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Topic: Olympic Question
ccindyct Joined Sat 01/12/08 Posts: 703	Sun 08/10/08 09:20 AM
I always thought the Olympics were for amateur athletes..not professionals. How come NBA players get to play Olympic basketball????

Jules0565 Joined Fri 06/06/08 Posts: 4485	Sun 08/10/08 09:22 AM
I always thought that for the Olympics you send your "best of the best" to compete for the GOLD! Each representing their Country.

ccindyct Joined Sat 01/12/08 Posts: 703	Sun 08/10/08 09:23 AM
I always thought that for the Olympics you send your "best of the best" to compete for the GOLD! Each representing their Country. Definately the best of the best, but I thought they couldn't be professional athletes....

BobbyJ Joined Fri 02/22/08 Posts: 1368	Sun 08/10/08 09:23 AM
The rules changed several years ago to allow professional athletes in all events. I may be wrong, but I'm thinking 10 or 12 years ago.

mcattygarnett Joined Fri 12/07/07 Posts: 3527	Sun 08/10/08 09:24 AM
I always thought that for the Olympics you send your "best of the best" to compete for the GOLD! Each representing their Country. I did too

soxfan94 Joined Mon 05/28/07 Posts: 3384	Sun 08/10/08 09:24 AM
It's a national decision...each country can choose to send whichever athletes they choose. Typically, amateurs were sent because of the concern for injury and drug testing to the pros.

soxfan94 Joined Mon 05/28/07 Posts: 3384	Sun 08/10/08 09:25 AM
The rules changed several years ago to allow professional athletes in all events. I may be wrong, but I'm thinking 10 or 12 years ago. It was 20 years ago, in 1988.

Ted14621 Joined Mon 01/07/08 Posts: 2173	Sun 08/10/08 09:31 AM Edited by Ted14621 on Sun 08/10/08 09:31 AM
The rules changed several years ago to allow professional athletes in all events. I may be wrong, but I'm thinking 10 or 12 years ago. It was 20 years ago, in 1988. Most other countries pay their athletes to train, making them professionals

tombraider Joined Wed 09/12/07 Posts: 5042	Sun 08/10/08 09:34 AM
i guess when you make the rules you can bend them or break them any way you wish..welcome to democracy...

coquibella Joined Sat 11/17/07 Posts: 268	Sun 08/10/08 09:39 AM
The rules changed much longer than that... the Dream Team with Magic Johnson and Michael Jordon was back in the early 1990s.

soxfan94 Joined Mon 05/28/07 Posts: 3384	Sun 08/10/08 09:43 AM
i guess when you make the rules you can bend them or break them any way you wish..welcome to democracy... It's not only the United States that benefits from the rule change. Many other countries have professional athletes on their teams through a number of avenues. First, many foreign players play in the major leagues of the united states (NHL, NBA, etc.) and then go back to compete for their respective countries in the olympics. Secondly, many countries have their own professional leagues which, although less powerful than American leagues, are still technically professional leagues and produce national olympians. And lastly, as Ted pointed out, many of the athletes are paid for their training, as well as incentives (money for winning medals), which technically removes their amateur status.

coquibella Joined Sat 11/17/07 Posts: 268	Sun 08/10/08 09:45 AM
i guess when you make the rules you can bend them or break them any way you wish..welcome to democracy... It's not only the United States that benefits from the rule change. Many other countries have professional athletes on their teams through a number of avenues. First, many foreign players play in the major leagues of the united states (NHL, NBA, etc.) and then go back to compete for their respective countries in the olympics. Secondly, many countries have their own professional leagues which, although less powerful than American leagues, are still technically professional leagues and produce national olympians. And lastly, as Ted pointed out, many of the athletes are paid for their training, as well as incentives (money for winning medals), which technically removes their amateur status. There was that huge Chinese basketball player (7'6")for the Houston Rockets that was competing for China. He walked with the Chinese flag in the opening ceremony.

ozzy_lover Joined Mon 03/24/08 Posts: 126	Sun 08/10/08 09:48 AM
Who knows. Government changes too much to suit every bodies needs. If people complain enouph, the Government will cave.

soxfan94 Joined Mon 05/28/07 Posts: 3384	Sun 08/10/08 09:48 AM
There was that huge Chinese basketball player (7'6")for the Houston Rockets that was competing for China. He walked with the Chinese flag in the opening ceremony. Yes, Yao Ming. And it should be noted that him and the Chinese team just got destroyed by the NBA players comprising the USA team.

singmesweet Joined Mon 07/28/08 Posts: 26661	Sun 08/10/08 10:08 AM
i guess when you make the rules you can bend them or break them any way you wish..welcome to democracy... It's not only the United States that benefits from the rule change. Many other countries have professional athletes on their teams through a number of avenues. First, many foreign players play in the major leagues of the united states (NHL, NBA, etc.) and then go back to compete for their respective countries in the olympics. Secondly, many countries have their own professional leagues which, although less powerful than American leagues, are still technically professional leagues and produce national olympians. And lastly, as Ted pointed out, many of the athletes are paid for their training, as well as incentives (money for winning medals), which technically removes their amateur status. There was that huge Chinese basketball player (7'6")for the Houston Rockets that was competing for China. He walked with the Chinese flag in the opening ceremony. Sarunas Jasikevicius, the flag barer for the Lithuania team is also in the NBA.

soxfan94 Joined Mon 05/28/07 Posts: 3384	Sun 08/10/08 10:12 AM
Sarunas Jasikevicius, the flag barer for the Lithuania team is also in the NBA. Same with Manu Ginobli, of the multiple NBA champion Spurs. I think for Argentina, although I'm not certain of that.

singmesweet Joined Mon 07/28/08 Posts: 26661	Sun 08/10/08 10:16 AM
Sarunas Jasikevicius, the flag barer for the Lithuania team is also in the NBA. Same with Manu Ginobli, of the multiple NBA champion Spurs. I think for Argentina, although I'm not certain of that. I like college basketball much more than NBA, but Sarunas Jasikevicius is my favorite player from Maryland.. so I'm happy to see him there.

singmesweet Joined Mon 07/28/08 Posts: 26661	Sun 08/10/08 10:17 AM
Sarunas Jasikevicius, the flag barer for the Lithuania team is also in the NBA. Same with Manu Ginobli, of the multiple NBA champion Spurs. I think for Argentina, although I'm not certain of that. And yes, he plays for Argentina... who Lithuania beat this morning.

coquibella Joined Sat 11/17/07 Posts: 268	Sun 08/10/08 07:49 PM
There was that huge Chinese basketball player (7'6")for the Houston Rockets that was competing for China. He walked with the Chinese flag in the opening ceremony. Yes, Yao Ming. And it should be noted that him and the Chinese team just got destroyed by the NBA players comprising the USA team. it was a great game. GO USA!!!

Chazster Joined Tue 08/28/07 Posts: 6206	Sun 08/10/08 08:10 PM
Sarunas Jasikevicius, the flag barer for the Lithuania team is also in the NBA. Same with Manu Ginobli, of the multiple NBA champion Spurs. I think for Argentina, although I'm not certain of that. Not to mention endorsement deals.