The Redeem Team Wins Gold

Yes, I watched the gold medal men's basketball game-- all of it.

I didn't expect to see the end of the game. I didn't know it would be as close as it was.

At one point, it was a two point game. I couldn't go to sleep under those circumstances.

BEIJING (AP) -- Arm-in-arm, they climbed onto the middle of the medals platform, the spot that for so long was U.S. private property.

Some players flashed their Olympic medals to the crowd. One pretended to take a bite, just to make sure it was real.

Yep, it was gold - the color the Americans always used to win but hadn't since 2000.

Culminating a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment, the U.S. team survived a huge challenge from Spain, winning 118-107 in the gold-medal game Sunday.

Order was restored in international basketball.

"Much respect to Spain, but the U.S. is back on top again," LeBron James said at a press conference attended by the entire team.

But not by that much anymore.

After overwhelming everyone for seven games, the Americans led by only four points with under 2½ minutes to play. Then they proved they could handle a close game that it seemed would never come in Beijing.

Their prize: the first U.S. gold medal since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

I am so tired, but it's a good kind of tired.

I love that the players gave Coach K. their medals and posed for a photo.

Coaches don't receive medals. Only the athletes do. I can understand that, but certainly coaches play an important part in the athletes' success, especially in a team sport.

It's very cool to see Coach K. wearing his players' medals.