Hoops

Zika virus may keep Bogut out of Olympics

Or anyone on the track and field, perhaps table tennis or GOLF you retard Dazz.

Haha... my thoughts exactly.

Looks like Bogut might not even need to resort to the Zika excuse.

Zika may not pose much of a threat to your average male, but I wonder if it would be bad enough to deprive a Professional athlete of their edge?

Its spread by mozzies, and they are hard to eradicate.

You won't find many cleaner cities than Singapore, but several years back they were in the grip of a Dengue outbreak. So its not just rural areas in dirty third world countries.

That said, I'd think basket-ballers and others playing in indoor venues would be amongst the safest. I imagine they would fit all the doors with air-curtains and periodically fumigate.
Not sure I'd want to be an equestrian, road-cyclist, or rower though.

Ah that Billy Madison quote. It never gets old.

You were finished a longgggg time ago

Mr. Ricey, what you’ve just written is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this forum is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

"Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News said Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James and Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala are considering missing the event because of Zika worries. It is not just an American issue, as Spain’s Pau Gasol isn’t sure whether he will participate because of the disease, per Tales Azzoni of the Associated Press."

Well shit. I guess no one is worried about it. You were right all along ricey

Ricey, just admit you were wrong rather than pretend we didn't understand your tone when you wrote the ridiculous things you did repeatedly with utter conviction.

NOw its the sarcasm card. Way too late.

I think with Ricey it all comes back to some vague humanitarian and travel effort. He doesn't even make sense anymore. It is frustrating watching him try to grapple with some pretty standard logic. It is like giving a robot a irreconcilable difference and watching it combust.

Ricey, no one wants your amateur league Olympics held in Mongolia. You do realize the NBA was once semi professional, right? Well how about we move it back to that and make dribbling and dunks illegal, yeah? Because that is the way it used to be done? So they can hold NBA games in a small town in Buttfuck Idaho, get no sponsorship, and no one will give a shit. Makes sense, right? Well that is basically your attempt at common sense.

Quit with your garble, dude.

What a great idea let's go back to the Ancient Times and still stay there. Ricey you have seriously lost any credibility going down that road. Maybe they should reintroduce chariot racing too. By the way do your homework and you will find out its been professional for about 40 years. Keep digging that hole.

Just listening to a Bill Simmons podcast, and they are saying they wouldnt go to Rio, for a range of reasons, including the viurs, and are wondering if any NBA player really wants to go.

Doesnt this sort of debate even being said, sorta prove my point,

Again this isnt happening or even being discussed if Olympics are held in a better place!

Speaking of saying things to suit narratives, you still never answered my direct questions,

The main one being

Would athletes, and im sure its alot more than bogut and gasol pull out or even think of it, if the olympics where held on one of the places i suggested???

Do a quick google search and see the growing number of basketballers not going or thinking of it, who are not injured and just dont want to. A fair chunk of the first choice USA team has withdrawn, and im sure we havnt seen the last of it.

That alone is a reason to host in one of these places i have suggested and not Rio

Olympics is professional, its about the BEST of the BEST, you reckon TV stations will pay billions of dollars to show an amateur competition?? Do you reckon it would get the same viewership?? At the very least it has been this way since 1992, if not earlier in many sports, so a fair while now

To be honest, the amount of withdrawls have already made me less excited about the basketball at the olympics, which is my fav sport

US team is dropping like flys, i doubt that KD, LEBron or Kyrie will go either which makes it even worse

I never mentioned Beijing and China, Beijing is a different issue,and you may of noticed it wasnt a place i suggested, and also doesnt fit my suggestion of 1st world hosts, so in a way your proving my point

And ME is correct, guys saying they dont wanna go, gotta rest, free agency, family reasons, etc generally means i dont wanna go to that place, but dont wanna publicly bag it, so will blame something else like these things, and be very vauge about it

I almost guarantee all of these guys would play if it was in a place i have suggested, most are not injured, or even free agents needing to protect there value in the short term, so they simply dont wanna go, which again proves my point, they shouldnt hold these events in Rio

Basketball, just one sport is looking watered down already, with heaps of USA guys out, and i predict others will follow suit, Batum and both Gasols are atleast considering not going, Marc al beit is due to injury, but even if he wasnt im not sure he would be keen to go. Others like Bogut have publicly voiced concerns, you lose 1 or 2 guys of the tournament, cos they dont wanna go to Rio, is basically losing 10-20% of the top talent from the top teams, it makes the tournament far less attractive for viewers and frankly future sponsonrs, etc. Im a basketball tragic and getting less excited about the olympic basketball, what are casual fans gonna think??

Seriously if im the NBA, id organise a basketball tournament in the USA, with all the guys that dont wanna go to Rio at the same time or there abouts, could build some nice international rosters, sell sponsorships and tv rights easily, and cash in on this, if given the choice between a tournament in the USA and Rio olympics im sure many would rather stay/go to the USA, build international rosters from NBA sqauds and see how good some of these teams could look. Yes i know this wont happen, but if i were the NBA id look at it., could even pay the players too, something the Olympics doesnt do. Mark Cuban even hinted at something like this a while ago, cos he isnt a fan of the Olympics using there players whilst not paying the player or the club, particlularly if they get hurt at the olympics or in the lead up to.

Im sure its not just basketball too, its just the olympic sport i follow, im sure many sports are dealing with similar issues.

"Well duh, obviously it wouldn't be the same without the pros, but if you're going to nitpick at things why don't we start with what the games are meant to originally be for huh? Or doesn't that fit your narrative."

No, it doesn't fit my narrative because it is stupid. Olympics haven't been about that for a long time. Get with it. The Olympics will stop being a global cultural phenomena if they return to being an amateur competition. It is not an amateur competition. This is not about restoring the the Olympics to some imagined 'former glory'.

"ME, you do realise pro ballers didn't play until the 80s right. Few years ahead of the ancient Olympics. Nice try though."

Oh wise one, please tell me more? I hadn't realized that the 1992 Dream Team was the first Olympic team with NBA basketball players. Please inform me about how Pippen and Jordan made a point of shutting down Toni Kukoc. I really need that history lesson right about now.

Point remains, there have been professionals there for 24 years now. It is now a professional competition. Your stance makes NO sense.

"Ummmm the dream team was able to enter because they lifted the ban on pro ballers. Again, originally the games are for amateurs. So if you want things to be all wholesome, and great for people, why not go back to the way it was before the son of Adi Dassler changed sports forever with the Olympics and World Cup. Read up on how the Olympics and World Cup got to be the financial juggernauts they are now. There's a book all about ADIDAS vs Puma. You'll learn a thing or two."

It is good for no ones business or entertainment value to return the Olympics back to an amateur competition, and your reasons for wanting to do so are vague at best. Something something lets hold Olympics in shit holes something something travel... am I right?

"Oh, and never said Olympics should have its games in places for humanitarian reasons, however you people have said Beijing is and was a bad choice due to human rights issues. Hmmmmmm. Odd comment to make in hindsight isn't it"

No. It is about not holding the Olympics in places where athletes will likely pull out because of it. Of course some athletes will pull out to protest human rights violations. How do you equate that to the fact that they shouldn't host Olympics in places where water sanitation and living standards aren't up to code? In an earlier comment, you spoke about players wanting to travel to other countries to experience sport there. I never occurred to you that people are pulling out of Rio because they DON'T want to experience sport there. And then, later on you shrug that off and say return it to an amateur competition? Errr... Dafuq?

"Oh, and this quote from 4 hours ago on sports illustrated "No basketball player has withdrawn due to concerns about political unrest or the Zika virus in Brazil." I highly doubt these guys would pull out and not give the actual reason, especially Westbrook "

The trend is 'I have spoken to my family and we have decided that its best for me to stay home'. Those are codewords for 'Rio is a shithole and I am not fucking with that shit'.

Have you been living under a rock Ricey? How do you think the Dream Team was eligible to enter.

Be glad any pros rock up? lol. The Olympics have evolved, Ricey. This isn't ancient Greece and we aren't wrestling naked in the mud for a portion of silver coins.

This is about the world's BEST competing against each other. I don't think that should change just so you can bring your humanitarian effort to more third world shit holes.

Usa basketballers dropping like flys now,

None of them are saying it, but i bet if hosted in a better city most of these guys play.

Which is exactly my point

And it likely wont just be American basketballers skipping the olympics either

It takes it away from being the pinnacle of sports when top athletes skip the tournament

The 'amateur' thing is so out dated & hypocritical these days same with ncaa

So much money made from these events by some

It wouldn't be the premier sporting event without the pros playing

Lemanis jumps to wishful thinking, assuming that Boguts "100% committed" quote can be taken as absolute, unchangeable fact. I think he thinks if he publicly declares he's there, somehow Bogut will feel compelled to play regardless. Probably the only tactic that he could use with Boguts attendance clearly in the balance at this point.

I am glad to hear that Basketball Australia will, themselves, be looking into the Zika issue.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/olympics-2016/australias-basketball-coach-andrej-lemanis-tells-of-relief-after-andrew-bogut-commits-to-rio-games-despite-concerns-over-zika-virus/news-story/9bf023753fcace07f87755fa821f74c1

Ask Jason Day's wife whether it's safe or not.

Hoopie, it will affect their bartering power in future Olympics if stars don't show for this one. They will have to prove that it wont be the case again

Once the multi-billion $ TV contracts are agreed then who actually turns up becomes irrelevant to the IOC, because they've locked in the big bucks. If a few top names pull out, I doubt if the IOC will lose any sleep - just as long as those athletes LOOK like they're going to be there in order to make sure the biggest possible contracts are signed.
It's all about the $ the IOC can make, whether as an entity or members individually through kickbacks.

Btw, from memory, within 2 years of the South Africa soccer World Cup, weren't most of the stadiums lying idle because nobody could afford to use them? Don't countries hosting the Olympics usually take 10-20 years to finally pay off all the debts? There wouldn't be too many 'safe' cities which could actually afford them these days.

Yea fair points especially re the self interest & money dictating the location of the olympics.

I just wish they did put the athletes first and there wishes & well being re the host city.

I know it wont happen, but it is what i wish did happen. As i doubt its just a few being precious either, i reckon there would be heaps with concerns, not just the virus. If im wrong i agree don't bow to just a few but if im right then in the future i wish the athletes were consulted re host cities. Again as u said re money etc probably wont happen but i wish it did as the athletes are basically the olympics.

I kno it wont move & possibly too hard at this point i just thought hosting in rio given the issues was a bad idea to begin with.

I hope all the athletes compete without any short or long term issues that could have been avoided and the rio Olympics has no heath issues but i have my concerns n doubts for the athletes.

If any athletes get sick from these issues and im meaning 1 , especially long term, that is un acceptable in my view. Especially cos if propper decision making was made it would have been avoided.

Anon, the IOC cannot and will not just stage events in developed countries for a range of reasons, including amongst other things money, voting by member countries, politics, self-interest, money, factionalism, vested interests and money.

The Olympics are not just about sport (and certainly not an humanitarian exercise either) and despite your apparent belief is not governed only by white Western developed countries. Even more so, they are not run by athletes who might get a bit precious about where they go to compete. The games will still proceed even if some athletes or even countries boycott the event (which has happened many times before).

Hence your wish to have the Olympics always hosted in safe first world countries is just a nice fancy. Moving the event somewhere else two months out even more so.

I do recall vividly the concerns regarding Beijing's deadly smog before those Games? What came of that?

First of all no one is abusing you, so play the ball and not the man, no issues if u disagree but do it with logic not insults.

Healthy debate is great imo and what these issues need.

2nd you never answered my questions. Just went on tangents that suited u.

Would athletes, and im sure its alot more than bogut and gasol pull out or even think of it, if the olympics where held on one of the places i suggested???

And would they be happier/more comfortable going?? (I paraphrased from my earlier post)

I dont remember a histeria like this leading to say sydney or London Olympics. I may have forgotten, but dont re call. Whether it is right or wrong re the virus i will leave to the medical experts. Some who seem concerned.

Being basically the 2 main ones.

Being this is an elite sporting event which needs its elite athletes that is the key imo.

The Olympics is sport. Not a humanitarian exercise to fix the world imo.

And hosting the Olympics wont fix the virus or othet issues in rio anyway.

I would love to see issues like the virus, poverty, etc all be fixed. But this is not what the Olympics and hosting is about.

I kno little about the virus am not claiming it to be safe or unsafe on it, i just dont think athletes should be forced to take this risk, that some seem uncomfortable with in the first place. Especially when many other viable alternative host cities are around without these risks.

Yes i have never claimed LA to be perfect, as u said its got its issues. But i bet if u asked many athletes if they would feel more comfortable going to rio or LA which is one of the many places i suggested, they would chose LA which imo makes it a better host city. Not perfect but better.

I never compared sudan and rio, was just saying im not against developing nations personally, they are likely mostly ok and full of wonderful people. I just don't think they should host the Olympics.

My opinion has nothing to do with race, i just think they should hold these events in areas where these risks do not exist and where the athletes themselves feel comfortable going.

You are clearly a traveler, who doesn't mind taking these risks, but that doesn't mean everyone has to be or is weak or stupid for not wanting to. Yes the risk may be minimal as u say re the virus. Yes risks of crime, etc exists in all nations including 1st world. Not saying anywhere is perfect just better than rio at this point.

Btw off topic would love to hear more about what columbua is like, i have a sponsor child there, would love to visit one day.

Anyway peace out, everyone can have an opinion, aswell as a personal risk tolerance, etc thats just mine.

I would hate to see heaps of athletes pull out or get sick over this virus or any other issue and ruin the Olympics when it could have likely been avoided in the first place in a different city.

I don't remember 'majority white' being said. But if those tend to be the safer places in the world, so be it.

We do have a responsibility to the athletes. As I said, I think Zika is a storm in a tea cup, but my concern is mainly for people who will have direct contact with their water.

They've tried to bring their water up to code and they have not achieved it. With just two months out and they are nowhere near ready.

So, if I must say it again, it is people with direct contact with unsanitary water that I worry about. Have you not heard the stories of the Croatian rowing team practicing there only recently getting sick? It's not from Zika.

I bet Ricey is a hipster.

My stance on the matter is pretty straightforward: I don't see why you'd pull out over the Zika virus, however I think Brazil is a stupid place to have the games and they should have had more foresight. The rowers are the ones that I am more concerned for.

Ricey u sound like someone who has done a bit of travel, u been to Brazil/rio??

Ricey to me its as simple as this to me

If the Olympics were held in say Barcelona, LA, Melbourne, Sydney, London, Tokyo, Paris, etc would there be top athletes like bogut and gasol thinking of pulling out??

Would we be talking about this virus? Or would we be anticipating how great the Olympics are going to be???

Should athletes be put in a position where they have to travel to a place that has issues, ie the virus, that they may be very uncomfortable with??

Im not saying the sorts of places im suggesting are perfect, everywhere has issues, but they are obviously things athletes feel are more manageable and are happy to go to these sorts of places.

I don't know them personally but i bet if you said to gasol, bogut and frankly most athletes the Olympics is in LA they would be like sweet im in. I doubt a single athlete pulls out cos they are not comfortable going there.

This makes all the issues we r seeing not exist, so to me is a logical option. But yes no city is perfect but many places have less risks & issues than rio.

The AFL doesn't play its grand final on a suburban ground in a lower socio economic are

The NBA don't play the finals in the ghettos

They all play in parts of the city that most people feel are nice & safe in world class facilities

Call me a snob but i think the Olympics should be treated in the same way

There are like 30 1st world countries, start with the major sports cities in them to host Olympics

If Olympics wanna help developing countries then great but don't need to have them host to do it.

I know some wonderful people from places like sudan, phillipenes, and i myself hope to visit my friends home cities which as u said likely are safe, but it doesn't mean Olympics should be held there

It's the premier sporting event, so hold it in the worlds top countries & cities and then issues like the virus which lets face it none of us are experts on, don't threaten to derail it and draw the attention from the games itself.

I hate the fact these discussions exist and have not been resolved so close to the Olympics starting, when they wouldn't need to be if they were more selective with the host city.

Here's a report of a letter by medical professionals from around the world calling for the Olympics to be moved.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-28/rio-2016-olympics-should-move-due-to-zika-virus-threat/7455710

The WHO disagrees, but the debate is an important one, and I think it's good people like Bogut are putting it front and centre and making the authorities address it properly.

Jeez now we have a board for of medical experts and basketball coaches and sneaker experts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HEXpQuEpZI

"Hahahahahaha ummmm mate, millions dream of going to Rio and Brazil over Europe. For example. Europeans. Come on buddy."

Yes, people tend to go to countries that aren't home when they travel. That is the point of traveling. I guess you nailed that concept.

"What's the point? Sharing the wealth to a degree. Oh sorry, we think you're a shit country by our standards, so we won't entertain your attempt to hold this even which you attend regularly. Think a bit harder here buddy. The world already looks shit enough for big economic countries, and then for them to hog events like World Cup, olympics, etc?"

Cameroon, Nigeria and Egypt regularly attend thE Olympics. I can't remember one being held there, though. And why? Because they aren't suitable places. Rio with all of its various public health issues probably is not a suitable place. This has nothing to do with 'sharing the wealth' when sixteen years later Sydney is no better off for having had the Olympics in the first place.


"You do realise these athletes from developing countries do compete at other events around the world right? A lot of them also live in those countries you think they want to compete in. I think you'd find a lot of them saviour the opportunity to travel to other places they may not see such as Brazil to compete in their chosen sport."

There are a lot of countries in the world. For a lot of people any other country is a different country. You don't have to hold your Olympics in a cesspit to prove some point about travel.

"Zika is certainly something to keep an eye on but it isn't nearly as bad as reported especially in Rio. It's largely in the north eastern states. And the time of year for the games it's quite dry and cold as opposed to most of the rest of the year. I'm the part of Brazil where I am it's practically not an issue at all which is how it will be in Rio by August "

From what I have read, Zika is just the tip of the iceberg. Rowers using Brazilian waters have a good chance of getting sick. They just throw their rubbish in the river and use the streets as a toilet. I don't think Zika is the problem and I hardly think people who generally stay indoors or bring their own water will be affected. But lets be real, not a great place to hold it.

"o gasol or bogut or really any athlete pull out over concerns like this if it is held in Melbourne or Barcelona or los angeles or many other places???

To me that's how u avoid any of this stuff

You need the top athletes competing or it waters down the competition imo across any sport.

Virus or no virus u could find many places athletes are not afraid to travel to, which is what i think should happen

I hate wen 8 weeks out we are talking about this for the biggest sporting event in the world

Use my suggestion we are talking about the sport and how exciting it's going to be to see all these athletes including gasol n bogut"

Exactly right. The Olympics is not necessarily a humanitarian exercise. If your city isn't up to code, it shouldn't win the rights. IF it wants to compete to hold the games, it needs to work to get to that point.

The Olympic committee think they can fix a city by holding a games there. Fact of the matter is Rio has problems that will take decades to fix.

Do gasol or bogut or really any athlete pull out over concerns like this if it is held in Melbourne or Barcelona or los angeles or many other places???

To me that's how u avoid any of this stuff

You need the top athletes competing or it waters down the competition imo across any sport.

Virus or no virus u could find many places athletes are not afraid to travel to, which is what i think should happen

I hate wen 8 weeks out we are talking about this for the biggest sporting event in the world

Use my suggestion we are talking about the sport and how exciting it's going to be to see all these athletes including gasol n bogut

Yea Olympics isnt made to develop countries

Its sport

Just need good sporting facilities in places which are safe, low risk in terms of disease, war,etc imo

I may be soft but the current issues causing top athletes to pull out or think about it wouldn't exist if they did this

What other industry holds its premier event, a multi billion dollar event, watched by billions world wide in a developing country??

If in your job you got to go to your premier event would you rather go to a really nice European city, a nice city in the usa,etc or would you rather go to rio??

How many choose rio for a holiday over a holiday in a nice euro or American city??

I also believe long term the Olympics does little to help these countries anyway so whats the point??

I doubt it stops athletes from developing countries competing either, they would likely love a trip to some of the great cities around the world

If it means Olympics is only hosted by a handful of countries to keep it from these things then so be it. Find 10 places, each place only hosts once in 40 years so hardly repetitive.

Read most of that. I think the main point is the Olympic committee need to stop thinking they can fix cities by holding their events there. From what I read it seems like athletes in water sports are going to get ill regardless of Zika.

The Promise Rio Couldn't Keep via @ESPN App http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14791849/trash-contamination-continue-pollute-olympic-training-competition-sites-rio-de-janeiro

There is nothing to worry about. They will be some of the most pampered and shielded people in the planet. It is spread by mosquitos or sexually transmitted. Unless Bogut plans to fuck every single person in the stands or drive out to rural areas with stagnant bodies of water his chances of catching it are minimal. He is right to investigate and be cautious, but any half-decent source from anywhere that doesn't have a reputation for scaremongering shows that this is really a minimal threat to them.

Or killed by a ricey rebutle

Well the boys on hoops have cracked the case. Everyone go over to rio with no fear at all of any issue.

Microcephaly has affected 1'400 kids in Brazil - a country of 200 million I think?

It isn't anything near the epidemic they're painting it as.

And then how many of those will be in Rio? And how many of those will be linked to other causes? They can't even confirm a link to Zika.

This is a storm in a tea cup.

Zika links to microcephaly in SE Asia? Zero. Maybe it's not just Zika, maybe it's a combination of things. Point is, it's unknown. Maybe 6 months after the Olympics they figure out exactly what it is, but too late then, right?

As for the South Bronx.... I hardly think comparing the US to South America re: crime is the best way to go. Some parts of the States are well below the poverty line, and as someone who has traveled through South/Central America, some of the worst places I've been in terms of how unsafe I felt at the time would be in the US - parts of New Orleans and parts of San Fran in particular.

Olympics to me is the premier sporting event & treated as such

Its great to experience other cultures, but its not what the Olympics is for, the Olympics isnt there to solve the worlds problems its a sporting event.

I personally believe it should be held in 1st world countries so these issues do not derail it all the time.

Plenty of nice places it could be held & not have athletes pulling out or thinking about it due to health or safety concerns.

Im not in a bubble, just commenting on a pretty interesting topic. Not sure why people have tofend their points by knocking others. you dont obvioulsy know what travel experience I have had etc and its not the point. The Zika virus is a big enough deal, that some people have pulled out, a GB athlete even went and got his sperm frozen for exmaple. Is he being over dramamtic too? Sam Armitage from CH7 is consdiering not going because she wants to fall pregnant? Again she is living in a bubble? C'mon man, maybe the western world didnt give a rats until now, but the threat is legit, and warranted.

Ricky you seem a little sensitive about the Zika virus, are you on the Olympic committee? I mean cmon man no need to bash others for making common sense points about an important topic. So what the disease is in south eastbasia too? Just because it's already been out there for a while doesn't make it all of a sudden a non issue. A lot of people from a lot of different parts of the world will be coming to Brazil for this event, and if it is a stronger strain etc and it spreads humans only have themselves to blame. Plus your kidding yourself if you think Brazil is a safe place, lots of shit goes on there that is swept under the rug.

I do agree with that much. I mean people were going to pull out of Beijing due to human rights issues. Two of the last five Olympics have been in dumb places.

Amen.

I.o c to blame not any athletes

Hold the worlds premier sporting event in a 1st world virus free, war free country

All this discussion ane issues go away

Its that simple imo

I wouldnt want to be going over there. You guys all seem very confident its all a big media hype, but stuff that. Start holding these world events in safe places, and whilst your at it, perhaps where the crime rate isnt high etc so these countries dont get rewarded for hiding their shit under the rug for 16 days.