The Becky Hammon Debate

[Purple Reign]

Most of us know this story by now. And for those that were listening to Monarchs Talk last night, heard a very spirited debate which included a very agitated and angry Krista Blunk (something I have never heard before). What say you? In your opinion is Becky Hammon doing the right thing playing for Russia in the Olympics.

In my opinion I am OK with her playing. It is not the ideal situation, but it seems to be her only course of action in "HER" best interest. It is unfortunate that the Russian League is complicating this issue by tying her regular season contract with Olympic incentives. But because WNBA players are paid so little, and that there is no spot for her with Team USA, and that she only has a limited amount of potential earning income, I think she is within her right to play where she is invited.

 

[StevenHW]

I personally don't have a problem with Becky Hammon (or any other U.S. player) playing for another team in the Olympics. In Becky's case, she has dual citizenship with the U.S. and Russia.

Of course, this would've been unthinkable during the days of the old U.S.S.R., but we're now past that.

IIRC, two other WNBA players --- Kelly Miller and Deanna "Tweety" Nolan --- are also going for spots on the Russian team as well. Why aren't those two not getting any backlash?

I am NOT voting in this poll, because I do not agree with the wording of the question: "Is Becky doing the right thing by playing for Russia..." Who's to say what is "the right thing" in this situation? For Becky, she is doing this in her own self-interest. If I were in Becky's shoes, I would personally not have done this, but that is just me. But for others, this may sound like disloyalty to one's own country.

 

[uncommonclay]

i voted yes ... in the poll

it's basketball ... putting a spherical ball through a circular metal ring ...

the Olympics, to me, are about human beings, and our planet, Earth ... and which ones of us can run the fastest, or whatever else athletics it is ... why? ... because running fast is FUN !!!! ... and i like to see it happen ... nationalism is actually an impediment to that experience ... from my perspective ...

in my heart there is only one team ... the one we're all on ... ; ) ... even if we need to split up in to squads to play each other in basketball, so be it, we're all still on the same team ...

and don't we have such beautiful teammates ... ; )

 

[uncommonclay]

Of course, this would've been unthinkable during the days of the old U.S.S.R., but we're now past that.

i agree that times have changed, for the better, and they'll keep on changing ... forever ...

i've always thought of the Olympics as an opportunity for Nations & People to come together -- rather than deepen National divides through sports ...

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I can see two sides of this issue: on one hand, Hammon finished second in MVP voting last season, to the Australian-born Lauren Jackson, so you could at least make the case (which I would not, since I don't actually believe it) that Hammon was the best American player in the league last year. With that in mind, USA Basketball invited twenty-three women to its tryouts, and she wasn't one of them.

Having said that, I wouldn't do what she's doing, and I don't agree with her decision. The only way that I would consider representing another country in something like the Olympics is if I had concrete ties to that country, like I was born there, but can claim dual citizenship because my parents were United States citizens, or vice versa. Or my wife was from there, or if I had moved there as a child, and spent more than half my life there. I can't even grok trying to represent another country just because I'd worked there for a few years.

 

[Purple Reign]

I can see two sides of this issue: on one hand, Hammon finished second in MVP voting last season, to the Australian-born Lauren Jackson, so you could at least make the case (which I would not, since I don't actually believe it) that Hammon was the best American player in the league last year. With that in mind, USA Basketball invited twenty-three women to its tryouts, and she wasn't one of them.

I absolutely agree with the point that she was "arguably" the best player in the United States, and she can not even get an invite? To me that makes not even a little sense. And I am sure that personally that had to hurt. And i do believe that had she been invited, and was not chosen, this would be a non-issue.

 

[Bricklayer]

If the U.S. wanted her, they should have invited her. Since they did not, its hypocritcial to run around whining because somebody else offered her the honor. If she turned down a U.S. offer to play for Russia instead that would be one thing. But she was not even invited. And this is likely her last chance to take part in the Olympics, which is a pretty amazing experience.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I'm not going to hate on her for doing it. I thought some folks who called last night made better arguments than I could make for not having a problem playing for the Russian team than I have been able to formulate.

If it's about the money, how can you begrudge her not walking away from the money. If it's about having a chance at the Olympics how can you begrudge her that. Now if she joined the Russian army or their intelligence department that is a different story.

If I had one iota of agreement or shoot, if I could say I could even stomach the decisions USA Basketball has made about their selections...well let me be frank...if they had a good reason for why the HELL Sue Bird was annointed the pg of this team, perhaps I could find fault with Becky for jumping ship. USA Basketball clearly made their assessment that Hammon wasn't a player they REALLY thought was essential. Russia found a use for her...I think that's the end of the story.

If Nolan and Miller make the team, I would think they'd get the same treatment Hammon did, Hammon has chosen to be the poster child for the movement I 'spose.

Krista did get a fire lit under her! I was working late on a project at work and walked back into my office and heard her as she was jumping down the San Antonio dude's throat about the gold medal...that did sorta take me aback for a second.

 

[Airfoil]

If the U.S. wanted her, they should have invited her. Since they did not, its hypocritcial to run around whining because somebody else offered her the honor. If she turned down a U.S. offer to play for Russia instead that would be one thing. But she was not even invited. And this is likely her last chance to take part in the Olympics, which is a pretty amazing experience.

Well put.

 

[6th]

I can see two sides of this issue: on one hand, Hammon finished second in MVP voting last season, to the Australian-born Lauren Jackson, so you could at least make the case (which I would not, since I don't actually believe it) that Hammon was the best American player in the league last year. With that in mind, USA Basketball invited twenty-three women to its tryouts, and she wasn't one of them.

Having said that, I wouldn't do what she's doing, and I don't agree with her decision. The only way that I would consider representing another country in something like the Olympics is if I had concrete ties to that country, like I was born there, but can claim dual citizenship because my parents were United States citizens, or vice versa. Or my wife was from there, or if I had moved there as a child, and spent more than half my life there. I can't even grok trying to represent another country just because I'd worked there for a few years.

I agree that I would not do what she is doing.......no way...no how.

This is not just some tournament where countries go around the world and pick up players not chosen by other teams. The Olympics is an international competition where country's best athletes compete on a world stage. This is not about "we are all the same...human beings." This is about national pride.....at least to me.

I am a regular contributor to the U.S. Olympic team. I think it is important that we do what we can to send our best athletes to represent us. Maybe it is my background (having served in the military during the Vietnam War) that thinks it is important that we compete for our country or not at all. Just because she is a professional basketball player should not mean she gets to play because some other country wants her.

And the dual citizenship is a crock. When countries will give an athlete citizenship in order to have them compete in athletics.............well, to me, that is just a crock and cheapens the whole point of the Olympic Games.

 

[Rockmeister]

If the U.S. wanted her, they should have invited her. Since they did not, its hypocritcial to run around whining because somebody else offered her the honor. If she turned down a U.S. offer to play for Russia instead that would be one thing. But she was not even invited. And this is likely her last chance to take part in the Olympics, which is a pretty amazing experience.

Very well said.

 

[creative one]

Becky is absolutely doing the right thing by exposing the politics that define USA Basketball. This isn't about her playing for the Russian National Team. If she was playing for Team Angola or Belarus instead, would people be quick to label her as "unpatriotic"?

Anne Donovan wouldn't care about this development if there wasn't a chance that Russia could defeat the United States in a medal round.

 

[6th]

Becky is absolutely doing the right thing by exposing the politics that define USA Basketball. This isn't about her playing for the Russian National Team. If she was playing for Team Angola or Belarus instead, would people be quick to label her as "unpatriotic"?

Anne Donovan wouldn't care about this development if there wasn't a chance that Russia could defeat the United States in a medal round.

Doesn't matter whether it is Russia, Angola, Belarus or any other country to me. I still say that it totally undermines the Olympic Games when Becky (or anyone) goes off to play for another country just because their own country does not invite them.

Let's just have athletes from around the world play for any team they choose. How about athletes play for the highest bidder? You want to do that in other types of competitions? I say, feel free. But the Olympic games are different and they should remain different. Obviously, this is just my own feeling on the subject of the Olympics.

 

[creative one]

Doesn't matter whether it is Russia, Angola, Belarus or any other country to me. I still say that it totally undermines the Olympic Games when Becky (or anyone) goes off to play for another country just because their own country does not invite them.

Let's just have athletes from around the world play for any team they choose. How about athletes play for the highest bidder? You want to do that in other types of competitions? I say, feel free. But the Olympic games are different and they should remain different. Obviously, this is just my own feeling on the subject of the Olympics.

Funny. Nobody says a word about Kenyan-born marathon runners who emigrate to Europe to run for those teams because they can't make their national team.

If she was playing for Angola or a country that didn't have a chance in you-know-what of advancing to the medal rounds, people would care less about Becky's endeavors. Some would question her motive, but few would spew this "Becky is unpatriotic" crap. Because there's a real chance that her team could defeat the US in a medal round, people feel compelled to denigrate her and "poo poo" her cause (which, IMO, is to expose the politics that have plagued USA Basketball for the past 15 years). Meanwhile, she's taking advantage of an opportunity to make a little bank. She's not doing anything different than what many athletes (including Americans) have done for years, which is to compete in the Olympics in return for monetary compensation.

In case you haven't noticed, the Olympic Games are all about commercialism these days. The "spirit" of the games is gone. That's what happens when you have professional athletes competing in an "amateur" competition. You honestly believe that LeBron James is suiting up for Team USA because he's patriotic and has unyielding love for his country? Whatever. He's doing it for the money (gotta promote his shoe to the Chinese consumers), and so is Becky. In the process, Becky is exposing Team USA's personnel politics.

We're not talking about a scrub. We're talking about one of our nation's best players not being given a fair chance to represent her home country during the Olympic games because of the politics that exist within USA Basketball. This isn't about her playing under another country's flag. This is about her showing people like Anne Donovan and Renee Brown that the system is flawed beyond repair.

 

[RDub21]

Just my two cents...my view of the Olympics is that it is something you train for and dream of competing in in order to show that you are the best in any particular sport. Yeah, it's about bringing all the nations together to compete and all that, but imo, the big thing is being able to get behind your country and cheering them on. If Team USA and Russia were playing, I would cheer for Team USA and whether or not Becky was on the Russian team, I would not be cheering for them.

If she was playing for Angola or a country that didn't have a chance in you-know-what of advancing to the medal rounds, people would care less about Becky's endeavors. Some would question her motive, but few would spew this "Becky is unpatriotic" crap.

If any player were to go to any country that they had absolutely no ties to then yeah I would say they were unpatriotic. I wouldn't really care if they went to Russia, Angola, or wherever. I agree with 6th in that totally ruins the whole point of the Olympics.

Funny. Nobody says a word about Kenyan-born marathon runners who emigrate to Europe to run for those teams because they can't make their national team.

Well, to my knowledge, Becky lives in the United States. Granted she plays in Russia for part of the year, but I don't think she will be emigrating to Russia year round...

 

[Den-Den]

While in theory it would be great if the Olympics were strictly about individual sport achievement, they are not. They are still VERY country focused. Olympic athletes enter Olympic stadium under the flag of their nation. They listen to their nation's anthem if they win gold while that nation's flag is raised, and they wear the uniform of that nation while competing. I guess I am really old school on this issue, and cannot imagine wearing another nation's uniform, much less having to watch another country's flag being raised and anthem being played for a medal I had helped them to win. JMO

I thought that Team USA DID invite Becky to tryout, participate, whatever, but she already had obligations to play for the Russian Team that she plays on, and could not attend. Many have been invited, and readily cleared their obligations to play for Team USA--many at the last minute--including our own Laura Harper, even though it made her late to her first WNBA training camp, and with admittedly outside chances of actually making the team. Others, who play on other Russian teams, were able to make it.

Tweety and Kelly Miller both are also supposed to be playing on the Russian team. I have thought it interesting that Becky seems to be getting a disproportionate amount of heat about this, while the other two are getting almost zero coverage. Just what is that all about...

 

[Purple Reign]

I thought that Team USA DID invite Becky to tryout, participate, whatever, but she already had obligations to play for the Russian Team that she plays on, and could not attend. Many have been invited, and readily cleared their obligations to play for Team USA--many at the last minute--including our own Laura Harper, even though it made her late to her first WNBA training camp, and with admittedly outside chances of actually making the team. Others, who play on other Russian teams, were able to make it.

Tweety and Kelly Miller both are also supposed to be playing on the Russian team. I have thought it interesting that Becky seems to be getting a disproportionate amount of heat about this, while the other two are getting almost zero coverage. Just what is that all about...

My understanding (and I could be incorrect) is that Hammon was an after thought invitee, but because the training or the tour would interfere with her Russian League schedule, and there was no guarantee that she would strongly be considered, she passed.

As far as Nolan and Miller, I believe what was said on Wednesday was both those players were invited by Russia and they both declined.

I have gone back and forth on this issue in my mind every time I hear about it. What it comes down to for me is that Becky Hammon, arguably one of the top 10 American players, was not considered for a roster spot period. And if another contending country is offering you a slot, plus compensation, and your country does not think enough of you or your talent as one of the 12 best players in the country, you must consider all your options. Now I'm not saying I would do what she is doing, but she would be a fool not to consider her options. She considered, and she is taking Russia up on their offer. I don't blame her.

Here is my list of what players should be guaranteed a spot, and then you tell me if she should not be on this squad:

Lisa Leslie
Candace Parker
Diana Taurasi
Cappie Pondexter
Sylvia Fowles
Seimone Augustus
Tina Thompson (just barely)
Tameka Catchings (based on her health)

That's it!!!! Those eight players bring stuff to the table that I think nobody else brings. Katie Smith and Sue Bird in my opinion are selected for other reasons than talent. Because you can easily, easily replace Smith, and Bird with a combination of Katie Douglas, Swin Cash, Becky Hammon and Lindsay Whalen and have just as good or even better team. Because i do believe that both Hammon and especially Whalen are way better than Bird.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

I too have wondered whether or not the specter of playing for Russia fuels a lot of the firestorm, at least from where the patriotism piece has seemingly come from because that is mostly what gets played up in the stories and the conversations. But the crux of the controversy span a few different angles.

I also find it interesting that if she had some familial ties (however distant) to Russia it would be different even if her other circumstances were similar in that she doesn't live there, doesn't fully speak the language, isn't acculturated....etc. If you parlay a dual citizenship to play for another country because you couldn't make the USA National Team to pursue an opportunity to win a medal or participate in the Olympics how is it fundamentally different? There was a player at Sac St who went to I believe Sydney to play for the Italian softball team. Half the Greek softball team in Athens were Americans. None of them had a chance to play for Team USA and most if not all invoked the distant relative card to get the necessary qualification to go. I'm trying to reconcile how there is a fundamental difference...

As for Nolan and Miller, they have simply, from what I understand, been invited to try out for Team Russia - they all, under FIBA rules, can't make the team unless Hammon doesn't go because national teams can only have one naturalized player on their roster. But that doesn't erase the fact that they are also under consideration and theoretically should be equally included in the conversation. As should the male US player who also apparently also got a similar deal from Russia as Hammon did and has already been playing for the Russian men's team and will do so for the Olympics as well.

It's interesting that Donovan has started to back down from her comments in the ESPN piece.

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

Here is my list of what players should be guaranteed a spot, and then you tell me if she should not be on this squad:

Lisa Leslie
Candace Parker
Diana Taurasi
Cappie Pondexter
Sylvia Fowles
Seimone Augustus
Tina Thompson (just barely)
Tameka Catchings (based on her health)

That's it!!!! Those eight players bring stuff to the table that I think nobody else brings. Katie Smith and Sue Bird in my opinion are selected for other reasons than talent. Because you can easily, easily replace Smith, and Bird with a combination of Katie Douglas, Swin Cash, Becky Hammon and Lindsay Whalen and have just as good or even better team. Because i do believe that both Hammon and especially Whalen are way better than Bird.

I could make more of a case for Katie Smith than I could for Sue Bird. Smith at the very least can bring both offense AND much needed defense. Taurasi has one of the criteria I would consider, but like Bird would have to look up defense in the dictionary to become aware of what that concept is. Pondexter to me is a redundant version of Taurasi (if Taurasi played defense) on the team and unless you were going to play her some at the point, I'd almost prefer Douglas in her roster slot. But that's obviously not going to happen.

I would take Douglas (or Alana Beard if she was healthier) and Whalen. Cash would replace Catchings if she couldn't go (and I wouldn't have said this a year ago I don't think, Cash to me was another weird add to the National team in 04). On Monarchs Talk Koz dropped the rumor that Swoopes is angling/politicking for one of the spots, I'd have to think that would be if they didn't have Catchings to turn to, otherwise, I would sorta do that under the idea that she could play the role that Yo played - the bench player who came in and did stuff defensively to help win the game but would have a problem with her getting a slot over Douglas or Whalen.

Tina Thompson IMO should not have any qualifications next to her name. Her omission in 2000 was about the time I got completely incensed at the selection process (read: finally turned off by). Lest I think I was being completely irrational in my snit, I ended up having a conversation with Maura McHugh I think in 2001 and she launched into a Tina omission rant herself for some reason during our chat- and I gladly joined her. USA does not win gold in Athens without Thompson and her game has not dropped off much if at all in the intervening 4 years.

Whether Brunson or Fowles or both go to Beijing was my measuring stick as to how much USA Basketball values politics (or whatthehellever it is they use as their selection criteria for people being considered let alone named to the final squad) over constructing a team that can win now that they've lost a chunk of the core from their 1996-2004 run. Fowles made it, although I still cynically believe somebody had to shout down the Milton-Jones contingent for her to do so.

 

[creative one]

My understanding (and I could be incorrect) is that Hammon was an after thought invitee, but because the training or the tour would interfere with her Russian League schedule, and there was no guarantee that she would strongly be considered, she passed.

As far as Nolan and Miller, I believe what was said on Wednesday was both those players were invited by Russia and they both declined.

I have gone back and forth on this issue in my mind every time I hear about it. What it comes down to for me is that Becky Hammon, arguably one of the top 10 American players, was not considered for a roster spot period. And if another contending country is offering you a slot, plus compensation, and your country does not think enough of you or your talent as one of the 12 best players in the country, you must consider all your options. Now I'm not saying I would do what she is doing, but she would be a fool not to consider her options. She considered, and she is taking Russia up on their offer. I don't blame her.

Here is my list of what players should be guaranteed a spot, and then you tell me if she should not be on this squad:

Lisa Leslie
Candace Parker
Diana Taurasi
Cappie Pondexter
Sylvia Fowles
Seimone Augustus
Tina Thompson (just barely)
Tameka Catchings (based on her health)

That's it!!!! Those eight players bring stuff to the table that I think nobody else brings. Katie Smith and Sue Bird in my opinion are selected for other reasons than talent. Because you can easily, easily replace Smith, and Bird with a combination of Katie Douglas, Swin Cash, Becky Hammon and Lindsay Whalen and have just as good or even better team. Because i do believe that both Hammon and especially Whalen are way better than Bird.

This is by far the best post I've read on this subject.

Most people aren't saying that they'd do what Becky's doing if they were faced with her dilemma. Rather, most people understand why Becky's doing what she's doing and are wise enough to place the blame where it rightfully belongs...squarely on the shoulders of USA Basketball. On PTI yesterday, Michael Wilbon (someone who has a working knowledge of women's basketball) ripped Anne Donovan a new one over the issue. He's been known to rip athletes in the past, but this time he ripped Anne because he felt that she crossed the line in calling Becky "unpatriotic". He felt that she shouldn't comment on the subject because it was obvious that she didn't want Becky on the team and is trying to vilify Becky for wanting to act on her Olympic dream elsewhere. Anne and USA Basketball can't have it both ways. You can't keep one of the best American players off your national team and then expect her not to draw interest from your biggest competitors.

I'm also in the camp that Sue Bird has done nothing to prove she should be the starting point guard for this team, but her pedigree won her that spot. Granted, she was probably the most productive point guard in the league when she first entered (which landed her on the 2004 Olympic team), but the whole "silver spoon" treatment she receives sickens me. This is 2008, not 2004. It's obvious now that she's not the best point guard in the league. That title goes to Whalen, who might not get her opportunity to don the red, white, and blue this summer. It can be argued successfully that Becky's not a true point guard, but she's still a better player than Sue. And doesn't Team USA want to take the best players possible?