Professional teamwork back in Olympics

Four years ago I wrote: “The ... arrogance and naiveté about the international competition by a couple of loud mouth players embarrassed ... this nation (in Athens). I sat mortified watching America's so-called Dream Team, aka men's basketball squad. It was ... a boorish, arrogant bunch (that) represented our nation.”

  This year I sat excited watching our so-called Redeem Team collect Beijing gold. The difference in teams is like comparing the darkest night with the brightest day. I wasn't expecting a team like the cohesive group that took the hardboards this year.

  The 2004 edition was dominated by second-tier players with ego-driven personalities. They showed little regard for each other, other American Olympic sport teams and their opponents. Meanwhile this year's team consisted of NBA mega-stars who are American citizens. Thus, based on the Athens experience, I expected to again feel shame as even bigger headliners, seldom shy to project super-egos at home, competed internationally.

  I was wrong. Sports impresario Jerry Colangelo after the Athens debacle accepted responsibility to right the mess created by the 2004 crew. He sought players who would restore pride (and gold) to our nation. He proposed nothing less than re-establishing America's rightful place as the planet's finest basketball team.

  Colangelo first rounded up a remarkable set of coaches - college and NBA. He chose a college coach who had proven that he could bring together teen-age stars and win three NCAA championships. Colangelo tapped Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University coach, as head coach. Coach K's primary responsibility was to replicate his collegiate successes with a team of professional mega-stars willing to leave their egos stateside.

  Coach K did his job in spades. His team proved to be the antithesis of its immediate predecessor. These players hung around the Olympic Village, an area shunned by the 2004 team members. They attended the events of other American competitors. I saw them at U.S. women's basketball games; some watched Michael Phelps swim; others attended the women's beach volleyball games.

  Each was a credit to our nation. Seeing Kobe Bryant joyfully belting out the Star Spangled Banner as he stood on the gold medal podium was heartwarming. But the highlight was when all team members draped their gold medals around Coach K's neck. Since coaches don't receive medals, this act was the players' recognition of his vital leadership. They knew that he had molded a group of super-stars into a team that did indeed redeem what had been lost during recent Olympic Games.

  But this American team was not the only to prove that close, cohesive skilled groups can produce world-leading performances. The American women's basketball team played as one, winning gold. Ditto for the American women's beach volleyball pair where Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won something like their 110th consecutive match to take first. The American men's beach volleyball tandem of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser also took gold.

  The golden victory of the men's volleyball team further showed what solid teams can achieve. The father-in-law of the U.S. coach was killed in Beijing at the start of the Olympics. The trauma of that event pulled this second-tier ranked team together to knock off all opposition.

  As a former swim coach, though, the greatest team effort was best displayed by Jason Lezak's anchor of the 4x100 freestyle relay. It kept intact Michael Phelps' ultimately successful quest for eight gold medals. Lezak started his swim nearly a full-body length behind France's world record holder. With 40 meters to go he remained at least a half-body behind. Somehow he found the strength and efficiency to go faster than he (or anyone) has ever swum a 100-meter relay leg (46.06 seconds). He miraculously pulled himself ahead. He won for his team.

  The bottom line for these Olympics is that I'm once again prepared to enjoy professional sports. That is, if the players will willingly compete with the enthusiasm and teamwork shown by the American gold medal winning basketball teams - men and women.

  And, I must say, in a style previously demonstrated by the approach and eagerness of the Phoenix Suns under Coach Mike D'Antoni. That's why D'Antoni was an assistant coach on Coach K's Beijing staff. Now he is rumored to become head coach in 2012.

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Gary Knox is a retired Yuma area school superintendent and guest columnist for The Sun.