Is she a traitor - Becky Hammon?

[G o a t b o y]

I've got no problem with anyone playing pro ball anywhere in the world they want, but the Olympics is different.  At the Olympics you are supposed to represent your country.  So yes, she is a traitor.

[Tre]

I've got no problem with anyone playing pro ball anywhere in the world they want, but the Olympics is different.  At the Olympics you are supposed to represent your country.  So yes, she is a traitor.

Exactly.

It's as if they're telling me that the Cold War was just a right-wing bullshit propaganda campaign. 

[JohnnyVegas]

The Olympics are gay and no one cares about them. So she's not a traitor. She hasn't done anything crazy like outing a CIA operative.

Im with you!

[Stu]

Exactly.

It's as if they're telling me that the Cold War was just a right-wing bullshit propaganda campaign. 

Listen to you with your "Commies" and "Cold War" statements, this is the 21st century Gramps, nobody cares about that shit anymore!

[Tre]

... nobody cares...

And that's why this country is going to hell in a (Chinese) handbasket! 

[tommywishbone]

The Cold War?    Hell, why not bring up the whole "Magna Carta thing." Stupid old document. And what about Rhodesia? Where'd that dumb country go?

[Ron]

This is the Olympics. You represent your country. Or where your parents came from. Simple as that.

She has no genealogical connection to the country but was granted a Russian passport after signing a seven-figure contract with a professional team in Moscow over the winter.  Financial reasons factored into Hammon's decision to apply for Russian citizenship. There are marketing opportunities in Moscow for a star player with connections to the country.

Great on her contract with a Russian team. Awesome. But to compete in the Olympics? I can't beleive that the Olympics would let their image be tarnished by someone compete for another country when they have zero connections to it.

Hey, so and so country need a good basketball player for the Olympics? Is Kobe for hire? Maybe the Boston Celtics top five players. Just for the Olympics though.

No - this is wrong. And it breaks the Olympics spirit.

But if she a traitor? Did she sell any secrets? Ruin the country? No.... too harsh a word. 

But if the Olympic committee lets this happen, then anything goes soon.
 

[dantelis]

What happen to the good ol' days when countries actually put up athletes to represent them in the Olympics that were born or naturalized citizens of their country only?  Nowadays, countries will recruit and pay the best talent from other countries to be in the Olympics.  It makes the Olympics a joke.

The IOC should put in a restriction that says that athletes can only represent their home country, where they are citizens, with none of that wishy-washy dual citizenship crap.

[Tre]

I know that true amateurism is a thing of the past thanks to the Olympics, but does this mean that perennial pro card contenders in the NPC who just cannot get over the hump should go to other countries to compete in their Nationals? 

[Geo]

Never heard of this commie bitch before today, but do agree that using the free market to make as much money as possible is what Americans do best.  I grew up during the Cold War, though.  As much as I love my Russian friends and neighbors, there's no way (even if I were a top athlete) that I would ever represent Russia in the Olympics Incorporated.

http://hamptonroads.com/2008/06/she-stayed-true-her-olympic-dream-now-shes-called-traitor

nobody really pays attention to the olympics anyways....


it's not like it was back in the 60's 70's or even 80's.....


I think interest in olympics fell off drastically when we boycotted Moscow in 1980 just to have the soviets boycott us in 1984

[CQ]

No - this is wrong. And it breaks the Olympics spirit.

But if the Olympic committee lets this happen, then anything goes soon.
 

This has been happening forever. She has the passport, she can play.

This year alone, we have an American playing for Russia. Other ones reported so far are a Polish kayaker, Chinese table tennis player, a Kenyan marathoner who won 2 medals in the 2004 Olympics, New Zealand triathete, former gold medalist Aussie equestrian - will compete for the USA. God knows who else will be flippping sides. Happens each time.

People have complained forever. American athletes complain their spots are taken. Foreign nations have filed complaints about their nationals suddenly appearing on other nations teams. The West Indies have watched our sprinters get poached forever. This story that no one recruits, has been debunked by top athletes reporting being offered large sums & passport to 'defect'. The "Olympic spirit" died way back starting in the 1940's when the Germans put a guy in disguised as a woman in the high jump

[link to some of what I am saying above here]

[Camel Jockey]

Brutal following Women's basketball

 

[mass 04]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM MMMMMMMMM

[240 is Back]

$95K per yr WNBA All-Star but didnt get an invite to Olympic tryouts.

If they didn't invite her, what's the problem?

She wasn't wanted on her own country's team.


Is she part-russian?  Or just a ringer?

[Ron]

Is she part-russian?

From what I read, she has nothing to do with Russia at all.


There are other athletes, including a Chinese American that is playing for the US that actually won a medal for China in the past, but she actually lives in the US for years now. That is grossly different than getting a passport because you signed a deal with a team a year ago. Big difference.

[Tre]

If they didn't invite her, what's the problem?

She wasn't wanted on her own country's team.


Is she part-russian?  Or just a ringer?

She's not Russian at all. 

If she had a Russian grandparent or parent, I wouldn't have an issue with this at all.

Regarding 1980, we should not have boycotted the Games. 

[CQ]

There are other athletes, including a Chinese American that is playing for the US that actually won a medal for China in the past, but she actually lives in the US for years now. That is grossly different than getting a passport because you signed a deal with a team a year ago. Big difference.

Snap out of it Ron

I watched one of our former sprinter medalists, whom I knew full well lived here, appear in the Olympics for some European nation, and come right back here.  Much underhanded stuff goes on. Does anyone really think the biggest sporting event in the world is on the up and up?

The door opened decades ago, with the west poaching the communist nations athletes. We can't shut the door, when we opened it.

[Tre]

Snap out of it Ron

I watched one of our former sprinter medalists, whom I knew full well lived here, appear in the Olympics for some European nation, and come right back here.  Much underhanded stuff goes on. Does anyone really think the biggest sporting event in the world is on the up and up?

The door opened decades ago, with the west poaching the communist nations athletes. We can't shut the door, when we opened it.

But you're in the Caribbean...that's different.  Your country is not commonly involved in wars or major world conflicts. 

[jtsunami]

Good for her, she gets paid more money and this is the time when she has the best oppurtunity to, who cares about playing for the stupid US if they only pay you that.

jt

[GigantorX]

Good for her, she gets paid more money and this is the time when she has the best oppurtunity to, who cares about playing for the stupid US if they only pay you that.

jt

I would rather her get paid money to spread her legs and get fucked like the whore she is......just sayin'

[CQ]

But you're in the Caribbean...that's different.  Your country is not commonly involved in wars or major world conflicts. 

Of course not, we are peaceful people, we don't roll like that

Per normal, I expect to see more West Indian sprinters compete than the West Indies actually sends. Poaching has been happening forever...

[timfogarty]

I know that true amateurism is a thing of the past thanks to the Olympics, but does this mean that perennial pro card contenders in the NPC who just cannot get over the hump should go to other countries to compete in their Nationals? 

Mo Moussawi

2000

California Championships - NPC, HeavyWeight, 1st
California Championships - NPC, Overall Winner
Nationals - NPC, HeavyWeight, 9th

2001

Nationals - NPC, HeavyWeight, 16th
USA Championships - NPC, HeavyWeight, 6th

moves to New Zealand, wins their Nationals, although later accused of using steroids (gasp!), still given his pro card, now back in the US

[evandatp]

Americans should get used to this.

There will increasing numbers of increasingly lucrative sporting offers available in other countries for American athletes before long.