponents. They are winning with an average margin of 35+ per game or something like that, which is one of the largest margins in Team USA history.
They just destroyed one of the top teams in the world, Argentina. Not to mention they easily beat Spain a couple of weeks ago on the road, in Barcelona (ok, some Spaniards were missing but still).

Spain, on the other hand, has been inconsistent so far. 3 wins (when everybody thought they were going to easily win all of them), but it could've easily been just 2 wins since they barely beat Great Britain by 1 point. And yet there are people who still give them the benefit of the doubt. When is Team USA going to get the benefit of the doubt from you media guys? Winning most of the games by at least 30 and destroying some of the top teams in the world isn't enough? While Spain gets the benefit of the doubt despite playing like crap so far?

Now, maybe Spain will destroy France later today, who knows, but still...if there's someone who should deserve the benefit of the doubt is Team USA..not sure what they should do to finally get it. Evidently going 60-1 or something since Coach K took over with some of the largest margins of victory in history isn't enough. Oh well.

[Peter]

"Was four years ago and Spain didn't have Ibaka, Jose or an experienced Marc Gasol. If Spain gets by Russia, it could be epic"
That would certainly be epic, but I think you might be underestimating this USA team. I don't think it'll be close. Maybe for a while, but I say USA wins by double digits, and is never really threatened by the time the 4th quarter comes. I'll eat my words if you're right, but I believe a wise grunt once said, "That's why they play the games"

Have a great day, Doug!

[Lorie]

Hey Doug!
Ha! And there are some, who with the benefit of hindsight, maintain the greater travesty in that hockey match was not Kompalla's officiating but the act of rescuing Eagleson from the clutches of the Soviet military. Cheers!

[sam]

I've been enjoying your Olympic coverage. It sounds like you are having a blast!

Thanks to our friends at Bell TV I was able to watch the entire USA/Lithuania game and bits of the game with Spain last Saturday. (I can't remember who Spain was playing, perhaps it was Russia, but the Spaniards lost) There was no Play by Play which was a nice change

Spain looked average, although it was good to see Jose play again. The USA Squad could have very well lost the game if it wasn't for LeBron taking things into his own hands. It would be a great game - the edge would have to go to LeBron though - Not Team USA - but Lebron. It pains me to type that

[Dave B]

With the injuries they have, I don't see Spain making it to the Gold medal game. Jose's stats from the last game were pathetic. If they make it to the Gold Medal game and give the USA team a run for it, then I really believe they threw the last game to get a better seed. With the way they have been playing they should have trouble getting past France and no way they get past Russia.

[Bill]

If Team USA and Spain meets in the finals, would a team like the Lakers tell Pau that he's been traded just the night before so as to throw him off his game? Have any NBA team ever done that (We could do it to Jose but we are not Americans so why do we care)?

[Kent]

Yes. And Jose will dunk over Lebron for the game winning basket, right? That too is based on my wildest hopes and dreams.

[JC]

That was a great chance to see JV play. Bring on Halifax!

[codeJP]

Doug, is there really that big a difference between Spain in the Brazil game and the badminton teams that tanked? Both were trying to avoid the top seeds in tournament play. The badminton team just made it more obvious.

[Buck23]

Jose...Ibaka...and Gasols does NOT in any wa, remotely close to even thinking about tipping the scales. Whats Jose gonna do - dish out a few assists while giving up double digit points to the guy he is supposed to be guarding!

Blogger's note: You people just never let it go. Please, cease and desist. It's boring and tiresome and old

[J]

You just can't please everyone.

Not that long ago, Doug made a list of predictions which certain posters ripped for the lack of upsets. Then, when Doug makes a prediction that doesn't simply pick the overwhelming favorite, certain posters (albeit perhaps not the same ones) rip him for not picking the obvious choice. Hmmm...

[sam]

There are those who see the good in things, and then those who don't like Jose Calderón. The battle continues.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Good great excellent stuff, Mr. Smith. If this bloke happens to be showing for one of your little courtyard concerts, grab Not Grace Kelly and get yourselves a front row spot with bar service: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE5dMQpGygU&feature=BFa&list=AL94UKMTqg-9CUzbO3s2QlDENhA6NVKJJ3
Cheers. And thanks once more for all the fancy blogging.

[511]

Spain! Wow! That is, without question in my mind, THE boldest and coolest against-the-grain prediction by a basketball aficionado that I’ve yet to see. (The “Trust me on that, would you?” was the extra cool part. Floored me.) If Spain wins, well, forget about it. You will be the MAN. And even if they don’t ... it’s still very cool. Fingers crossed.

[Ken B]

Doug: Thanks for keeping us posted, and who could ever forget Phil's reference to Dumbo. Where were you when Canada scored the decisive goal?

Blogger's note: My living room, I believe. We'd been let out of school, or I ditched class, I can't recall

[John Dinner]

A bit off topic, but seeing as you must have a lot of pull with COC and others, I thought I'd suggest here that boxer Clayton Cusio be our flag bearer for the closing ceremonies. This guy truly got jobbed and was graceful in defeat.

Enjoy the game tomorrow. Will be living and dieing for a full 90 again. Go Canada.

[Peter]

"8:26

Remind me again why I suggested doing this? We're eight hours in and a game and a half to go.

You better like it.

And read it all. Often so the number of hits goes up.

Thank you,
Tired Doug."

I did... you're insane. And that was awesome. Now get some sleep!!

[Peter]

I swear Carmelo reads your blog. He was quoted by ESPN yesterday as saying "That's why they play the games" :)

[ROBERT ROLLINS]

why do you not cover are national sport witch is lacross.
i;am talking about the lakers,etc;you pepole never cover them.