sportinlife
Jun 1 2004, 03:56 AM
It appears
Ray Allen has joined the long list of athletes who will be "giving it a miss" as they say. Wonder if anyone is keeping a list. Hard to know how many would have decided not to go even in a normal year, but there seems to be an unusually large number this olympics. I wont prejudge any of them with respect to the reason(s) they give for not going. What would you do given the chance to go?
Joe in Philly
Jun 1 2004, 07:41 AM
Outside of NBA players I haven't heard of anyone stating that they wouldn't go to Athens. Anyone know of some non-NBA Olympians refusing to go?
There may be some who are waiting as long as they can until making the final decision.
Jerzoid
Jun 1 2004, 07:53 AM
There was a story in the NY Times on Sunday about Xeno Muller, a Swiss rower and 2-time Olympian who now rows for the U.S. He suddenly decided not to compete in the trials, saying that with a wife & 3 kids he didn't think it worth the risk.
illini n milwaukee
Jun 1 2004, 09:39 AM
Well given the last few years of U.S.A Basketball, there's not a whole lot to pride themselves in. They did horrible in the World Basketball Championships that was filled with NBA players. NBA players shouldn't be there, they're too spoiled and they seem to have the attitude of who cares. Well I don't care about them! I'd rather see some college players who would give anything to go.
And to continue my rant, it's almost exclusively these basketball players that seem to be too worried about their safety.......I have a feeling it's more of their egos. Heaven forbid, I don't think anyone would ever try anything at the NBA Finals! Heck, it'd be much much easier.
Munson Man
Jun 1 2004, 05:21 PM
Lindsay Davenport has been quite open about her concerns regarding Olympic security and anti-American sentiment in Greece. Lately she's also used the "schedule constraints" chestnut. My guess is she won't be in Athens.
Davenport voices Olympic concerns
canmark
Jun 2 2004, 07:01 AM
Apparently it's not just the athletes that are reluctant to go to
Athens. QUOTE
More than half the tickets for the Athens Olympics remain unsold, with spectator demand apparently slow and corporate sponsors buying far fewer seats than four years ago, organizers said yesterday.
The figures seemed to reinforce some of the worst fears for the Aug. 13-29 Games: security concerns and a shaky global economic recovery leaving unfilled venues for all but the top events.
But organizers noted that their income goal was within reach even with slow sales.
A total of 5.3 million tickets were set aside for Athens — 3 million for the public and 2.3 million for the \"Olympic family\" of International Olympic Committee officials, sponsors and others.
But just 1.83 million tickets have been sold so far. Officials would not give a breakdown of sales to the public as opposed to the Olympic \"family.\"
sportinlife
Jun 2 2004, 03:46 PM
Muller's story caught my attention because of something he said in the article. He was training on a lake when he suddenly thought about the real possibility of some random "anarchist" assaulting a US athlete in a backstreet.
illini n milwaukee
Jun 2 2004, 07:43 PM
I don't think it's anything people are scared about when it comes to a slow ticket sales, but travelling to Athens is a pain. Sydney, Atlanta, Barcelona are all easily accessible places. And it's not that Athens isn't accessible, it's just not that big of a city and is not really in the heart of Europe either.
I don't see a lot of international travellers for the Beijing games either, but I would think China could fill those stadiums, they've got plenty of people.
6iron
Jun 3 2004, 12:34 AM
The games in Athens has been a "marketing" failure from the get-go. Greece only got the Games because of some misguided, though well-intentioned, nostalgia by IOC ... just because you hosted the original Olympics doesn't mean you are politically or economically viable to do so in 2004.
That said, I'm somewhat amused by the excuses offered by the various NBA players for not participating in Athens. The patriotic, politically correct environment of the US prevents them from admitting the real reasons for not wanting to play for the US Olympic team: they don't get paid for it!
God bless them.
No one else is willing to admit it, but representing the US in international competition isn't the honor it used to be.
Adam
Jun 3 2004, 07:53 AM
We can add Karl Malone to the list of those not going to the Games. He notified USA basketball of his decision Wednesday, citing the swelling in his right knee following the final game against the Timberwolves as the clincher for him. Couple the physical strains he's feeling with the emotional stress he's been under following his mother's death (last August) and Malone concludes he needs time away from the game.
~Adam
sportinlife
Jun 3 2004, 05:26 PM
Richard Jefferson IS going from what I've read. He is one of the coolest guys in the NBA IMO. Hope he has some support. This will be the most interesting USA team since pros were permitted to play. I'm sort of looking forward to it.
canmark
Jun 3 2004, 06:27 PM
The roster
so far: QUOTE
The U.S. roster now includes Mike Bibby and Stephon Marbury at point guard, although Bibby has been wavering in his commitment; Allen Iverson and LeBron James, as well as (Richard) Hamilton, at shooting guard; Richard Jefferson and Shawn Marion at small forward, Amare Stoudemire and Tim Duncan at power forward; and (Ben) Wallace at center.
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