Welcome. Let's put political posturing aside and remember that most citizens of the world just want to live a decent life and we can get along just fine...

...until the first flagrant, then its on like church ball no matter your country of origin!

Going to Utah is enough punishment. I just hope they don't all Americans are unique.

Good idea on sharing the story title with that of the R-rated comedy movie, that starred Eddie Murphy. That movie is hilarious.

I'm wondering if one of the 'conditions' is not taking about religion.

I'm a little confused, here you are talking about sportsmanship and other friendly things and on the editorial page you are calling for increased sanctions against Iran. It is as if you believe that the sanctions only hurt the Iran government and not the people.

I love that song by Neil Diamond! Great headline. I wish I was in Utah to go watch the game.

Hopefully they also don't think all Americans are as judgmental and bigoted (also illiterate) as you appear to be from your post. If you’re in Utah, maybe it’s time to get out? If you’re not in Utah, maybe you need to realize that people like you are the in the minority—even there.

Wow, Im sure glad it's a "friendly" game.

Utah is the reddest state in America.
Utahns can no longer hide this nasty fact.
War-mongering is nothing to be proud of.

Anonymous - You need a life. Outside the comments department.

There are those who simply cannot swallow the fact that Utah (with all its other peculiarities) is well-known for being the reddest state in the nation.
The fact that the state is Rush Limbaugh's #1 listening audience - speaks volumes.

I've always thought being conservative translated to being patriotic not war mongering.

Don't let them play a church ball team... things could get ugly :) Welcome to our wonderful state! I hope the Muslim tradition of being good hosts to their guests is exemplified here.

@ Anonymous

There are also those who simply cannot swallow the fact that Limbaughs listening audience is one of the most well educated audiences in the nation.

You insistance on stereotyping all Utahn's as "War Mongers" is the most telling thing to me.

Anyways, I love these types of things. Already I am finding my own stereotypes being shattered. For some reason I expected them to show up in full length sleeve and legging uniforms, ya I'm stupid. I wish I could go watch some the Revue games this year.

Oh, oh! You mean they are here to steal Basketball Secrets to take back to the land of the little hairy people? Won't that give them a Basketball advantage and cause a skyrocketing of Basketball technology exchange and secret research????? Oh, no, what is the world coming to.........

We don't hide that fact dude. We like to be red. War has brought us more peace that you could ever imagine. Think about that for a moment...it'll make sense.

The iranian people are innocent. Are Utahn's afraid the Iranians might win? Or, has the mainstream media brainwashed you into thinking that Iran is "out to get us"?

It is clear from his saber rattling and intimidation, that Bush, his administration, the media and Israel, are determined to go to war with Iran. I have a couple of questions, 1) Why is it ok for Israel to have nukes, and not Iran or any other nation in the region? 2) What "clear and present danger" to the U.S., is Iran imposing, that gives Bush the right (as he did with Iraq) to go in preimptively and bomb Iran.

En el Pais del sueño americano, sera que no son capaces de atender a estos deportistas???.
According with Madden, the americans have to play and to teach to this brother the real kind of people they are and much more, the city where they are going to play is an "religius" one or... not??

red state? is just another wacko conservative who forgets the preemptive bombing of another sovereign state (an American first) and occupation of that country is not acceptable to the majority of Americans. REAL Americans, that is.

And of course conservatives never fight in the war they've created - that's for the little people.

What does Rush have anything to do with this article? As for Bush and America hating Iran? Obviously not if Bush really masterminded this citizen exchange program to build some friendly bridges between the two country. If you checked the headlines today, Iran has actually declared their most recent discussion with American on their nuke issue to be quite positive. I don't think Iran or America really wants to go to war with each other. Let's just keep the battles on the court, express a warm welcome before hand and shake hands afterwards hope this basketball experience leads to some good for both countries. I wish governments in the world could act with the same spirit that prevails at the Olympics. Then we could all peacefully compete with and support each other at the same time.

This is great for the State and for Utah County to be hosting them. What a great opportunity. Is it the Utah Flash that invited them here? Looks like they are working out at the Flash facilities. Very nice-Olympic spirit revisited.

I for one, think the Iranian team AND Jerry Sloan are smarter than all of you. Talk about basketball. Not politics. Not religion.

BASKETBALL!!!

There is no room in the sports page for incessant and small-minded name calling and low intelligence snipping at one another that dominates the political and religious pages.

At Least until the Next BYU-Utah game.

Why is it ok for Israel to have nukes and not anyone else there? Because they haven't used them, that's why. And Idaho is the reddest state. You guys in Utah still have more than 6 dems in office.

It's exciting to see athletes from other countries compete, you guys are pretty lucky. It may be the path to more peaceful relations lies on a basketball court ^^

Right On! You're Right On!

re: Rush? to "build some friendly bridges", discussions "quite positive", American "doesn't really want to go to war with Iran"?

I would guess that you also believe in the tooth fairy and the easter bunny. With all due respect, there are bigger plans in place than you know. It was only out of the protest of the Joint Chiefs that when Cheney wanted to go into Iran three years ago, that it was shelved. Just in the past few months it was published in Israel's leading newspaper, that Bush made a commitment to the Prime Minister of Israel, that before he leaves office is going to go into Iran. He said the same thing of Iraq when he addressed the central banks before he was even elected.

This is all true; but, you won't find it in the mainstream media - do the research!

Our Problems are for the vast most Part not with the People of Iran, just the Individuals that run Iran. This is one of the reasons I changed my mind about wanting America to Boycott the O Games. It would do far more harm then good and would not change a thing. So lets just Play Hoops and have a good time.

This is great!
A team that is from a country the Bush Administration calls a part of The Axis of Evil in an exhibition sporting event.

The closer we get to November, the clearer it becomes that President Bush has been a total failure in everything from the economy to the war to energy policy.

Is it November yet?

Total failure, Perhaps you forgot that it's the Congress and not President Bush that took actions that led to the housing crisis, the oil crisis, the money crisis and the credit crisis. Your Democratic Congress has reauthorized the Patriot Act, funded and continued the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and has done more deficit spending than we can fathom.