In a poll, it would be interesting to see which group of athletes Americans would prefer to win a medal at the Summer Olympics: the latest version of the U.S. basketball “Dream Team” or the Iraqi men’s soccer team.

The National Basketball Association might not like the results.

In the Olympics, Goliaths of dominant countries, such as the United States, Russia, China and Japan, are pitted against the Davids of second- and third-tier sports countries – with the modern giants usually coming out on top. That’s the way it was supposed to be for the U.S. men’s basketballers who’d never lost since the Olympics opened the games to America’s trash-talking, multimillionaire pros – only someone forgot to tell tiny Puerto Rico to roll over when the teams opened against each other this summer. Puerto Rico won easily 92-73.

Borrowing an old TV sports slogan, our Goliaths experienced the agony of defeat – or at least deflated egos. Meanwhile, the Iraqis, who had been subject to the late Minister of Sport Uday Hussein’s sadistic punishments for poor play and defeats, surprised powerful Portugal in their opener Thursday 4-2, and then downed Costa Rica 2-0 Sunday to reach their first quarterfinals since the 1980 Moscow Games. The world won’t come to an end if the U.S. basketball team fails to medal. But it might be a better place if the resurgent Iraqis do.

Despite the threat of terror, the quadrennial controversies and the unlevel playing field among countries, the Olympics still represents what’s best about sports as rich countries vie against automatons of totalitarian regimes and underdogs for a simple crown of olive leaves.

Politics and illegal substances have tainted the Olympics again.

For all their troubles in staging an $8 billion Olympics, the Greeks suffered the embarrassment of having sprinters Kosta Kenteris and Katerina Thanou booted from competition for failing to report for a drug test. The underbelly of Olympic sports was exposed, too, when an Iranian wrestler refused to compete against an Israeli opponent. And when U.S. swim star Michael Phelps bumped a deserving teammate from a relay team in his vain pursuit of eight gold medals.

But the good far outweighs the bad and the ugly.

Although the United States will battle for the overall medals title, our contingent has its share of Davids. We’ve experienced the thrill of victory as our men’s gymnastic team won only its second medal since 1932. The U.S. softball team has dominated its competition the way basketball “Dream Teamers” were supposed to do, shutting out five straight opponents. Oregonian Muriel Zagunis won the first U.S. fencing gold in 100 years. Boisean Kristin Armstrong became only the third American in 20 years to finish in the top 10 in a cycling road race.

In a world torn apart by war and ideological differences, it’s nice to stop for two weeks every two years to celebrate the Olympic spectacle. If a team of underdogs, like the U.S. hockey team of 1980 or the Iraqi soccer team of 2004, scores mind-boggling upsets, we Americans can join the world in celebrating.