TEAM USA: The Corvette Lineup

In another classy game from the American side, the US was legitimately tested for the first time all Olympics nearly losing the first quarter to the chippy Australians. LeBron had a great game along with Deron Williams. All that aside, though. For two minutes, Coach K showed the lineup that he has in his back pocket when all the chips are down. In the second quarter with Australia still hanging around. Coach K made substitutions resulting in this look
PG: Deron Williams
SG: Dwyane Wade
SF: Kobe Bryant
PF: Carmelo Anthony
C: LeBron James

Quickly, Anthony picked up his second foul and was substituted out for Chris Bosh (who, incidentally, is a phenomenal international basketball player. He shoots, he defends inside, defends the perimeter. His offensive post game is not great, but he is solid and fun to watch.) But, this is the lineup K will turn to if the game is close in the 2nd or 3rd to try to turn the game around. For about two minutes they were dominant - the best offensive and defensive lineup the US can throw at you.
The three best shooters - Williams, Bryant, and Anthony, team up with the two most dynamic offensive players in the tournament - James and Wade. In addition, James has proved to be the most effective player at defending the rim for the US with weakside blocks (Bryant and Wade also thrive in that role.)

So, look for this lineup the next time the US finds themselves in a major pinch.

Jet Favre!

Brett Favre is a Jet. Chad Pennington is a Dolphin. And, both teams are delightfully mediocre. Really, for me personally, this whole saga could not have played out any worse. Pennington is now in Miami delaying the brilliant Chad Henne era that I was ramping up for, and Favre is in New York which will take the Brett Favre coverage from totally ungodly annoying to psychotic.

The weirdest aspect of all this is how I became somehow pro Aaron Rodgers in all this nonsense. I didn't even think he deserved to be a first round pick when he was drafted. I figured him to be a weak-armed product of Joe Tedford's system at Cal which has produced not just mediocre but terrible quarterbacks in the NFL. But, now, given the beard and hair he grew out in the offseason and the "f u" attitude he took with this whole situation. I am starting to believe he could actually be a good quarterback.

And one more thought on Pennington. Remember, last year when Leftwich was cut for David Garrard. And, everyone was like, "Wow, not a terrible move. But Leftwich could really help some team that needs a QB." And then he got to Atlanta and everyone realized that he is not even a back-up quality quarterback in the NFL. I see this situation with Pennington playing out quite similarily. And with Henne and Beck waiting in the wings I just really have to believe that Pennington will not be starting the second half of this season.

Thoughts on Team USA's route of China:

• Dwyane Wade is finally healthy after about 18 months of not being so. And, again he has established that, when healthy, he is the most terrifying offensive basketball player on the planet. 19 points of 7/7 from the field and 5/5 from the FT line. Made several passes that led immediately to fouls on China and had a massive alley oop pass to LeBron James in the coolest play of the day.
• Wade has been great but he also typifies the major flaw of Team USA on defense. They still just don't get that you need to guard the three point line at all times. Wade regularly doubles down, gambles off the ball and jumps in front of screens. And China stayed in the game into the third quarter because they had so many open looks from deep. They really need to stay at home more often because one-on-one, there are not many players capable of really breaking down any of USA's defenders.
• Jason Kidd is playing purely out of respect for him at this point. Don't get me wrong, he had a nice game and on a fast break the passes he picked out were really awesome to watch. But still, Deron Williams is a great shooter, and Chris Paul is a better pentrator and better in the half court. Kidd is losing playing time and that will continue.
• George W. George H.W. and some old Chinese Prime Minister was in the stands for the game (W was even in the huddle with team USA before hand!) Also up there was Jeb and one of the Bush daughters (not the saucy one who went to Texas, the other one.) So, at one point they show the 8 of them on the Jumbotron, and honest to God, Jeb elbows W's daughter and like excitedly points at the damn screen! This guy was governor of Florida for 8 years was in the middle of the 2000 election imbroglio and still gets as excited when he makes the big screen as my fellow blogger Chubbs would. Good times.
• These Chinese people love Kobe Bryant. It's crazy.
• I was wildly impressed with Chris Bosh today. He was a fierce rebounder, terriffic defender and I have become convinced that he can handle the late-game duties at center if Dwight Howard's free throw troubles continue.
• Finally, seeing either Dwight Howard or LeBron James bully their way to the hoop on a fast break is going to continue to be the most pleasing subplot of these games. Both those guys are absolute horrors when they have a full head of steam. Yao got totally dazed trying and failing to take a charge from LeBron and Dwight just routinely dunked on guys like they were not there. Neither of these things are really relevant to US's chances at gold. But both are pleasing to the eye.