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		That's Amaury's News and Commentary: Should the pros participate in the Olympics? August 18, 2008

	OAKLAND--The U.S. is very happy that the Olympic teams are doing well and with a few controversies but it wouldn't be an Olympic if there were no controversies. The original idea of the Olympics was that amateurs would participate rather than have NBA players, NHL players, and MLB players represent their countries. When you look at the roots of this and you go back a few centuries ago when this first started in Athens the idea was to use amateurs. It's very tough now, during the cold war the athletes quote unquote were amateurs and the government sponsored them. In China it's basically the same way. Although China is opening up a little bit and they like money, they like to welcome people into the country. China is still basically ruled by a central government in which the government doesn't allow a family to have more than one child because they have a billion people. In the United States a company sponsors most of the athletes here not by the government although the U.S. Olympic Committee has a say. Those days are gone most of these people that are now participating in the Olympics from most countries and industrialized countries and when I talk industrialized countries like U.S., Japan, Germany so forth are rich countries. The Athletes are basically professionals and if you look at the other side some of the communist countries like North Korea and China and for a while Russia used to sponsor all the athletes. Now Russia is in a different system. Basically I would say these are professional athletes masquerading as amateurs but they are basically all professionals. Look at the U.S. basketball and hockey teams. Wouldn't you say that LaBron James and Kobe Bryant who are the two best basketball players in the world are amateurs? So their mostly all professionals in all countries. Jeff Kent says broadcaster Vin Scully talks too much: I favor Vin Scully in this argument. Scully is the ultimate professional and best play-by-play announcer in the history of baseball. He's been calling Dodger games since Brooklyn 60 years ago. Jeff Kent is just another player and Kent who played for San Francisco we know how arrogant he can be. He could not only get along with Barry Bonds and some of the players and there were problems with the media covering Jeff Kent. I'm sorry I'm prejudice on this question; I have to say the integrity of Vin Scully is one of the tops in the business. I have to go with Scully he's always been and always will be a gentleman of the game and all he wants to do is cover the game. It's been like I said before Vin has been the voice of the Dodgers for 60 years and is in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Scully's integrity is way too much and Jeff Kent will never fill those shoes. Leauges overlapping: This is like a Smorgasbord or $12.95 buffet like in Reno or Las Vegas. You walk in you got the Olympics, next plates you have the A's and Giants, and on the way to ending the season with the playoffs and the next plate you have hockey. The Sharks are going to start playing pretty soon who has had an exciting season last year. You can't complain, this is the time for all sports; there is something for everybody. My friends who love the NFL, they asked me about the controversy Alex Smith the 49ers quarterback. Then there is talk in the 49ers organization that the Niners might get rid of Smith real soon and the club is looking at J.T. O'Sullivan as their starting quarterback. O'Sullivan looks like he will be starting this coming Saturday in Chicago. With the Raiders situation only God knows what's going to happen. This is a fun time of the year when sports start to overlap. Don't forget the Warriors will be starting soon in October with the NBA season. You have just about everything going here. Baseball is going to conclude the regular season next month, the NFL is underway, the NHL is starting next month, and the NBA in October. You have the Olympics going right now this is a great time for sports. Anyone whose a sports fan should be happy in the middle August. The Olympics are worldwide and the U.S. is ahead by seven medals on top of China. If the U.S. can finish with more medals than China that would be a tremendous accomplishment. Because you’re talking about over a billion people whose government sponsored all the sports in China. There is a scandal in China whereas there was a girl who was 14 years old and she was a gymnast on the Chinese team. So the Olympics really go the extra mile to sponsor all their sports and all their athletes. The Olympics is still the main course and this is a great time for all sports and all people at this time of the year. Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week for Sportstalk Radio.