Is there such a thing as an over-dog?

Coming into these Olympic Games the Men’s hoops team has been praised…and doubted. Turning the pages of any local newspaper one is bound to see a story which at least mentions 2006’s disappointing run at the World Championships or that ugly bronze Team USA took home during one forgettable romp in Athens.

Team USA is being asked to prove itself at these Olympics and have even been given the clever moniker ‘Redeem Team’. Journalists, Sportscasters, that guy you always talk sports with at work but barely know his name, they all keep talking about ‘the next tough test’. First it was supposed to be Greece, then Spain, some even said nothing-to-play-for Germany may step. But three up and three destroyed teams later the U.S. is taking away all the drama.

With Wednesday morning’s easy victory over Australia, Team USA is doing all it can to take away even the smallest doubt, any notion of Team USA not being up to the challenge needs to be put to bed right now. As a side note: why can’t the world switch over to one standard time by which everyone obeys, kind of like the Euro is to European currency. I’m sick of having to pull out a calculus book and atlas just to figure out when a basketball game is being played.

No team featuring LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard with the likes of Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh coming off the bench can ever be considered a true underdog. But that is what the media is trying to sell and more importantly that is what the players of Team USA seem to be buying.

Coach K. can’t stop talking about unselfish play and team unity, about playing like the other international teams play. And his players can’t help but sound like recorders stuck in a loop. LeBron is stepping up and playing like a captain, showing what he can do with talent around him. Players are passing more and dribbling less, trying to create high percentage shots on a team full of guys that routinely make the low percentage shots.

After their victory of Australia Wednesday Kobe was talking about how much he would love play Argentina because they are the champs and it would be a tough game. At the same time Chris Paul is talking about how Team USA can impose its will and teams can’t hang with them for a full 40 because of their depth.

This team knows it is the favorite, they know they should win, better win, but they are refusing to act like teams past. They’ve bought all the print and babble about proving themselves. They know you can’t win gold on paper and they want to show the world that the basketball conversation still starts with America.

So yes, Team USA is the favorite to win it all, but don’t tell them that. Right now they are playing with a chip on their shoulder. They're playing like over-dogs.

And it’s some of the most fun basketball I’ve ever watched.