Ni hao, Mechelle! From China, she writes about the US's chase for gold number four.

The best one-liner, not surprisingly, came from Taurasi when asked whether the Americans' choice of runner Lopez Lomong -- who is originally from Sudan -- to be flag bearer for the opening ceremonies might be seen as "controversial" by host nation China.

(If that seems like an odd question to ask at a basketball news conference … well, yeah, it was. But you never really know what's going to come up at the Olympics.)

Anyway, Taurasi kind of shook her head and sighed, then sounded a lot like a certain coach she used to play for in Storrs, Conn.

"What isn't controversial these days?" she said.