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USA Basketball Coach Does NOT Think Russia Deserved Controversial 1972 Olympic Gold

The 1972 Olympic gold medal basketball game, won by the U.S.S.R. over the U.S.A. in a highly disputed ending, is among the most controversial Olympic moments of all time. Among those who believe the Russians were deserving winners: the Russians’ coach at the FIBA World Championships. Among those who don’t: U.S.A. coach Mike Krzyzewski. The U.S. plays Russia tomorrow. Let the fireworks begin.

Russian coach David Blatt’s views on the game, in brief:

Blatt recalled how he cried the night the Soviet Union defeated the United States after a controversial finish in which the final 3 seconds were replayed three times…but Blatt said he subsequently has come to believe that the Soviets were the rightful winners of that game.

Krzyzewski was rather dismissive of Blatt’s opinion switch, saying, “He’s a Russian.” Blatt is not Russian. Coach K then went on to expand on his views:

“You know, he coaches the Russian team, so he probably has that viewpoint, and his eyes are clearer now because there are no tears in them. So, it’s great. Whatever he thinks, he thinks. It really has absolutely no bearing on what we’re trying to do tomorrow. Absolutely none.

Emphasis ours. That ‘tears’ line is some cold-blooded stuff. And he wasn’t even done yet:

“And we’ve addressed that that game was played 38 years ago, and five of these guys are 21. So I don’t think they remember it as well. It is what it is. It’ll be a negative from the way the U.S. looks at it forever, and should be. And it’ll be in some ways a positive for those who believe in fairy tales.”

Again, emphasis ours. And again, these two teams play tomorrow. I think I have to clear my schedule.

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