Kaman Still Receiving Criticism For Choosing Germany

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He would have not made the US team so I don't understand whats the big deal.

There are a lot of athletes that play for US in the olympics, like for track for example, which weren't born in the US.

 

Yeah but athletes like Nastia Liukin are much more genuinely a part of our US culture at least.

I wouldn't want to hurt the USA if it meant playing for another country.

 

But the point is that he's not hurting the US team. He's not even close to being the top center in the US.

There are so many athletes that are choosing different countries to play for, and all are for different reasons, whether money, better training facilities, etc.

 

And some of those athletes are choosing to play for countries without good cause.

He doesn't have to be one of the top 3 centers in the League to hypothetically hurt the US. I personally think he shouldn't be out there, luckily he joined Germany instead of Spain/Greece/etc.

 

Still its his choice though, because he can claim German citizenship because his grandfather was born there. Thats the rule.

I'm a US citizen myself but if I had to choose between US and my country, 10 times out of 10 I would choose my country being that US has so many damn athletes that they really don't need anymore. They always come on top for medals because they're a big country, just like China and Russia, and you rarely see these smaller countries win anything.

 

Ok he can choose to play for whatever country (not saying he doesn't have that right), he should still get heat for it.

And Germany is not "his" country really, he has no ties to it. That's why his father thinks he is a traitor, and this is justifiable criticism.

 

He's not a traitor because he wasn't on the US team, like that chick that was and then went to play for Russia, which she has no ties whatsoever.

Kaman on the other hand is German by blood. Simple as that.

 

We're a country of immigrants, why does anyone play for us then? Blood means nothing.

An intrinsic emotional attachment one has to a country is why a player like Kobe wears a USA uniform. Did Kaman grow up there in Germany? He's a US citizen, he became a German citizen later on. The spirit of the rule isn't being followed.

 

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And imo, at least Becky Hammon is going to play professionally in Moscow for 4 years.

 

If I was a Chris Kaman-level player in America, and I know I'm not making it on the USA team, but I'm chinese (full-blooded) and I lived here all my life (bron and raised in CA and NV) and I decide to play for China and they know I'm the best guard they can field, then yeah I'm going. I only need one reason for going, and that is simply that I get to go. It's the Olympics, how often do you ever get this chance, and yeah I'll be selfish about it and just go. Granted I would expect full criticism, but shit anyone who could do this, WOULD. It's either miss out on playing in the biggest stage you ever will, or just play on that damn stage. Easy decision imo, but expect flack Jeaklous people xP

 

It also involves helping another team take down the USA, pretty lame as well.

The question is whether or not it is unpatriotic in this case, and it easily is to me. It has nothing to do with jealousy.

 

I realize that it also is in the process of taking down USA, but honestly I wouldn't feel bad. To me the sports is purely sports and not political or something like that. I'd do what I could to even participate and that's where the selfishness comes in.

I'm just saying it's something I wouldn't pass up.

 

Let me clarify for anyone that doesn't know, I am Hispanic and I wasn't born in the States, however I've lived here for a while.

Well your position is a little different from CelticKing's. He originally said he doesn't understand why Kaman gets heat, and for that he was completely wrong in my opinion.

Your perspective is somewhat different though, and more subjective in nature. I'll provide my thoughts on your point of view anyway.

To me your view shows a less complex manner of assessing the situation. Being loyal to a country just because you're born there or have blood doesn't make sense to me. It is blind and simple love for a country. Now if you're like Manu Ginobili, and you've played in other leagues and grew up differently, then I could understand the loyalty. It is a diluted Gold Medal to me if he wins it, it is pure personal ambition and you're ruining the reputations of your peers/nation/whatever. It is a bending of the rules as well.

 

No no I understand the original argument between you two. I was just trying make an attempt at justifying how he felt. And I made all my comments knowing full well that I was born in California and raised in California and only went to China once. But to be honest, if I made the decision to play for China, I wouldn't feel like I betrayed the United States, nor am I doing it to be loyal to China, I don't owe them anything besides my parents . It just falls in line with what you said about personal ambition and that is to play in the Olympics, something that most people don't get to do.

I mean I understand that if I went I would get shit for it and it wouldn't stop, but when I grow old I can say that I experienced it firsthand, rather than spend my life regretting the decision. Plus my summer would be more fun. And I probably could make China's team seeing as how their bench point guards play worse than some people play here at the park. Chen Jianghua is a direct example of what most asian people play like. Showboat like you're AI, but not accomplish anything IF you play against anyone with some kind of defensive knowledge, but look really good to the ladies when you beat up on kids and old people on the court. Those kids piss me off around here, cause they talk shit too.....sigh what happened to being fundamental.

 

I'll finish speaking with you after I finish watching this China game.

 

First, I'm not sure you should really be allowed to play for China, talented or not and it is not anything personal against you. "Blood" is arbitrary, whereas an emotional bond developed over a long period of time is not. You're not even a resident there, let alone a citizen.

However, based on what you said, it sounds like you may be light years ahead of Kaman as far as being able to understand your sponsor and Asians in general. We've paid Kaman millions of dollars a year, and has he ever bothered to visit Germany or learn more about them first hand? Does he speak German at home? He's blessed enough to be in the NBA, he doesn't need a medal based on this dubious pre-text. The Olympics now feels like some sort of free market.

And just to reiterate, he should have the right to make this decision regardless of what I say. This is just one of those moral issues I wanted to discuss.

 

Well if we're going by blood, both my parents are full chinese and so are their parents and their parents. From what I know, noone in my immediate family and beyond has ever married and procreated with any other race besides Chinese. So by blood, I can qualify if Kaman qualifies cause of his great grandfather. The California thing is the truth, I'm born and raised here all my life. But by blood I'm pure chinese. And if it's language, I speak and understand three dialects of Chinese. So my Chinese authenticity is not in question, and by blood and the official international rule, I'm allowed to play for them. The residency issue could be solved by a simple phone call to China requesting a passport kinda like what Kaman did and thats that.

And I do have an emotional bond as it is some place I would like to travel once a year, but my only opportunity to do so would be with my parents, which is not something I want to do. It would be the museum journey from Hell, no freedom. That is why I haven't gone since my first trip. Now I'm waiting til my girlfriend has permission to go with me.

Yes, I'm talented

And in all honesty, I don't think I can even stretch it to this being a moral issue. This wouldn't affect any of my morals in my opinion, it's just reaching out for an opportunity. I'm currently a student of Business, and I'm full aware that as Business majors, we wait for these type of opportunities to reach for, regardless of the company. And this is basically what that is, in more of a simplistic term, but a daily kind of thing.

To be honest with you, my outlook on the whole issue with Kaman, Hammon, J.R. Holden, and Mills has never been an issue of morality, stupidity, selfishness, or betrayal. I've always looked at it like, "it is their decision and good for them". Granted I've always thought, don't be offended or surprised if you get attacked by the media, because:

1) That's what they do
2) You will get shit for it, and that's just how it is with these things and honestly, with many of the decisions we make in life.

 

But I don't think you should go by Blood, nor should Kaman qualify for Citizenship with that weak excuse. Let the rules be bent, ok whatever, but he is not a real citizen by any means.

Kaman's authenticity is indeed in question. The international rule that makes him a member of the team is a dubious pre-text as I previously said.

The Olympics isn't supposed to be like our free market. And when I said "moral" issue, by no means did I imply that it was on the level of War or anything. I don't sleep at night dreaming about this topic.

You said that it was a selfish decision, I don't really see how anyone can argue that.

 

The Olympics isnt a free market and that is true and I'm with you, but bend the rules or not, it stated what it had stated and he took advantage of it. At this point, there is nothing that can be done, and until the IOC changes the rules to be clearer, which I don't think is a hard thing to do, people will continue to do this.

I knew I should've clarified what I meant by selfishness, should've known you would've kicked my lazy ass about it. What I meant is that they aren't doing this in a "F*** everyone else, I'm doing this" mentality. In my opinion, they are thinking "I really want to do this, and I can, so I will".

Again, I'm not trying to argue with you about whether this is legal or whatnot. My point is to provide the perspective that they have been thinking at. What bugs me, if at all, about anything that people say about these people, is that they judge their characters. How will you let something like this, be a basis for someones character.