The third largest sports event in the world is happening right now, and I bet you know nothing about it. In fact, the USA has 88 teams participating in multiple sports including Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cycling, Fencing, Field Hockey, Futsal, Golf, Gymnastics, Half Marathon, Judo, Karate, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Ten-Pin Bowling, Tennis, Track & Field, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, and Wrestling.

You may be asking youself, “what event could this be?” or “WTF?” The answers to those questions are why I’m here. The event is the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel and the opening ceremonies were held this past Monday (July 13). The Games last until July 23…and guess who’s CLEANING UP in basketball. If you guessed the good ol’ United States of America, you’d be right. USA!! USA!! USA!! Why are we steamrolling through the competition? Because we’re being lead by the greatest Jewish basketball coach in the world…

That’s right, folks. Bruce Pearl of the Big Orange. His team includes college players like Penn point guard Zach Rosen, Bucknell’s Bryan Cohen and Pearl’s son, Tennessee forward Steve Pearl. La Salle assistant Harris Adler is Pearl’s assistant coach for the Games. These guys are rolling through the competition to the tune of an exhibition win over Canada on the 12th (94-32), an opening steamroll on the 14th over Mexicao (112-13), and a pounding on France on the 14th (131-77). The US is currently in pool play in Group B with Russia and Argentina still to come. The other group in pool play is appropriately name Group A and consists of Israel, Brazil, Canada, Germany, and Greece. The semi finals and the championship will be held on July 21 and July 22, respectively.

Pearl seems genuinely honored to coach the team, but doesn’t hesitate to joke around a bit:

“I’ve got the [officials' assignment] for the championship game,” Pearl said. “It’s Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I’m in trouble. The Israeli team has got a real advantage with those guys.”

Playing Israel in Israel is generally a tough go.

“Ask the Arab nations what it’s like to have Israel on the schedule,” Pearl said.

You think Ahmadinejad will put that quote up on his bulletin board in his lockerroom!?

Mizerle06 is a senior writer, editor, and sometimes copy-editor here at Sparty & Friends. You can drop him a line at mizerle06@gmail.com. In case you’re interested in the history of past Maccabiah Games, here you go.

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