EDITORIAL Basketball will never be the same again If you haven't taken the opportunity to watch the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball Team in action, you've missed history in the making. The greatest team of pro fessional athletes ever assembled is currently wreaking havoc on a group of woefuUflp^smatched national teams, and the only point of contention is whether or not the margin of victory will exceed 100 points. Watching the Globctrotteresque shenanigans of Mi chael, Magic, Clyde, et al, the initial sense of awe is quickly replaced by boredom and pity. There is simply no competition. And isn't that what the Olympics aro supposed to be about? The NBA game .is exciting because every couple of minutes, a great looking play occurs, bringing the crowd to its feet (or silencing it) and increasing the adrenalin flow of the players. What the U.S. team is subjecting its opponents (and spectators) to is forty minutes of highlight film. Much like the slam-dunk competition during the All-Star break has become rou tine (how many ways can you stuff a ball through a hoop?), so will the U.S. Dream Team. In fact, the NBA may actually suffer next season. Fans will have grown accustomed to super-basketball, and the real thing could lose its appeal. The U.S. team is an over-reaction to the fact that foreign players are getting as good as our college play ers. and that this is somehow a threat to the United States' pre-eminence over the game. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Most international players are well-paid profes sionals (road: government subsidized) yet retain ama tucr status. That after 100 years of trying, these players can beat a hastily assembled group of 18-21 year olds should alarm no one. FIBA, basketball's international organization, saw the opportunity to continue improving only if NBA players competed. Whether the Dream Team was what FIBA had in mind is uncertain. The ideal arrangement would have been at least a 50-50 split between pros .and collegians. Instead, the U.S. sent 11 players whose combined salaries probably exceed the GNP's of many of the countries against whom they are competing. The Dream Team could just as easily win with three players on the floor as they do with five, so why not give those surplus positions to a collegian. Hope fully. the 1996 Games will see the return of college players in red, white and blue, along with a smattering of pros (just in case). But for now. with an average margin of victory of 61 points over three games, the novelty and excitement of Team USA will fade nearly as quickly as its opposi tion. Oregon Daily Emerald It* Oregon Daly EmnU a pufctahad OaJy Monday through Fnday during ma uhool yaat and Tuaaday and Thureday durmg ma tummar by tha Oregon Rady Emaraid PuMaMng Co Inc. at lha Unwareay o» Oregon. E ugana. Oregon tha fmareat opaiaaaa tndapandandy o< tha Unnareay wan offuaa ai Suaa 300 ol ma Ere Mamonal llnajn and a a mamoar ol ina haionaiad Prana lha Emaraid a p threw propony Tha unlawU removal or uaa ol papatt a proaacul aNabylB* EdPar: Pal Mriach AaaaaMa Man: Tan Nad. Dandyn Trappa “ " i EdNar Jail Paaiay I EMar. Pal Malach i TaehnMan: Todd Mata OrepMaa I MpM Ed adattWalag: Shaam Barvan. Jana Irela. CSaaan Oh. Satan Quafenan. Camanna HoyW. Claaadtad: Paggy MoGtnn. Umwgm •ualnaaa: Kadty Careona. Spanaa nOAJCWfl 'W’VJ* flUMlOn UvrWMftV niaCy Mdurifl, JWWW nown a Mvwtwog Dncw Bryan K Coepadga NmrooM---JO Ml 1 MUItl . tKOM -M-I712 _tit 1112 [SWKTGONS D&fl SQUIRT PtOPtO KIDS DO. | PUBLIC uavtcl MESSAG£, AMTWWfl AiSPOATtON Wake up call A Vancouver-based white su premacist group distributes halo-flyers to “recruit now members" from our urea (Kogis ler-Guard, Juno 4). Surprised? America's underbelly board the clear Invitation when Oregon Citizens Alliance Measure 20-08 passed in Springfield. It's also served to wake up others who hud told me that my concerns about the OCA wore unfounded, that tho OCA was loo "extremist." “too unbe lievable." Those same people arc now Involved in preventing (tho) further spread of OCA (sponsored) oppressive meas ures In our state. The OCA got a toehold in Springfield. In a hard pressed economy, people want to kick anything at all ... including fellow human beings So now the OCA alms at plac ing an even harshor discrimina tory measure on the state ballot this November. Pay attention to the Springfield wake up call. Sharo with friends and neigh bors the message that thero's no room for hate in. at least, the rest of our stale. Springfield has my sympathy and will continue to have my business. Their Chamber of Commorce, representing 550 businesses, solidly opposed OCA Measuro 20-08 with only one business objecting. These businesses deserve our patron age. I’ll continue to support those merchants who did not support hate. Springfield is a town that needs compassion and under standing. Carol Barg Eugena Can't fool God 1 would like to correct a mis conception about Christianity convoyod In Angie F room’s lot tor [ODE, Juno 23). Her Impres sion soomod to be that Chris tians can commit crimes and sins and still he admlttod to heaven, regardless of tholr acts. This Implication that our ac tions are irrelevant to Cod is in correct. A primary thesis of the Bible is that it is people's sinful acts that separate us from Cod, even though wo all seem to have at least some redeeming qualities. Just as a single criminal act in a normally law-abiding life war rants legal punishment, so do sins against Cod warrant His punishment, even sins commit ted in a life normally character ized by goodness. The great news of the bible is that Cod freely extends pardons to all who seek his forglvonoss and turn away from thoir sinful ways. Such people are true Christians, and they will be the ones populating heaven. The Bible is equally clear that those who continua to practice sin fulness. e g. lying and murder ing. have no place in heaven and will receive just recom pense for thoir doeds, Those principles apply to all, regard less of one's profession or faith. The point of life is not to see how much one can "got away with" and still get into heaven Cod is not foolod. The point is to acknowledge Cod as mastor of all, and to live lives of love and obedience as disciples. Kyi* Gm Chemistry God is for all I'm afraid Angie Froom ( ODE, Juno 23) is right. There are some very unsavory charac ters on their way to Heaven. I was as guilty as any of them, undeserving of the promise of salvation. But I have it because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Eternal destiny is not a mat ter of degrees. Either you are bound for glory or you aren't. And no one, regardless of how fine a life they lead, is entitlod to membership if they have un forgiven sin in their life. And all have sinned. The only rele vant question is whether it has been forgiven. I certainly had fallen short, and exempted my self from fellowship with God. But Jesus loved mo enough to pay my debt. He continues to forgive my sins when I fall. All I did was choose to believe his promises. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is not democratic, swayed by public opinion, or afraid of ridicule. He is not God just to please An gie Froom. Or me. But He is God. And He does not give par tial credit Only his son has the answer. Kan Thomas Eugene I'VL fOftGOTTfN WMfiT I ftE.l^£'^8Ep£i) about wmat r o»o. Aa/O I DmE r OHV/T Do IT. \MAT Mi 'i TUI CMiTtOtf' X