Summer Olympics News

The United States men’s basketball team “the reedeem team” redeemed themselves with a win over Spain winning 118-107 in the gold-medal game. The US who were heavy favorites, faced a tough challenge from Spain, but prevailed in the end. Dwyane Wade lead the team with 27 points, Kobe Bryant added 20 points, Lebron James scored 14 points, Carmelo Anthony had 13 points and Chris Paul also had 13 points in this offensive battle.

Spain comes away with the silver medal and Argentina beat Lithuania 87-75 for the bronze medal.

The United States women’s basketball team won their fourth straight gold medal in the Olympics. The US beat Australia 92-65 in a very lopsided game (guess the next sport the IOC will want to remove is basketball). The Russian women’s basketball team won the bronze medal by beating China 94-81.

An interesting note on the game is that Lisa Leslie and Teresa Edwards have both been on all four gold medal teams for the US. Which also makes them the only basketball players to ever win four gold medals.

The United States men’s basketball team defeated Argentina (gold medalists in the 2004 Athens Olympics) 101-81. The US team will battle with Spain for the gold medal on Sunday. The US is looking really good, but Spain does have a good team lead by NBA superstar Pau Gasol.

If the US team let’s it guard down it will be looking at the silver medal. However, it sure looks like they will be taking home Gold medals.

The US Men’s basketball team beat Angola 97-76 in their second round match up. In the third round of the Olympics basketball the US will face Greece who upset them two years ago in the World Championships.

Late night on NBC you can watch women’s volleyball and women’s 100m breaststroke semifinals. During the day tomorrow, it’s women’s water polo, men’s beach volleyball and more qualifying rounds for swimming. Then in primetime, Michael Phelps his march towards Olympic history in the 200m free. Teammates Aaron Peirsol and Natalie Coughlin have a chance to medal in the men’s and women’s 100m. Also on during primetime, U.S. women’s beach volleyball with Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, the men’s team gymnastics final, and the men’s 10m synchro platform diving final.

MSNBC is broadcasting a full day tomorrow, as well, including women’s tennis, women’s handball, women’s basketball, women’s water polo and women’s volleyball. (Incidentally, U.S. women’s water polo is pursuing their third straight Olympic gold medal.) Men’s badminton (where U.S. competitor Raju Rai may actually have a chance), weightlifting and men’s archery are also available for viewing.

CNBC will be showing men’s beach volleyball, boxing, and women’s softball.

USA is broadcasting women’s beach volleyball, rowing, men’s tennis (featuring Wimbledon champion Rafael Nedal), women’s basketball, and women’s volleyball.

Oxygen will be covering gymnastics and equestrian.

Online, you can see archery, badminton, basketball, fencing, handball, field hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, softball, tennis, water polo, weightlifting, and wrestling.

Yao Ming wasn’t enough to help China overcome the U.S. The “Redeem Team” won 101-70 in this morning’s televised game. It was a strong start for the U.S., hopefully a sign that they will reclaim the gold, which slipped through their fingers four years ago.

You could pretty much start watching the Olympics at midnight and just watch it straight through tomorrow.

Your local NBC affiliate will be showing men’s volleyball overnight. Then, from 1-5 a.m., you can see a replay of tonight’s primetime. Tomorrow morning, you can see the U.S. basketball team against China. Also in the morning, rowing preliminaries, women’s cycling and men’s water polo. In the afternoon, check out men’s beach volleyball and more cycling. In the evening, cycling finishes up and there are swimming prelims. Primetime brings Michael Phelps going for a second gold in the men’s 4×100m free relay. There’s more swimming, with the women’s 400m free, men’s 100m breast, and the semifinal of the women’s 100m back stroke. The U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team starts their quest for gold, and the first diving gold medals of the Games will be awarded. Late night, you can check out women’s volleyball.

On MSNBC, you can watch men’s soccer: Italy vs. South Korea, women’s field hockey: USA vs. Argentina, and men’s handball: South Korea vs. Germany. In tennis, Roger Federer of Switzerland plays Dmitry Tursunov of Russia. Also, men’s volleyball, men’s water polo, badminton, men’s handball, and the men’s trap shooting gold-medal final.

CNBC will feature tennis and boxing.

USA is showing men’s basketball, women’s badminton, equestrian team eventing dressage, women’s tennis, men’s soccer, women’s archery team final, women’s weightlifting 53kg final, and the gold-medal final in men’s 56kg weightlifting.

Online, you can watch archery, badminton, basketball, cycling, equestrian, fencing, handball, field hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, soccer, tennis, water polo, and weightlifting.

I have obligations that prevent me from posting on Saturday, but I didn’t want to leave you hanging completely, so here’s what’s available for your viewing pleasure on Saturday.

During primetime Saturday night, you can watch men’s gymnastics qualifying rounds, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh doubtless trouncing a Latvian beach volleyball team, and gold medal rounds in the men’s 400m free, the women’s 4×100m free relay and the men’s and women’s 400m IM. Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff will be Americans to keep an eye on in the swimming.

Online, you can watch women’s archery, badminton, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s cycling, equestrian, fencing, handball, field hockey, judo, rowing, sailing, shooting, women’s soccer, tennis, water polo and weightlifting.

The television coverage of the China Olympics begins in earnest tomorrow with the opening ceremony, which will air on NBC from 6:30 p.m. until 11 p.m.(all times CST). In case you’re wondering, Beijing is 13 hours ahead of U.S. Central Standard Time. So, as I’m writing this, it’s 8:30 tomorrow morning (weird).

You can also watch several events online tomorrow, including badminton, basketball, equestrian, fencing, handball, judo, shooting and weightlifting, which will actually be after the opening ceremony in Beijing (I think), but before it airs on television here. Having an Olympics on the other side of the world makes those of us trying to cover it feel like we’re living in multiple dimensions I have a hard enough time remembering what day and time it is here without trying to keep track of what day and time it is in China.

In preparation for the Olympics in China, the US Basketball team got a scare from the Australian team. Australia, who was resting their top player, lost by 11 points in a game that could have easily been won by the Australians.

The US did manage to win the game 87-76, but they played like it didn’t matter (and it didn’t really). Dwayne Wade said that they were playing “lazy” basketball. My guess is that they are tired of the exhibition games and just want to start the “real” olympic games.

Anyway, if you missed last night’s game here are some video highlights I found on youtube:

The roster for U.S. Olympic basketball team was announced today. One thing that stands out to me is that the team is on the small side. They are loaded with talent, but I am a little concerned about their size.

Anyway, here is the final 12 man roster for the United States Olympic basketball team:

Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers

Dwyane Wade – Miami Heat

Carmelo Anthony – Denver Nuggets

Jason Kidd – Dallas Mavericks

Tayshaun Prince – Detroit Pistons

Carlos Boozer – Utah Jazz

Chris Bosh – Toronto Raptors

Dwight Howard – Orlando Magic

Chris Paul – New Orleans Hornets

Michael Redd – Milwaukee Bucks

Deron Williams – Utah Jazz

The United States Basketball team has been selected. You can read more here.

One of the most notable players missing from the team is Allen Iverson. Iverson played on the 2004 team that won bronze. Even though it was a disapointing team, Allen was one of the few big name players to play for the 2004 team. It seems to me like he deserves to play for the 2008 team, because he was willing to put himself out there in 2004. Not to mention he has exerience in the Olympics. I understand the whole chemistry idea, but what about Dream Team 1 and Dream Team 2, did they have a lot of role players or stars?

What do you think? Should Allen Iverson be on the 2008 US Olympics Basketball Team?