Don’t you dare jinx it (USA Basketball)

The key word during Team USA’s spotless (so far) Olympic run in Beijing has been “humility,” a frame of mind that I’ve tried to adopt as my contribution to the Redeem Team bringing the gold back home again.

And I’m shocked at my own self-restraint. I’m shocked that I haven’t, at least, in some vacant corner of my mind, been thinking, “In your FACE, punks! What? What ‘cha got? No game! That’s what!” But I haven’t. And the reason why I haven’t is because the 10-year old kid in me still believes in the jinx.

Some writers out there have mentioned that Team USA is more than unbeaten after their 116-85 thrashing of Australia; they’ve said Team USA is also “unchallenged,” and that, dear readers, is exactly the kind of attitude I’d like to avoid.

Only five minutes ago I received an email from one of our other sportswriters, Patrick, about last night’s game. “Did you see the beat down this morning?” he wrote. “It is beginning to look like we might actually not have to worry.”

I almost fired him for saying that.

Folks, Team USA didn’t run away with the game against Australia. Sure, we ran away with the second half, but we didn’t run away with that whole game.

The first quarter had me worried. In fact, the whole first half made me as nervous as Isiah Thomas at a “Sensitivity in the Workplace” seminar.

And it wasn’t because Australia was threatening to take the lead and widen a gap. Australia hanging out within striking distance is one thing, but the reason why they were in striking distance to begin with is another.

For the better part of the first 20 minutes Australia’s zone worked very well. Plus, Team USA had a comparatively meager number of assists (2) in the first half while shooting only 50 percent from the line and going 3 of 13 from beyond the arc.

3 of 13. That’s 23 percent shooting, folks.

Do you have any idea how far Bob Knight would throw his chair if he were coaching that game? It would probably nail some poor kid way out in Tokyo.

That’s why I need to send Deron Williams a thank you card for simultaneously draining a three point shot and Australia’s spirits right before the half. After that, there was no looking back for the Redeem Team.

So yes, Patrick, I saw the “beat down this morning,” but I saw more than that. I also saw Han Solo telling Luke Skywalker, “Don’t get cocky.”

On paper, the methods of holding Team USA to the level of mere mortals are as plain as the age of a Chinese gymnast, and until Kobe and Co. get off that plane and set foot on American soil with gold medals in tow, let’s all just take the high road and assume the worst.

Better safe than silver, I always say.

–Joey Alfino, RED Editorial Staff.