We are talking about practice

That is what Allen Iverson infamously said a few years ago, the last time he and Larry Brown were working together. Today, Iverson and his teammates received a first class smackdown by the Italians in an exhibition game in Germany.

COLOGNE, Germany -- The U.S. men's Olympic team did more than merely lose. It was embarrassed and exposed in its most lopsided defeat since adding NBA players in 1992.

Losing an exhibition game for the first time when using NBA players, the Americans were completely outclassed by lightly regarded Italy, never even making it close in the fourth quarter of a 95-78 upset Tuesday.

If the slaughter rule were in effect, the game would have ended much earlier. For Team USA to have any chance in the Olympics, they will have to remember Spain is for Matadors, Greece is for basketball.

The USA won the bronze medal in 1988 and decided to send our best in 1992 to defend our dignity. While the Dream Team was indeed the Greatest Show on Earth, they also taught other countries they would need train their players to beat the NBA's best rather than college students. So after coming in sixth and being humiliated in the 2002 World Championships two summers ago, what did we do, we return to the college teams of yesteryear. In essence, this team is basically what would have been our college all stars and a few professionals. So if we couldn't beat 5 teams in 2002, why would anyone believe this year would be any easier?

I hope these guys got their pride hurt today, because they are in for a long two weeks in Athens if they don't quickly coalesce and decide defense is not that white picket thing outside of their mansions.