A 0-5 record, including a loss to Lebanon, at the FIBA leaves Canadian basketball in utter tatters. How can a country with an NBA team make such a poor account of itself on the international stage?
I’m not much interested in blaming the players. They do their best – as we saw against a stronger opponent in France. In fact, I think we’re beyond blame at this point. Rather, like we do with the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA), we must put pressure on the powers that be to get this thing right moving forward. If they don’t, they must be held accountable. Pure and simple.
For too long this country has wallowed in mediocrity in sports much of the world cares about. Those being basketball and soccer. And to a lesser extent, baseball. It’s fine to be mad about hockey, but are Canadians that parochial to care only about one sport to the detriment of others?
In the aftermath of the Sydney Olympic games, Canadians voiced their displeasure following a rather paltry performance that saw our athletes rake in three gold medals; 14 in total. It was something I never saw in Canadians. They demanded to at least try and be the best. To aim to win medals is not a bad thing. It’s one thing to proudly participate but quite another to not be able to compete. It was wonderful to see the ‘Own the Podium’ program render some results at the Vancouver Winter games. The country won an unprecedented 14 gold medals to lead all nations and were third overall. Though they came short of the committee’s target of first.
Baby steps. It was a great result and the country took notice.
Canada has the talent and resources to be a power in several sports. Far from an expert I am, but there seems to be something drastically wrong somewhere. Is it the commitment? Funding? Development and scouting? Why is Canada dysfunctional in basketball and soccer despite the talent available?
I don’t have the answers to these. The CSA, a sport I watch rather closely, baffles me to no end. I just wanted to voice my displeasure and to lend my hope that one day Canada can be like Australia. They’re a power in tennis and swimming and the Olympic. They have competitive basketball and baseball teams, now produce world class cyclists and aren’t taken lightly in soccer anymore.
All with 21 million people. Canada has 33.
Time to wake up and push ourselves.
