Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

[propar80]

I just wanted to get some other's take on this. Honestly, it makes me a bit sick to my stomach for some reason that I haven't figured out yet. Maybe it's the seafood I ate for lunch. Was a little funky.

http://beta.argusleader.com/apps/pbc...15/1002/sports

I even tried to think..."what if this was Megan Vogel?". I'm still pretty sure I wouldn't like the idea of it. Just seems a little un-patriotic to me, just wondering if other agreed or disagreed with me and since it's a little slow around here thought it might make for good discussion. Mick did little to convince me everyone should just accept her playing for Russia with his story.

Go Jacks!!

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

I just wanted to get some other's take on this. Honestly, it makes me a bit sick to my stomach for some reason that I haven't figured out yet. Maybe it's the seafood I ate for lunch. Was a little funky.

http://beta.argusleader.com/apps/pbc...15/1002/sports

I even tried to think..."what if this was Megan Vogel?". I'm still pretty sure I wouldn't like the idea of it. Just seems a little un-patriotic to me, just wondering if other agreed or disagreed with me and since it's a little slow around here thought it might make for good discussion. Mick did little to convince me everyone should just accept her playing for Russia with his story.

Go Jacks!!

I'm with you propar...she said her dream was to play in the olympics. I have to wonder if, as a child, she ever dreamed for playing with Russia. I bet she didn't. Oh well, it's her decision and I don't have to like it or agree with it.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

Stu Whitney was on Sportstalk with Craig and Bob this afternoon and made a comment that I completely agree with (scary thought, I know).

He said something to the effect that while Becky is playing for Russia to have that one chance at experiencing the Olympics because she didn't have the opportunity to play for the US team, she will be hurting her reputation far more by playing for them than she would have been remembered for playing for us. In 10 years nobody will remember who played for the United States women's basketball team in the 2008 Olympics, but everyone will remember who the American was who played for Russia.

If she was playing for Canada, or Britian, or (insert non-controversial country's name here) it probably wouldn't even make the news, but I think she will catch more flack than she thought she would since its Russia. I know there's no Cold War anymore, but Russia still isn't too high on the list of the average American's favorite foreign country.

[jacksfan29]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

Good for her. Team USA chose to not allow her to even get a shot. I doubt it will hurt her reputation, and think it may actually enhance it (lots of publicity). She's been playing in Russia, thus has connections. I just don't see the big deal. Having spent some extended time in Russia I personally think it is a good thing. Maybe it will open up some American's eyes and allow them to see that Russia is a far different place today than during the days of the Soviet Union.

Besides, if Stu thinks it is wrong, it must be right.

[jackmd]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

Good for her. Team USA chose to not allow her to even get a shot. I doubt it will hurt her reputation, and think it may actually enhance it (lots of publicity). She's been playing in Russia, thus has connections. I just don't see the big deal. Having spent some extended time in Russia I personally think it is a good thing. Maybe it will open up some American's eyes and allow them to see that Russia is a far different place today than during the days of the Soviet Union.

Besides, if Stu thinks it is wrong, it must be right.

I guess I'd be more concerned about some Russian native not getting a chance to play for their national team than anything else. If Becky is comfortable playing for their national team and those in charge are looking our for the interest of their country its fine with me. The cold war and the days of the U.S.S.R. are well behind us. Its not like women's Olympic basketball is a major worldwide sport.

[Nidaros]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

Hammon acknowledged she initially had serious misgivings about the idea of playing for Russia, but the more she thought about it, the better it sounded.

Above is a quote from the article. If she was a true believer of Marx and Lenin, why would she have had misgivings about playing for Russia? As Jackmd said the cold war is over and also the article mentions that she is a naturalized citizen of Russia. I assume she has been playing basketball and has lived in Russia a while and probably could leave any time she wants to. I see noting unpatriotic about her choice. Possibly she has duel citizenship with both USA and Russia. Many people have such status since our constitution allows it. As Jockoff Smirnoff says"What a country".

BTW, what is the Bio on Becky Hammon. I have no knowledge of her other than this article.

[sfsd]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

It's no different than Tim Duncan, who's from the Virgin Islands, playing for the U.S. Olympic team. Or many U.S. baseball players going and playing for Greece and Italy at the last Olympics. Between allowing professional athletes and this type of non-resident participation, the Olympics are a complete and utter joke anymore. Not much of an athletic competition -- much more about political grandstanding.

[SDHoops]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

What about all the foreign players who play in the NCAA and honor the U.S. flag song before the games? Are they being unpatriotic to their home country? What about all the NCAA coaches who spent millions of dollars recruiting foreign players over the years, are they being unpatriotic by not looking at the homegrown talent first? I don't think so, I think Becky will do just fine and I am surprised that a lot of people nationwide are actually giving this the amount of attention that it has received.

Should we shun players like Joe Krabbenhoft and Paige Paulsen for choosing to play for out-of-state colleges, or are we proud that they represent the state of South Dakota? I say they should follow their dreams. Maybe more people watch women's basketball during the Olympics, especially if Russia and the US meet up in the tournament. The US has really dominated the sport in Olympic play but hardly has the following that the men have had in the past.

[EQguy]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

I realize its really small of me but for some reason I am bothered by this. Maybe its because she said it was a dream of hers to play in the olympics but I'm guessing when she closed her eyes and pictured it as a kid she was wearing stripes not a russian flag.

One of the problems I beleive we have in this country is an anything no matter what the cost attitude. This is just another example to me.

Now, I don't think any less of her and if I met her I wouldn't have a problem with her. I just don't like the idea.

[Jacks-02]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

It's no different than Tim Duncan, who's from the Virgin Islands, playing for the U.S. Olympic team. Or many U.S. baseball players going and playing for Greece and Italy at the last Olympics. Between allowing professional athletes and this type of non-resident participation, the Olympics are a complete and utter joke anymore. Not much of an athletic competition -- much more about political grandstanding.

Not really the same as Duncan playing for the U.S. considering the Virgin Islands are a U.S. territory. And the people who played for other countries actually were from those countries as far as I know. Ginobli, Delfino, Nocioni with Argentina, Pau Gasol with Spain, Yao Ming with China, and Aleksandar Pavlovic and Vladimir Radmanovic with Serbia-Montenegro.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is the end of the world, or really even that big of a deal, I just don't agree with her decision is all.

[SiouxFallsJack]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

I don't agree with her decision either. Call me old fashioned but when I think of the Olympics I think of representing my country not myself. If playing in a professional league, then I think of the individual not the country. It does not matter to me that it is Russia, I would feel the same if she played for Mexico, Spain, Australia or any other country.

On Wednesday she called into the Craig and Bob show and all I heard was me, me, me, I, I, I. All she said was, "I went to the wrong high school." "I went to the wrong college." "I don't know why I wasn't selected." and on and on. Maybe they considered her the third best point guard when they only need two, maybe a style of play different from hers, or maybe she just wasn't good enough.

propar80 asked the question, "What if this was Megan Vogel?"...I would still feel the same way, you just don't represent another country. Another question would be.."What if Team USA wanted Kai Williams to play for the USA?" As much as I would love to see that happen, I would hope he would play for Canada and not the U.S.

[EQguy]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

Not really the same as Duncan playing for the U.S. considering the Virgin Islands are a U.S. territory. And the people who played for other countries actually were from those countries as far as I know. Ginobli, Delfino, Nocioni with Argentina, Pau Gasol with Spain, Yao Ming with China, and Aleksandar Pavlovic and Vladimir Radmanovic with Serbia-Montenegro.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is the end of the world, or really even that big of a deal, I just don't agree with her decision is all.

What sfsd was referring to was Piazza playing for Italy and a few other minor players playing for other countries in the World Baseball Classic.

I just don't find those to be as big a deal first off because it was the first year of the WBC and secondly because they could only qualify to play for that country if they were something like only 2 generations removed from someone that was a citiczen of that country. Its just a bit different from this situation.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

Its the Olympics, which means I do not care. Why? The little tidbit in the story that she will be paid approximately four times what the USA players get paid for their participation. The Olympics long ago lost the status of amateur athletes competing for their country.

And really, do you think in 10 years, or whatever time frame Stu talked about, anyone is going to remember anything that happened in the women's bb of the Olympics?

Quick - name the biggest name left of the men's Olympic team from 2000? Yeah, who she played for is going to burned into the memory of no one.

The problem is that the Olympics have lost the interest of so many people. Growing up, I remember everyone, adults and kids, talking about the Olympics. Then television decided that it would get the "casual fan" by featuring the athlete's life story instead of the competition. Couple this with the scandals and the allowance, no the promotion of having professional athletes, and the Games primary draw was gone.

I wish I knew how they could get back the status they once had, but I have to be content with my ability to vent. Thanks SDSUFANS.com, I feel better already.

[collegewatcher]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

SiouxFallsJack: She was on a radio program being asked questions on a decision that she had made. Who else did you expect her to talk about?

1stRow: Amen. It is women's Olympic basketball. I have heard more discussion this past 3 days on this subject than I have in the previous 30 years.

I also have heard more about Becky Hammon in the past 3 days than in the previous 15 years, considering she is one of the most successful female athletes at the high school, college, and pro level that South Dakota has ever produced. Now what she does is a big deal?

[Jack4Life]

Re: Becky Hammon Playing for Russia??

In a nutshell, I could give a crap where she plays. Can't remember a thing about the last olympics, so why would I care now?