LONDON — In the case of the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team, winning isn’t the only thing. How these women play the game will have a large say in how this team of otherworldly talent is viewed historically.
That makes the task for the U.S. women twofold at these London Games.
Having won the last four Olympic gold medals and riding a 33-game winning streak that dates to 1992, simply winning another gold will not be enough for this team, which is far more talented than any other in the world.
For this team to truly make its Olympic mark, it must win gold and do it in style.
“Just winning won’t be enough to raise the bar,’’ U.S. coach Geno Auriemma said yesterday. “Playing an ugly brand of basketball is not going to help promote our sport.’’
Maya Moore astutely said this team needs to make “a creative statement.’’
“She has a good perspective on things,’’ Auriemma said. “She’s young and wants to promote this game and have a chance to make a living playing it. Maya is one of those players that can help us play the kind of dynamic basketball we want to play.’’
Auriemma is a big soccer fan and delivered this analogy: “We would like to play basketball the way Spain plays soccer, with the creative way they pass the ball and move it around the field with such style. We don’t want to play the defensive way Italy plays to a win a 0-0 game on penalty kicks.
“Hopefully,’’ Auriemma went on, “we can create a style of play that is pleasing for everyone to watch and still win a gold medal. We’re on a world stage here and if it’s ugly basketball we’re playing — even if we win — it’s not going to move our sport forward.’’
Sue Bird, playing in her third Olympics and one of the three veteran captains of the team, along with Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings, said there are moments in practice that make her believe this team is poised to put on a show for the world.
“There are times … where you stop and say, ‘Wow,’ when people do certain things — whether it’s Candace [Parker] dunking, Seimone [Augustus] with her ball handling or the way Diana seems like she never misses,’’ Bird said. “Those things happen naturally and when we’re focused on one thing, which is winning, those things come out.
“Obviously, first and foremost we want to win,’’ Bird added. “If it happens to be ugly that day, as long as it’s a win, we can live with it. We have a lot of talent and have some players that can do some amazing things. And as long as we’re on the same page those things can shine.’’
Taurasi said: “We have one goal in mind and that’s to win a gold medal. That’s our only vision.’’
If that vision comes to fruition, Auriemma wants it to become a memorable Olympic moment.
“For me, the Olympics have always been about moments,’’ Auriemma said. “I don’t remember what years they were, but I remember the moments. My greatest Olympic memory was Franz Klammer going down that hill at 100 miles per hour and living to talk about it [in the 1976 skiing downhill]. I remember watching Bruce Jenner [in the 1976 decathlon] and thinking, ‘How can anyone be that good at so many things?’
“Those are the moments you never forget and those moments are created spontaneously. I hope this team can create some moments like that.’’
Auriemma understands that merely winning eight games en route to the gold medal podium might not be enough.
“When you’re as dominant as this group, it’s hard to create a new moment,’’ he said. “That’s what the Olympics are all about — when you need to be your best for those five minutes after all the training you’ve done to get there. That’s all I’m trying to convey to our team: We need to be the best in the world for 40 minutes, eight times.’’