The U.S. is on top of the basketball world once again after it’s 118-107 triumph over a game Spain team in the Gold Medal Game

SCOTT JACOBS

Jubilation. Excitement. Redemption.

No one took this for one for granted.

No one just expected it. This was a journey, a long four years coming.

“We haven’t won in eight years,” said Dwyane Wade.

No longer.

“Yes sir,” Kobe Bryant screamed as he hugged an excited Wade. The pressure is off. The dream that the Redeem Team set out to achieve has been reached. With a roster loaded with NBA elites the U.S. had a better group of players then anyone. But in Beijing they turned that incredible collection of talent into a cohesive unit.

Realizing that they weren’t feared like they once were, the U.S. men’s team took it upon themselves to do what it took to get back gold medal glory. They did the three year program.

They are all multi-millionaires, but on this day, upon receiving gold medals that weren’t a given, their was a different aura around this team. They were unfettered, refusing to lose their spot at the top in the game that their country started.

Jason Kidd claimed his second gold medal, a rare feat, but it was how this team came together that was the most impressive feat of all.

Adorned in their Nike warmup jerseys, the U.S. men’s basketball team stood together at the gold medal podium in unity. Coach K and Jerry Colangelo were decked out in medals as the players draped their coach and team architect in the classiest of ways. It was a smash hit from the get go as the U.S. over-came the hype that came with an opening game against China. Then they beat Angola. Then Greece. Then Germany. Then Argentina. And to finish it off: Spain.

Hey, you got to hand it to the men’s team. They represented. They can buy anything they want, but you can’t buy a gold medal. Only teamwork and talent, and a will to be the best gets you there.

“It means everything,” said LeBron James.

You remember those doubts?

They’re all gone now.

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