Can the Redeem Team bring back the Gold Medal in men\u2019s
\nbasketball to the USA<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>?
\nDespite recent ineptitude, Team USA<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>
\nled by Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Carmelo<\/span>
\nAnthony and Dwayne Wade are overwhelming 1\/4 favorites to not flop this campaign.\n<\/p>\n

The Americans did look impressive in sweeping all three
\ntune-up contests. Spain<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>,
\nled by Pau<\/span> Gasol<\/span>,
\nJose-Manuel Calderon, and Juan Carlos Navarro is next at 7\/2. Clutch Manu
\nGinobili leads Argentina<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>,
\nwhich seems like a fantastic long shot at 10\/1. <\/p>\n

The Argentineans also have NBA players Fabricio<\/span>
\nOberto<\/span>, Luis Scola<\/span>, Andres Nocioni<\/span>, and Carlos Delfino<\/span>. <\/p>\n

Russia<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>
\nis 14\/1, followed by Lithuania<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>
\nat 20\/1. In contrast to previous Olympiads, neither of the former Soviet
\ncountries features a current NBA athlete. <\/p>\n

The famed \u201cMiracle on Ice\u201d when the USA shocked the world
\nand won the 1980 Olympic hockey Gold Medal, is widely considered to be the
\nbiggest sports story of last century, as voted by virtually ever media outfit
\nthat compiled such a list. <\/p>\n

The oddsmakers are apparently given little credence to a
\nmajor factor in the stunner: being the host country. Host China<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>
\nis a mind-boggling 50\/1 despite being led by current NBA stars Yao<\/span> Ming, Yi Jianlian, former NBA player Wang Zhizhi<\/span> and several CBA<\/span>
\ncontributors. All the ingredients for a \u201cMiracle on Rice\u201d are there. <\/p>\n

Perennial power Croatia<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>
\nis also considered a probable also ran at 100\/1. Check out all the Beijing Olympic
\nbetting odds<\/a>. <\/o:p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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