`slow No Wake' Limit Maintained At Lake 
Fish And Boat Commission 
Votes Unanimously After 
Accepting Recommendation Of 
Boating Advisory Board

All Or Nothing 
Jarrett's Fortunes At Pocono Raceway 
In The Past Year Have Been Extreme

Monday, July 22, 1996 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1B 





Dreaming of beating the very best &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There is no question the USA Dream Team is the best collection of
basketball talent on the planetBut what else do you call this group of NBA
stars who make up the U.S. men's basketball team? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Some say they're the ugliest of Americans, and point to the antics of
Charles Barkley to back that up. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Others will tell you they corrupt the spirit of the Olympics, and point to
their million-dollar salaries and marketing mega-deals to back that up. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Juan Espil, who plays for the Argentina men's basketball team, sees none of
this, though. He views the Dream Team as a group of ultimate professionals who
gave him the chance of a lifetime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Espil seized the opportunity Saturday during the opening day of Olympic
men's basketball at the Georgia Dome. He scored a game-high 27 points in
Argentina's 96-68 loss to the Dream Team, a game where Espil and his teammates
made the basketball world take notice when they trailed by just two points,
46-44, at halftime. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We lived up to our goal in the first 20 minutes, and that was to stay
close to them," Espil said through a translator. "After that, it was a dream
for us." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even with five minutes left, Argentina trailed by just 13 points. Then,
Kazaam! Three Shaquille O'Neal dunks finally brought some life to the Georgia
Dome crowd and helped turn the game into a 28-point rout. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I never had a doubt about the way the game would go," said David Robinson,
who led the United States with 18 points. "We want to live up to the standard
that was set by the first Dream Team in '92." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The first Dream Team cruised through the Summer Olympics to a gold medal at
the Barcelona Games, rarely having to put in much of an effort to crush
opponents. Lenny Wilkens, coach of this Dream Team, sees a difference in these
Atlanta Games. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "In '92, people were in awe of our players," Wilkens said. "Not anymore.
This time, we have to make things happen ourselves." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the first half Saturday, the Dream Team was awful rather than
awe-inspiring. The first 20 minutes were lowlighted by Barkley being nailed
for a technical after arguing a call, then flinging the ball in the direction
of a ref. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Argentines outhustled and outplayed the Americans, buzzing around the
way huge mosquitoes beleaguer tourists in Atlanta. Finally, the Dream Team put
forth enough effort to swat away an inferior opponent, and somehow still
managed to leave a favorable impression on them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They're not arrogant. They're not conceited," Espil said of the Dream Team
players. "People in North America should be proud of the roster of this team.
They are pushing us and making us better players." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wilkens said the gap between the Dream Team and the rest of the world is
narrowing. Espil felt the same way. And Guillermo Vecchio, Argentina's coach,
said he knows why this is happening. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I think the people in the NBA are very smart," Vecchio said through an
interpreter. "The fact that the gap is narrowing is because the NBA is opening
its doors. They're giving other countries the chance to show they belong." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So Argentina showed it belongs and hopes to improve on Saturday's
performance. Overmatched Angola gets its chance tonight against the Americans
at the Georgia Dome. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yet while the NBA is opening its door to the world, it leaves no doubt as
to who holds the key and is ready to slam it shut. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's our job to re-create that sense of awe this year," Robinson said. "We
have to re-establish our dominance. If we don't, these teams will start to
think they can actually beat us." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Perish the thought. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 At least for now, that is. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Steve Sembrat is a Times Leader sports writer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 More on the Olympics &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 -- Page 6B &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dreaming Of Beating The Very Best There Is No Question The Usa Dream Team Is The Best Collection Of Basketball Talent On The Planet.