He would round out a strong team anchored by Benjamin F. Kramer and Bonnie L. Cullison.
Instead, the first-year captain will take a team anchored by Todd Martin and including Jan-Michael Gambill and Chris Woodruff.
Tennessee's times were 39.08 seconds and 1 20.20, the 4x200 time faster than the USA team anchored by Greene.
The 2008 bronze medal-winning Argentinian team, anchored by Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, and Carlos Delfino could also challenge.
There's a motivation for Rivers as well: He was given a brand-new team, anchored by three superstars.
That relay team, anchored by the four-time Olympian Jenny Thompson, did win a silver medal, as did Kaitlin Sandeno in the women's 400 individual medley.
Today, in Game 4, we will learn what a team anchored by Ewing, Houston and Sprewell has left, whether this combination of old and new has genuine character.
Donovan Powell, Milton Mallard, Kareem Streete-Thompson and Obadele Thompson won the 400 relay in 39.16, while a Canadian national team anchored by the 1996 Olympic champion Donovan Bailey finished third.
Despite slightly sloppy handoffs, the men's 4x100 team, anchored by Maurice Greene, sped to a time of 38.15 seconds, fastest in the first round.
The Jamaican team, anchored by Usain Bolt, clocked a new world record to give the sprinter his sixth career Olympic gold.
