I don’t understand what the big fuss is all about.

In case you haven’t heard, a photo showcasing the Spain national basketball team taken prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics generated a big uproar recently. The photo, which appears to show all of Spain’s players slanting their eyes, was taken by the media as something that might offend its Olympic hosts in Beijing.

Of course, the Spanish team claims that they did it to pay homage to this year’s hosts to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, saying that they did it, thinking that it was going to be something nice, and I buy it.

After all, who in the right frame of mind will even dare to offend a country hosting the Olympic Games? Do that and you might as well kiss your hopes for a gold medal goodbye. The Spain basketball team is one of the top contenders to win the gold medal and trying to offend China won’t be good judgment on their part.

Jose Calderon is as puzzled as me about all the bad publicity their photo has been generating in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

‘’We did it because we thought it was going to be something nice, something with no problem,'’ Jose Calderon said. ‘’But somebody wants to talk about it. It is too much of a big deal with you guys (the media) and everybody talking about that.'’

Calderon’s teammate, on the other hand, is already regretting the fact that they did it in the first place.

‘’Some of us didn’t feel comfortable doing it just because to me it was a little clownish for our part to be doing that,'’ Pau Gasol said. ‘’But the sponsors insisted and insisted. I think it is just a bad idea I guess to do that, but it was never intended to be offensive or racist against anybody.'’

‘’I didn’t find it very funny. I didn’t find it offensive, either. I guess some guys didn’t mind. To me I don’t want to be that way, I guess, to be doing that stuff. If anybody feels offended by it we totally apologize for it. We never meant anything offensive by it.'’

Who will be the winners of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Most Overall Medals

China 1.80

United States 2.10

Russia 15.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog sportsbook for more Olympic Games betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

2008 Beijing Olympic Games Spain Basketball Team