Third place is the second loser

The US Men's Basketball Olympic "Dream Team" has lost in the semi-finals to Argentina, meaning the squad can no longer do any better than a bronze medal in the games.

When the US decided to start letting professional basketball players go the Olympics, we became the single greatest team in the world. The "Dream Team" is always a force with which to be reckoned. The 1992 squad, with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and others may be the single finest team ever assembled on a basketball court.

But, this year, any number of NBA stars decided that it just wasn't worth disturbing their summer break to go to Athens and represent their country. Shaq has better things to do with his time. (Although Kobe should be let off the hook, seeing as how a judge is currently in possession of his passport...)

The finest stars stayed home, and the US has been embarrassed. The team lost to Argentina, Lithuania and even Puerto Rico - a protectorate of the US!

So shame on Shaq and company for putting their own personal comfort beside the very minimal nationalistic service they are asked to perform. They're not being asked to go to Iraq, simply to travel to Greece and play some hoops.

I can think of worse ways to spend your summer.