Most Dominant US Olympic Team Is...???

Surely it is quite obvious to everyone that Michael "Dolphin Boy" Phelps is the most dominant athlete in the world right now, with his quest for 8 gold medals off to a flying start with 3 in as many races. 

Saying that, I would like to highlight the most dominant TEAM in Red, White, and Blue this summer.  Phelps wouldn't have won gold the other night without his teammates (mainly Jason Lezak and his unbelievable comeback), and the US Women's Fencing Team swept the medals, but I'm going only with team sports on this one.

In no particular order, the Top 4 are:

1. MEN'S BASKETBALL

It's no secret that the US have the most talented and focused squad in Beijing.  Led by Coach K's brilliance and boasting top tier NBA superstars like Kobe and Lebron, the "Redeem Team" have their eyes on getting back to the top of the International game.

The struggles the Americans have endured over the past eight years have been a huge talking point leading up to these games.  Coming off a bronze in Athens and a third place finish at the 2006 FIBA World Championships, USA Basketball has recommitted itself to winning the gold. 

The boys started in fine fashion by dominating Yao and the Chinese team in the opener, and cruised past Angola today by 21 points.  Dwayne Wade has led the team with 19 points in both games, coming off the bench to do so.

The biggest threats to gold for the USA will be defending Olympic Champs Argentina, who have a roster full of NBA stars that have played with each other for years.  Also, current World Champions Spain, led by Pau Gasol and Jose Calderon, will look to continue the Spanish Reign.

2. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

When it comes to dominance in world basketball, the USA Women's Team may take the cake.  This team has a perfect mix of veteran experience and youthful talent, and like the men, seek revenge after falling short at the 2006 World Championships.

Leading the way are WNBA and Olympic veterans Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson, and Diana Taurasi.  While the veterans may be the leaders, the stars shining brightest are Olympic rookies Candace Parker and Sylvia Fowles.  The 6'6'' Fowles and 6'4'' Parker team with Leslie for an over-powering front court.

Even more than their male compatriots, the US Women's Team have looked flawless in their first two games.  Beating the Czech Republic by 40 points and demolishing China by 46, the ladies look strong and confident to march on.

Although the women have won three straight gold medals, they are coming off only a bronze at the recent World Championships.  There are two rocky spots in the road to gold, one being Russia, who defeated the US in 2006 and won silver.  Even more of a threat are current World Champions and two-time Olympic silver medalists Australia.

3. SOFTBALL

This team is so dominant and the world is so far out of their league that the IOC has decided to drop Olympic Softball from the 2012 London Games.  While I don't agree with the exit of softball from the games, it really doesn't seem fair when these ladies take the field against anyone else in the world.

The squad is led by the two best pitchers in the world, Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, who are practically unhittable. This was obvious in the 2004 Olympics when they led the team to gold, giving up only one run in the whole tournament.

It looks like they certainly haven't lost their touch this year.  USA beat Venezuela 11-0 today, pitching a combined no-hitter along the way.  The softball ladies are en route to their fourth straight Olympic gold, to go along with six World Championships in a row.

It is very doubtful any country will mount a serious challenge to the US Softball team, especially this being their final Olympic games.  Maybe Japan, China, or Canada will get a hit off of Jennie or Cat, but no upsets are happening here.

4. MISTY MAY-TREANOR & KERRI WALSH, BEACH VOLLEYBALL

These girls are good, super good.  Watching them work so well together and their overall knowledge of the game makes you wonder if they will ever lose again.

May-Treanor and Walsh are on a magical run right now, having not lost in nearly an entire year.  They're on a current 103 match win streak, winning 18 consecutive tournaments along the way. 

The two California born girls crushed Japan, amidst a driving rain, in their opening match.  Today, the ladies continued their gold medal defense by easing past Cuba in two sets. With the two wins so far, they're now on a nine match Olympic win streak.

Due to current form, an upset looks unlikely for the American duo.  The Brazilian and Chinese teams could challenge for medals, but the main opposition to MMT and KW will come from the last team to defeat them, fellow Americans Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh.

That's my look at the most dominating US teams in Beijing right now.  Having debated this question for awhile now myself, I still cannot come up with a clear winner.  I welcome all comments and/or suggestions, thanks for reading.