USA Hoops: Dancing With The Devil

While the rest of Blogfrica, ESPN, SI and MNF beat the equine carcass that is the Michael Vick address, we at NOIS have far more varied interests and observations with which to enlighten you.


Specifically, we have just read a column on Yahoo Sports written by NBA columnist Adrian Wojnarowski about USA basketball leader Jerry Colangelo.


Colangelo was the insider's insider in the NBA, as powerful and connected of a figure as any that worked in the game. He could get people together and get things done in the league. With failure after failure for USA Basketball, it finally did away the cumbersome, politically driven selection committees. Less than a year after the bronze medal in Athens, Colangelo was hired to run everything. "Total autonomy" is how he describes it, and truth be told, that thrusts him onto the firing line like no one before him.

Wojnarowski goes on to detail Colangelo's motivation and influences in his new role. And some of the steps he has taken to try to engage success.

So now, a beleaguered basketball power has entrusted him with the biggest burden of all in America. However it goes, they'll know where to find Jerry Colangelo: Knee-deep in it all.

Entrusted.

That is a key word here.

Colangelo has been given the mandate to push USA hoops back to the top. There is no second place. There is only the gold medal in Beijing. Anything else equates to failure.

Sometimes, successful men are faced with reputation making and breaking situations. The opportunity to succeed requires courage. Courage is not fearlessness. Courage is the ability to - in spite of the presence of fear - effectively perform the task at hand.

Unfortunately, we believe that Colangelo's most important maneuver as the head of USA hoops showed a lack of courage.

Colangelo chose to dance with the devil. Entrusting the near future of USA basketball to the boney, dusty hands of satan on earth. Colangelo sold his soul and future success.

Great pressure can lead to great opportunity. It can also lead to great temptation, false promises and eventually wounds so deep that the bleeding does not stop for decades.

Right now, USA hoops has a paper cut.

But the flow of blood has begun.

Renowned for draining the drive, skill and desire from the hearts of his college players; Coach Kryshevskilewski has been given the keys to the Olympic squad. Now, he is given the opportunity to ravage the best the NBA has to offer.

In an effort to win gold, Colangelo and USA hoops may very well be signing away the soul of the NBA.

Of the hundreds of players that have been shanghaied into the Duke basketball program, we can count on one hand the number that have had meaningful and lasting success once released from their indentured servitude in Dukeatory.

We can count nearly endlessly the players that performed on a high level while there, and then were shown to be apparitions when they arrived to the bright lights, big cities of the NBA.

Exposing the top NBA players to satan on the court for such a lengthy period jeopardizes the future of the NBA. Will these players be able to regain their former athleticism and skill after spending significant time with Kryshevskadinski? Will they have the will to succeed upon their return to the NBA? Will they even want to play basketball again?

Jerry Colangelo is a man with a track record of success. He was the architect of a wonderful program in Phoenix. He did things the right way.

Unfortunately, it seems the pressure of holding the responsibility for USA Basketball in his hands overcame him. Putting the team under the 'tutelage' of Coach Kryshevskwizki can only have two outcomes. Neither is positive.

USA hoops continues it's streak of futility. Or, the USA wins the Gold and satan is hailed as the savior of basketball in America.

We should all be praying together. Praying for the re-emergence of a back injury.

Jerry Colangelo has signed away the soul of USA Basketball.