Becky Hammon: History’s Hottest Benedict Arnold?
Now here’s a story for some Olympic small talk.
Becky Hammon is a star in the WNBA, having made multiple All Star games and averaging 18 points last season. That said, she still didn’t think she’d be good enough to make the 2008 USA Olympic Team. So what’d she do?
Became a Russian citizen. She plays in Moscow during the off-season and made it official earlier this year. Naturally, this caused some controversy and plenty of “traitor” talk. Team USA Anne Donovan had this to say:
“If you play in this country, live in this country and you grow up in the heartland - and you put on a Russian uniform - you are not a patriotic person, in my mind.”
I agree, Ms. Donovan. When Michael Redd didn’t get selected for the 2004 Olympic Team, he didn’t move to Yugoslavia where he’d be sure to make the roster. He kept bowling, driving his Ford, eating hamburgers, and drinking Coors until he made Team USA, which he now is an integral part of.
Enough blabla, here’s a closer look at our traitor:
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August 4th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
[...] nothing says who cares what country she plays for as long as she does a nude playboy pictorial like usa/russia’s becky [...]
August 8th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Hundreds if not thousands have made the same decision to become US citizen and play for the US, but somehow it’s an outrage if an american does it?
August 12th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Jeez. Some people think that sports and love of a geographical region actually have something to do with each other. Thanks, media!
August 14th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
wow. so she’s cute….for an athlete. she isn’t anything special except cute for an athlete. who gives a ***
women’s athletics are boring and uninteresting. so we look for the cute ones to intrigue us
August 28th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
wow, i bet shes regretting her choice now…the olympics is one the few places where the athletes and the fans can be unabashedly patriotic…