Olympic Gold bigger than NBA Ring? Really?

[P2]

First Kobe, then CP3, now even LeBron.

The Arizona Republic:

"It's the biggest thing for me ever," LeBron James said. "I got to the NBA Finals, and I thought it was pretty big for me. But winning an NBA championship never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."

Are they kidding me? Don't they understand that their comments are so obvious that people think they just say it because they weren't able to win the NBA Championship? Or do they really think so? I mean, you train and prepare yourself a couple of months for the NBA season, not the Olympics, and you play at least half a year in the NBA, compared to the 2 weeks in the Olympics. You live for the NBA, and you are rich because of the NBA, not the Olympics. Are they really kidding me?

[wdleehi]

Lebron hasn't won a ring yet, so yes, the Olympic Fold is the biggest thing he has ever won.

[JR Giddens]

Their just saying this because thats what they think their suppossed to say!

[JR Giddens]

Yeah but Olympic gold is Lebron's first prize. And Kobe had plenty of chances to win a gold medal in the past so i know he's lyin.

[SportsCapNative]

Their just saying this because thats what they think their suppossed to say!

Exactly, that's the politically correct thing to say. They have to present themselves to America as if this is the most important thing to them.

[crownsy]

good lord, not another one of these threads.

listen, no one is goign to come out and say

"yea, i mean, the golds nice, but hoenstly its a crap award. I wish we could be like the celtics and win the nba championship. This medals going to go in my closet and get forgotten about, while i cry myself to sleep at night thinking about KG lurking over me like a fischer cat, ready to strike"

There going to stick to the USA company basketball line.

have none of you seen bull durham?

[KCattheStripe]

Lebron hasn't won a ring yet, so yes, the Olympic Fold is the biggest thing he has ever won.

Lebron would be wise to remember that "Not all that flitters is fold".

[Birdbrain]

I would bet it is for someone that lost the in Finals this past season..  Or should I say that person will say it's more important because he lost in the Finals this past season.  Whatever your best at is the most important. 

[EJPLAYA]

I think that each of these guys is able to decide for themselves what is more important, however I am not sure they are being truthful. My own personal opinion is that the amount of effort put into the challenge has the most to do with the glory of achieving it. Playing for a couple weeks against a lesser talent field and calling that the pinnacle is a stretch. Beating the best players in the world over an 82 game season and having to win 16 games against the very best teams in that league seems to be a lot bigger feat. Glad they won back the gold, but I was a big believer in going back to the college players after that original Dream Team. There was no upside from there!

[crownsy]

I think that each of these guys is able to decide for themselves what is more important, however I am not sure they are being truthful. My own personal opinion is that the amount of effort put into the challenge has the most to do with the glory of achieving it. Playing for a couple weeks against a lesser talent field and calling that the pinnacle is a stretch. Beating the best players in the world over an 82 game season and having to win 16 games against the very best teams in that league seems to be a lot bigger feat. Glad they won back the gold, but I was a big believer in going back to the college players after that original Dream Team. There was no upside from there!

right, and the real poitn is, no matter what they feel (some may feel this way, others probley don't, who are we to know) there going to stick to the PR line.

I am continualy amazed that people are suprised when NBA players give a PR laden response.

do you really think pierce and KG think the sonics are a good team when they say that in the postgame? of course not, they can see what's what just like we can. but there not going to say

"yea, i mean, seattle sucks right now, lets be honest. The improtant thing we did today was not look past them and let them sneak up on us. were much more talented than anyone on thier roster, and it would have been embarising if we lost"

of course not, you wouldn't do that. it's not polite or sportsmanlike. by the same token, the members of the USA basketball team are not going to poop all over the USA basketball commitee by saying anything other than "wow, this is a great experiance, mean sas much to me as anythign in my life!!!"

it would be unprofessonal.

[BigThreePeat]

I think that each of these guys is able to decide for themselves what is more important, however I am not sure they are being truthful. My own personal opinion is that the amount of effort put into the challenge has the most to do with the glory of achieving it. Playing for a couple weeks against a lesser talent field and calling that the pinnacle is a stretch. Beating the best players in the world over an 82 game season and having to win 16 games against the very best teams in that league seems to be a lot bigger feat. Glad they won back the gold, but I was a big believer in going back to the college players after that original Dream Team. There was no upside from there!

Yup I agree with you EJPLAYA.

They are just saying what they are supposed to say.  They are supposed to show pride for their country and act like this is the greatest honor and accomplishment of their lives.   Without a doubt, winning a gold medal in the Olympics has to be fantastic.   The Olympics is a "bigger" event than the NBA finals.  The whole world watches.  You become part of an elite group of athletes who have accomplished the same.   You support your country and blah blah blah...

But come on.   That gold medal game the Americans had 12 of the 13 best players on either team.   Pick any of the 12 players on Team USA and stick them on Spain and he instantly becomes the 1st or 2nd best player.  Kobe, LeBron, Dwight, CP, Wade are easily 5 of the top 8 players in THE WORLD.    Beating Spain by 11 points surely is a great feeling, but how can you really compare that to battling against your peers in a grueling 82 game season and the playoffs. That feeling of pride, accomplishment, legitimate satisfaction over becoming "the best in the world", the glory of success...   how can you compare it?   USA is the best country in the world for basketball.  Uhh... no kidding.  You can't possibly tell me that Kobe Bryant felt a greater sense of accomplishment by beating Spain with 4 other superstars and 7 other allstars than he did winning an NBA title against real competition.

[iowa plowboy]

Their just saying this because thats what they think their suppossed to say!

Absolutely true, JR.

It absolutely is for highlight film narcissists like Anthony because it's the only professional championship he'll ever win.

I'd say there's about a 30% chance the primadonna will win a championship.  The rest of the roster either has won won or likely will in their careers.

[cordobes]

do you really think pierce and KG think the sonics are a good team when they say that in the postgame? of course not, they can see what's what just like we can. but there not going to say

"yea, i mean, seattle sucks right now, lets be honest. The improtant thing we did today was not look past them and let them sneak up on us. were much more talented than anyone on thier roster, and it would have been embarising if we lost"

Pierce did something of that kind after the last game vs. Miami, when he called them a bunch of D-Leaguers. But in that case it was too obvious.

I agree: they're just saying what they're supposed to say. LeBron will say something different when, and if, he wins a NBA title.

[Chris]

First Kobe, then CP3, now even LeBron.

The Arizona Republic:

"It's the biggest thing for me ever," LeBron James said. "I got to the NBA Finals, and I thought it was pretty big for me. But winning an NBA championship never would compare to winning a gold medal for my country."

Are they kidding me? Don't they understand that their comments are so obvious that people think they just say it because they weren't able to win the NBA Championship? Or do they really think so? I mean, you train and prepare yourself a couple of months for the NBA season, not the Olympics, and you play at least half a year in the NBA, compared to the 2 weeks in the Olympics. You live for the NBA, and you are rich because of the NBA, not the Olympics. Are they really kidding me?

I completely, 100% disagree with this.  I don't think these comments have anything to do with them not winning NBA championships. 

The Olympics are something special.  It only happens once every 4 years, and you are supposedly the best at your sport in the entire world, rather than just your league.  Not to mention the whole representing your country thing.

Now, I can't say whether what they are saying is true, because they may just be doing the PR thing, seeing as being an Olympic champion is the big seller at the moment...but I do feel pretty confident that they would be saying the exact same things, even if they had won NBA titles.  I bet if you looked it up, guys on the original dream team said similar things.

[crownsy]

do you really think pierce and KG think the sonics are a good team when they say that in the postgame? of course not, they can see what's what just like we can. but there not going to say

"yea, i mean, seattle sucks right now, lets be honest. The improtant thing we did today was not look past them and let them sneak up on us. were much more talented than anyone on thier roster, and it would have been embarising if we lost"

Pierce did something of that kind after the last game vs. Miami, when he called them a bunch of D-Leaguers. But in that case it was too obvious.

I agree: they're just saying what they're supposed to say. LeBron will say something different when, and if, he wins a NBA title.

but they were a bunch of d- leaguers. 10 of them to be exact hehe.

but yea, we agree. PR nothign more. i refer again to one of the best sports scenes ever from bull durham where crash teaches him how to be bland for the media.