Actually, the game was invented in the USA by a Canadian, not invented in Canada.

How many of top players in any national sport are from that nation? shit how many soccer players in European soccer leagues are not even from that nation? Does not take away from the victory. Heck, many US hockey teams have Russian or other eastern european players.

@demifeministgal It was indeed a great victory. I am pleased if only because it will be a source of irritation for our neighbours to the South. It was, however, not "our" victory. I am always amused by the use of the first person plural when discussing sports teams. No one reading this made the slightest contribution to "our" victory unless yelling at the TV counts. I wonder why we cannot enjoy the spectacle without attempting to steal some of the credit

@Arouet I don't think you understand why people say I won when their team wins. It has absolutely nothing to do with stealing their credit. If you think that, then the Olympics or other international events and the news media's coverage of that must be VERY stressful for ya. XD

@demifeministgal Oh I understand perfectly; it's just that I don't feel as they/you do. Who wins or loses proves absolutely nothing so, far from being stressed by the Olympics, I am indifferent as to who wins, whether Canadian, Russian, Chinese, American. Professional sport is spectacle and I enjoy a good show as much as anyone, but without taking it personally. As far as national pride is concerned, I point out that some of the worst countries in the world win medals while others, higher on the evolutionary ladder rarely do.

@Arouet Except that these people are chosen as representatives of cities or countries. Otherwise, we might as well just give their team some hybrid name of all of the players and cheer for them as individuals or a team. And at that point, if we are just cheering for them that way, less people would be drawn to it or interested. There is a smart psychology at play here. But your pedantic nature/comment has been noted. *eye roll

@Arouet sidenote I do not have national pride. What I do have, from learning about american sociology and politics, is a gratefulness that I am not american and a disdain for american culture. I only ever feel happy when we stick it to americans in sport. Were we to beat some european team, the victory would not be as sweet for me.

@demifeministgal Hybrid names would suit me: "Bgg&63**, Tractor Assembly Works #4, the Labatt's Nikes" All great names for sports teams. Pro sports is a business whose sole purpose is to make money. You seem to understand the relationship between getting folks to identify with a team and gate receipts, but you do not see anything wrong with that. Team loyalty is driven by some marketing group selling beer or runners or cars, and nothing else. You're damn right there is smart psychology at play here and I don't care to be manipulated by it. I am OK with the epithet 'pedantic', though I am not sure how refusing to take the bait of an obvious marketing ploy fits under that term. And I forgive the eye roll. I've learned to accept a certain amount of abuse as the price to be paid for leading the less gifted toward light and truth.

@demifeministgal Sticking it to Americans or anyone else is different. I share your attitude as I so indicated in my initial post. However, my Schadenfreude proceeds from their team identification, not with mine.

@Arouet Are you really leading me to any light if I already knew your rationale? And eye rolling is hardly abuse cut out the hyperbole their mate. It is a sign of annoyance or exasperation. And it was just a simpler way of phrasing it than if I were to list out every player an say these men won. Hurrah. I doubt I have taken the bait since they have garnered no financial benefits from me or people in my life by association. I just adopted the shorthand rhetoric nothing more. Like I adopt abbreviations of words by americans, does not mean I am being manipulated by their politics.

@demifeministgal Irrational belief in an illusion for which there is no evidence is a good working definition of religion.

@Arouet what irrational belief do you imagine I possess?

@demifeministgal The belief that you are a member of tribe and a contributor to a great, national victory.
Sadly, perhaps, you are simply a consumer of mass entertainment and while there is nothing wrong with that, the fact that you invest so much emotional energy into something that doesn't exist reminds me of those who claim a personal relationship with Jesus, a relationship that doesn't and couldn't exist except in imagination.

@Arouet Yes I am a consumer of mass entertainment. Welcome to the 21st century grandpa I would say you and your peers did it too with television In fact, the basketball games were only available on tv and not on the internet And mass entertainment does exist. So once again, not akin to invisible sky daddies/Jesus

@demifeministgal Your ability to miss the point is phenomenal. Consider brushing up on your reading skills. Mass entertainment has been around since the Roman Circus. So what? Whether I or you or anyone consumes mass entertainment has nothing to do with this conversation. You believe in metaphysical link with a professional sports team and I don't. Like most believers, you are not capable of stepping away from your belief long enough to look at it objectively. The metaphor of religion is apt.

@Arouet OR more likely, your communication skills are not as superior as you believe them to be. And your analogies and metaphors are weak at best and fall flat.

@demifeministgal Now you are just being silly. Random unsupported insults do not replace thoughtful debate. If you cannot do better than this, it may be time for me to move on.

@Arouet It started off annoyingly pedantic but has veered into condescending claims and lackluster analogies. I can do better, with topics of significance/interest. This is not one of those. *shrugs

basketball