There Is Nothing Wrong About Rooting Against Team USA In Basketball

Listen, I'm a basketball fan. I really enjoy the shorter, yet more physical FIBA game. It lends itself to more ball movement and each country has it's own style. Players who aren't exactly NBA Superstars like Dennis Schroder put on a uniform for their home country with a slightly different playing style and turn into difference makers. 

Historically I have always pulled for the USA, but I've also enjoyed Argentina when they had their run in 2004 (I had a Manu Ginobili Argentina jersey) and it was always fun watching Spain with the Gasol brothers. Australia is always feisty and Germany won the world cup last year. 

But I don't know why people are getting up in arms about me rooting for France. Sure the Olympics are fine fodder and background noise. But I don't think very many people are locking in around the clock for two weeks when there are other things on. Do people care about the pole vaulters? Those fast bicycle people? Speed walking? C'mon! I get the move seeming unsettling, but for all the Olympics hardos on Twitter, I bet 85% of them can't say how many gold medals the US has. Most people's lives are no different if they have 35 or 36. But I do understand that people will remember basketball and this Olympic team specifically.

Because again, I'm a basketball fan. But other countries being good at basketball is good for the sport! And when I say I'm a basketball fan, I should specify that I'm a Knicks fan. I had season tickets for 10 years from 2010-2019 and while I do watch the whole league now, I still have an orange and blue tint on my transition lenses. So no, I'm not going to root for the good old USA, who roster some of the Knicks most hated enemies like: Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, LeBron James, and others. I spend the whole year hating these guys, why do I have to root for them?

And of course, I'll bet on them sometimes in a Trust the Data bet. I'll cheer for them for a night to do something specific like grab rebounds, hit 3s, or get some assists. But if I have the choice to root against them and bet on a team that has value, I'll do that all day. Sorry I like to gamble! 

Now I'll admit, the Americans will probably win it all. They have the best individual players and have a gear nobody else in the world has. But gambling is fun and I'm not going to be taking a -500 team to win it all. Risk $500 to win $100? Pass.

But if there is some value on other threats to win it all, now you have my attention. Pre-tournament I made two bets on teams:

France (+1400) and Germany (+3000). I thought those teams had the best shot to dethrone the USA in a potential title game assuming the US got there. I made these bets weeks ago before I knew the Gold Medal game opponent, but again, you assume it'll be the US. So while some people are up in arms about my bets, just know they were weeks ago and if the USA did lose to Serbia today, my bet would be against Serbia, not the USA.

*I do fully admit that I bet on Serbia mid-game. I thought there was value in taking a team leading by 12 in the mid-3rd Quarter to win at +145. They were playing well at the time. I was wrong. It'll happen again, maybe as soon as Saturday in France vs. the USA. But I sure won't be rooting for that to happen.