Can the Redeem Team bring back the Gold Medal in men’s
basketball to the USA?
Despite recent ineptitude, Team USA
led by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo
Anthony and Dwayne Wade are overwhelming 1/4 favorites to not flop this campaign.

The Americans did look impressive in sweeping all three
tune-up contests. Spain,
led by Pau Gasol,
Jose-Manuel Calderon, and Juan Carlos Navarro is next at 7/2. Clutch Manu
Ginobili leads Argentina,
which seems like a fantastic long shot at 10/1.

The Argentineans also have NBA players Fabricio
Oberto, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni, and Carlos Delfino.

Russia
is 14/1, followed by Lithuania
at 20/1. In contrast to previous Olympiads, neither of the former Soviet
countries features a current NBA athlete.

The famed “Miracle on Ice” when the USA shocked the world
and won the 1980 Olympic hockey Gold Medal, is widely considered to be the
biggest sports story of last century, as voted by virtually ever media outfit
that compiled such a list.

The oddsmakers are apparently given little credence to a
major factor in the stunner: being the host country. Host China
is a mind-boggling 50/1 despite being led by current NBA stars Yao Ming, Yi Jianlian, former NBA player Wang Zhizhi and several CBA
contributors. All the ingredients for a “Miracle on Rice” are there.

Perennial power Croatia
is also considered a probable also ran at 100/1. Check out all the Beijing Olympic
betting odds.