Tags
australia, basketball, beijing, beijing 2008, olympics, opals, us
See the hardest thing (for me) about the recent OGs is picking who to root for. The Opals or the US? A host of current and former Storm players and a coach are involved. It’s really cool to see Birdy and AD rejoice over the US women’s 92-65 victory over the Australian Opals but it’s really really hard to see the disappointment painted on Lauren Jackson, Tully Bevilaqua, and Suzy Batkovic’s faces.
But in the end, one team has got to emerge on top. And it was the US, who got their fourth straight gold.
BTW, so LJ’s gonna have ankle surgery after the Games. What on earth is gonna happen to my Storm huh?
⇁EThe U.S. team is very deep in talent and well, barring any phenomenon where EVERYONE on the team would have an off-night (*crosses fingers*), they would easily take this game. But let’s not count the Russians out just yet. They may have bowed down to the US women during the Diamond Ball Tournament but they could turn things around — remember the recent World Championship Semi-Final Game where they absolutely owned Sue Bird and Company? Uh-huh, that game. Please don’t let that happen again, please?
⇒ I just read earlier today that Penny Taylor, the Opals’ three-point specialist, sprained her ankle and she has no chance in hell to play in the semis. I said before that the Opals are rocking but wait-a-minute-now I’m not so sure they can beat the US WITHOUT PENNY FRIKKIN’ TAYLOR.
⇒ Non-OG’s update but still somewhat related. Opals Captain (and Seattle Storm star) Lauren Jackson will have surgery on her right ankle after the Olympics and will not finish the season. OMFG, what’s gonna happen to the Storm?! Waaaaaah! LJ contributes a very big bulk of the scoring for Seattle. I’m not so sure who will be able to fill that gap. Sue? Can you? Ugh. Damn injuries. After the OG’s we’re gonna have 5 (is it 5?) road games and almost, if not all, of those are against teams with playoff dreams. So good luck Stormies.