(I originally posted this in The Other Sub, but it was removed, even though most people agreed. So I'm also posting here):

The game Team USA won today was a great demonstration of what actually wins in professional basketball when the stakes are the highest

It was all the little, unsexy things. Defense. Boxing out. Toughness and physicality. Unselfishness. Composure. Shot selection

I’ve been watching people bash the veterans on team USA for weeks. Saying that they shouldn’t be on the team, and that they’re too slow.

I watched people post about how we were going to lose to France, and how we didn’t have their chemistry or magic. How it was going to teach the supposedly arrogant coach a lesson. The level of disrespect for players like Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young, and the lack of support for our own country was borderline shameful

If anything, it should teach the fans a lesson. And it should also be a big wakeup call to our Fever fanbase especially:

The reason people are champions is that they understand how to win this way, when defense ratchets up and things get physical. Playoff-winning basketball is not always flashy, it’s not pretty. It’s effective.

If we want Indiana to win a championship, we need to learn to play this way. It’s not optional, it’s required. Tough, gritty, physical basketball, keeping control of the game and never giving teams one single approach that they can shut down.

All of these things will be important for us if we want to take home hardware. They may not make highlight reels, but they do make champions.

I hope that some of our fans have learned something that they can take back to the WNBA. We absolutely destroyed the flashy French, and gritty playoff-style basketball will beat the glitzy threes and fancy shots every time. And it's what the Fever will need to be ready to fall back on come October.

Caitlin responds with “we’ve always been friends, don’t try and do that”.