[valentine]

 I’ve seen this footage a few times now, in addition to comments by the players many years later.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the U.S. players showed bad sportsmanship in this match by not accepting their medal. Blaming the officials and saying "we were robbed" doesn’t cut it in my book.

They should take their medals because they are disrespecting the entire olympic spirit and it is a bad reflection on the national team. 

I’d like to hear what others think about this. Sour grapes? Otherwise justify why they were right not to accept the medals.  

 

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

 I remember watching something on TV about that game.  They interviewed a lot of those guys and what I thought was funny was many of them made their kids and other relatives promise that they would never accept their silver medals long after they had died.  If you watch the last part of the game, it is painfully clear that the US got ripped off completely.  There is no way the Soviet Union gets three chances.  It was rigged for sure.  Absolute garbage.  The hatred the United States and the Soviet Union had for each other, the whole Cold War thing, that game was huge.  Before the United States went through their spell about not caring about playing for your country, it meant everything to represent your country in the Olympics.  Something Jerry Colangelo and Coach K had to rekindle after the debacle of the 2004 Olympics.  The guys on the 1972 team honestly felt like they won that game so why should they accept their silver medals?  The hurt from that game is still prevalent even 40 years after.  I don’t blame them at all for never accepting their medals.  I don’t think its poor sportsmanship at all.  The poor sportsmaneship came from the absolutely embarrassing officiating that took place at the end of that game.  Those referees should be absolutely humiliated and embarrassed at what transpired.  The "we were robbed" excuse absolutely cuts it if you look at the last part of that game.  

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

 I remember watching something on TV about that game.  They interviewed a lot of those guys and what I thought was funny was many of them made their kids and other relatives promise that they would never accept their silver medals long after they had died.  If you watch the last part of the game, it is painfully clear that the US got ripped off completely.  There is no way the Soviet Union gets three chances.  It was rigged for sure.  Absolute garbage.  The hatred the United States and the Soviet Union had for each other, the whole Cold War thing, that game was huge.  Before the United States went through their spell about not caring about playing for your country, it meant everything to represent your country in the Olympics.  Something Jerry Colangelo and Coach K had to rekindle after the debacle of the 2004 Olympics.  The guys on the 1972 team honestly felt like they won that game so why should they accept their silver medals?  The hurt from that game is still prevalent even 40 years after.  I don’t blame them at all for never accepting their medals.  I don’t think its poor sportsmanship at all.  The poor sportsmaneship came from the absolutely embarrassing officiating that took place at the end of that game.  Those referees should be absolutely humiliated and embarrassed at what transpired.  The "we were robbed" excuse absolutely cuts it if you look at the last part of that game.  

[The QParticipant]

 Clearly you didn’t see all the footage or you wouldn’t make a post this ignorant. 

Multiple chances on the same play with the same time? 

Imagine if the NBA gave the Spurs a do over for the last 5 seconds of game 6. Just because. That’s what happened here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The QParticipant]

 Clearly you didn’t see all the footage or you wouldn’t make a post this ignorant. 

Multiple chances on the same play with the same time? 

Imagine if the NBA gave the Spurs a do over for the last 5 seconds of game 6. Just because. That’s what happened here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CameronCrazy11Participant]

What ruined the Olympic spirit was the officials coming up with all of these different reasons for why the USSR deserved another chance and then another and then another.

I will always stand behind those members of the 1972 team who have refused to accept their medal.

[CameronCrazy11Participant]

What ruined the Olympic spirit was the officials coming up with all of these different reasons for why the USSR deserved another chance and then another and then another.

I will always stand behind those members of the 1972 team who have refused to accept their medal.

[RigelzParticipant]

I’m not american i agree: yes USA Team (which played a very difficult and bad game) was robbed. the only question is to understand if there was bad faith or incompetence of refs (maybe both). 

[RigelzParticipant]

I’m not american i agree: yes USA Team (which played a very difficult and bad game) was robbed. the only question is to understand if there was bad faith or incompetence of refs (maybe both). 

[Rip255]

No-one disputes that they were on the wrong end of some poor officiating. This happens all the time in sports. But they should take their medals and accept it wasn’t their day. It wasn’t part of a cold-war conspiracy. Just incompetence in a high pressure and chaotic situation. 

Compare how Roy Jones Jr handled himself when he was on the wrong end of a much more obvious officiating bias in the 88 Olympics. He went up and took his medal and accepted it gracefully. The American team lacked grace in defeat that day. 

By not showing up to collect their medals, they are saying that the result matters more than sportsmanship and how the team conducts themselves in defeat. 

Sorry guys, I’m not American so its easier for me to say this. They’re being spoilt brats. Go collect the medals that they won. 

 

 

 

 

[Rip255]

No-one disputes that they were on the wrong end of some poor officiating. This happens all the time in sports. But they should take their medals and accept it wasn’t their day. It wasn’t part of a cold-war conspiracy. Just incompetence in a high pressure and chaotic situation. 

Compare how Roy Jones Jr handled himself when he was on the wrong end of a much more obvious officiating bias in the 88 Olympics. He went up and took his medal and accepted it gracefully. The American team lacked grace in defeat that day. 

By not showing up to collect their medals, they are saying that the result matters more than sportsmanship and how the team conducts themselves in defeat. 

Sorry guys, I’m not American so its easier for me to say this. They’re being spoilt brats. Go collect the medals that they won. 

 

 

 

 

[felixthecatParticipant]

 The finality of the game was questioned not once but twice. The Russian team had lost twice in a sense and was given a third chance to triumph over the American team. I’m not one to use wikipedia but here it goes…..

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics#Gold_Medal_Match_controversy

Read it and you will see that the remaining seconds are steeped in controversy. I understand where you come from as far as sportsmanship, BUT when one feels that they have been wronged one must take a stance against it. 2002 saw a controversy in Figure skating and the IOC awarded double gold medalists, the IOC could at any point do the same here.

[felixthecatParticipant]

 The finality of the game was questioned not once but twice. The Russian team had lost twice in a sense and was given a third chance to triumph over the American team. I’m not one to use wikipedia but here it goes…..

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basketball_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics#Gold_Medal_Match_controversy

Read it and you will see that the remaining seconds are steeped in controversy. I understand where you come from as far as sportsmanship, BUT when one feels that they have been wronged one must take a stance against it. 2002 saw a controversy in Figure skating and the IOC awarded double gold medalists, the IOC could at any point do the same here.

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