Aug 24 2008
Gold Redemption!!
It was a clear cut Redemption for the Re-deem team in last nights Gold Medal game against the very strong Spanish National team. The final out-come was a victory for USA Mens Basketball, they took home the Gold that eluded them in 2004 by winning 118-107.
The members of the 2008 Gold Medal USA team received the result they worked for since the losses in the World Basketball Championships and Olympics. You would never have guessed that this was just a Gold Medal game, it played out as if was a NBA Finals game.
In the closing minutes of the game, Spain inched close to the USA and only trailed by 4 points in the last 2 minutes. It was up to the USA’s ultimate weapon, one it did not have in the Athens games in 2004, Kobe Bryant.
Kobe proved himself, not only in this game but in the entire Olympics, to be the most complete player in professional Basketball. Bryant scored 13 of his 20 points in the 4th quarter of this Gold Medal game, with the biggest his 4 point play that sealed the Gold for the United States.
Dwyane Wade was also a huge star in these Olympics, and came up big for the USA as he scored 27 points against the Spanish team led by Pau Gasol. The Spanish National team has proved that it is amongst the elite Basketball Countries by holding their own against the Re-deem team.
Expect for Spain, Argentina, and Lithuania to improve by the London Olympic games in 2012 and become stronger competitors for the Gold. Finally, the USA can move forward from their previous failures and re-declare themselves the best in the world.
They stood on the highest platform, the Star Spangled Banner playing in their ears and Gold Medals hanging from their necks. For the USA Mens Basketball team, only one word has been used from beginning to this glorious end, Redemption!
Although the USA finished in second in the Gold Medal race at 36, the United States had the most combined Medals at 110. China had the most Gold Medals with 51 and an overall 100 Medals. Russia finished in 3rd with 72 combined Medals.
J.M.Saucedo
For the Last time until 2012, U-S-A! U-S-A!
