Going for the Gold

Once again, the Olympics are almost here. The biggest American sport seeking redemption is basketball. The U.S. Men's Senior National Basketball Team is looking to reestablish the country as an international powerhouse in the sport of basketball. The multimedia package put together by nba.com has good writing and visual coverage of the team. They have a behind the scenes look of the team as they prepare for the Olympic Games in China. The overall package is called the, "U.S. Team: Road to Redemption". This is actually the name of the documentary put together by ESPN, but 'redemption' is the overall theme of the 2008 mission for the U.S. Men's Basketball Team. In 2004, the men's team finished in third place at the Olympics. For American basketball this is seen as a failure.
The coverage provides up to date stories on games played and practices held. There was also a story on the U.S. Select Team, which was picked to help the Senior team prepare for the Olympics. There is a notebook section, highlighting key events during the minicamp held in Las Vegas. The notebook touched on different situations to help convey how the team was forming. There was a descriptive segment of the notebook used to explain how the coach wants the team to have a sense of nationalism. The next section discusses the injuries on the team. There are a couple of sections that profile some of the players and focus on how they are a key to the team. A notebook or a journal is a good way for a reporter to collect their thoughts before writing a story. In some cases, there might not be a particular story, but just providing a notebook for viewers is a useful multimedia tool. The fans feel connected with the team because they are not receiving a report, but just some highlights of important issues with the team. This is also an informal and efficient way of presenting information. One of the profile stories I read on the site can be closely compared to the profile assignment we were asked to do in class. The story was on Lebron James, one of the younger leaders on the team. The story allows the coach and other players to talk about James and his impact on the team. There is also the use of a video to give visual proof to the story. Overall, the video gives viewers an inside look of preparation for the men's basketball team.