Disclaimer: Opinions in the piece is of no ones but the writers (bias Canadian Steve Nash fan opinion)
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Continue to read on if you wish to understand my take on Steve Nash and the Canadian National team.
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With the NBA lockout in full force and Canadian Men's National basketball team is practicing at Ryerson University in Toronto, preparing for the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship that will be taking place later this month in Mar del Plata, Argentina. (qualifying tournament for the 2012 London Summer Olympics) What sparked me to write this piece was an article I read about Steve Nash and his role on the Canadian National team done by the Toronto Star,
Click here to read it. I'm not sure how others perceived the article but i found it more attacking Steve and his decision to not join the Canadian National team.
Here's a brief history of Steve Nash and team Canada, and let's not forget Steve is 37 with many business and charitable ventures not to mention his family.
- 1993 while in college played for the National team and competed in the Canada games and World University Games taking home bronze at the Canada games and silver at the World University Games. (Age 19)
- Nash was the captain of the 2000 Canadian National team lead Canada to their best 7th place finish at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After the heart breaking loss to France in the quarter finals Nash left the court in tears saying, "It hurts a lot. I feel like i let everyone down. We could have been in the championship game. We were good enough." (Age 26)
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| Steve Nash and the Canadian National Team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics |
- 2004, Steve Nash led team Canada during the qualifying tournament for the 2004 Summer Olympics at the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan. Steve was named tournament MVP even though Canada fell short of the third and final qualifying spot. (Age 30)
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Steve Nash and Team Canada at the World Championships
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Since that 2004 qualifying tournament Steve Nash has never returned to the Canadian National team, it's been seven years since then, why are people now calling out to Nash to play for Canada again? In my opinion he shouldn't be seen as an enemy wanting to refuse to play for the Canadian National team at the age of 37! It is clear that he has done his time in the red and white jersey and he did a very good job while doing it, especially with Canada's best showing on the basketball stage with a seventh place finish in the 2000 Olympics.
On the current competing Men's National team there are only two NBA players on the roster out of a possibly 6 or 5 if you don't count the sour dismissal of Samuel Dalembert from the National Team in 2008 (He should be the one on the receiving end of the awkward stares). Joel Anthony of the Miami Heat and Andy Rautins of the New York Knocks are the only two NBA players on the roster, not to mention both of these guys are real up and coming in the NBA! Joel Anthony started for the Miami Heat this season with their run in the NBA finals, while fellow Canadian team mate Jamaal Magloire had more of a, let's say time filler role on the team. It's evident the National team has the ability to help these young guys develop not only their game but their character on and off the basketball court.
None of the other Canadian NBA players are quite as old as Nash and many of them haven't really had a real run with team Canada. We all know if Steve Nash slipped on the Canadian jersey just one more time it would make a world of a difference for the national team. Many sports writers came up with the idea of Nash sitting out for the qualifiers but if the team qualified for the Olympics Nash should play with the team, he has not bitten on that line.
If Jamaal Magloire, Samuel Dalembert and the newly drafted Tristan Thompson represented team Canada at this years qualifier in Argentina it would make the chances of making the 2012 Olympics a whole lot easier. I say the same thing to what some are saying about Steve Nash not playing for Team Canada, "it's an NBA lockout what else could you be doing?".
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| Taking advice from Lazy Smurf? |
All in all i do not think Nash should be taking the heat for not wanting to play for team Canada at the ripe age of 37. During his time with team Canada he did it willingly and proudly, I would love to see Steve Nash wearing a Canadian jersey but i don't think that will be happening again. Steve Nash being my idol, it would be amazing to have a chance to see him represent his country on the world stage! Not to mention him playing on Canada would make it a whole lot easier to track down a number 7 Canada jersey with Nash on the back! I respect all of the choices Nash makes whether he decides to play on the national team or not, or even if he choose to leave the Phoenix Suns in chase of a championship. I know anything Steve Nash decides is something that is thought out and have good reasons. That's my take on Steve Nash and the Canadian National team, what's your take?
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UPDATE.
Steve Nash doesn't need to play for the Canadian National team how about him being on the board of directors, sorta like lending his name to the cause to promote Canada basketball. If they got him on board can give the organization more exposure equaling more participation by fellow NBA players.
Former Raptors player Matt Bonner is having his Canadian citizenship application fast tracked in hopes of being a part of team Canada as soon as possible. (no update yet) Matt Bonner is married to Canadian Nadia, whom he met in Toronto while playing for the Raptors.
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| Matt Bonner to Canadian National Team? Could be very soon! |
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Now you can return to your usual schedule.
Catch you on the other side!
Follow me on twitter: @the_real_alyssa
