Highlights from a most memorable Olympics

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August 26, 12:41 AM

by Bob Sherwin, Seattle Sports Examiner

 

 

What a fortnight it was. For me, it was the most memorable Olympic Games. World records. Feats and failures. Human emotions. Human interest. Here are some of my thoughts as the feats fade to video: 

• There are six billion people in the world, give or take a few, and so many more billions in human history who have died. I think we can safely say Jamaica's Usain Bolt is the fastest man who ever lived. Bolt was so incredibly fast he was like a man among turtles. He is a certified hot dog, disrespectful and irritating at times, but that doesn't diminish his three remarkable gold-medal performances.
• If Bolt is the fastest man ever on the track, is Michael Phelps the fastest ever in the pool? You can make a case for it with his seven world records. He's certainly the most versatile fastest swimmer ever. But he didn't win (or even compete) in the 100M free or 50M free, which carry the designation as the world's fastest swimmer. His achievements, however, compare  favorably and roughly equally with Bolt's.
• As spectacular as the Opening and Closing ceremonies were, there were still artificial and intrusive elements to the Games, dictated by Chinese Party officials. You can call it propaganda or just plain state-sponsored bullying. There was the girl who had to lip-sync the Opening Ceremonies song because the real singer was not as cute. There were supposedly costumed representatives from the 56 regions when in fact they were all from the same region. There were the quasi fireworks, the banning of protests, the deportation of unfavorable bloggers, the media censorship, the Internet snooping and the blocking of offending web sites. If you didn't know any better, you might have thought you were in America.
• American track performers were embarrassed by Jamaica. But to drop the relay baton not once but TWICE by the men's and women's 4X100M relay teams is inexcusable. Heads should roll, beginning with the U.S. track coaches Bubba Thornton and Jeanette Bolten.
• I didn't watch more than a quarter of the U.S. basketball "Redeem Team.'' I refused to buy into the hype.
• I changed my mind on a couple sports. I kind of liked trampoline. Those performers are really talented and it's a fun event to watch. I also thought team handball is worth saving and I especially enjoyed beach volleyball, men's and women's. But I wouldn't miss field hockey, men's or women's, men's synchronized diving, softball, baseball and, once again, equestrian, although I thought those animals were magnificent.
• Speaking of equestrian, I was disappointed in the reaction to my call for its removal from the otherwise human competition. To debate is fine. To disagree is part of the what we enjoy in this space and this country. But the name-calling and the personal attack were dispiriting. Yet it's where we are in this country, especially under this Administration. Instead of engaging in a reasoned debate, we attack the messenger in an attempt to stifle dissent.
• What I enjoyed most were the family stories. I'm a sucker for any kind of parent-child connections, which is why I melted with the images of Michael Phelps and his mom, Hope Solo and her departed father, the camera catching Shawn Johnson's parents breaking down in tears after their daughter won the gold medal on the balance beam, 41-year-old Dana Torres' 2-year-old daughter inspiring her to continue to compete, and the multitude of emotions that men's volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon carried to the gold medal after his father-in-law was killed and mother-in-law injured by a crazed Chinese man just as the Games began.

Finally, here are my top 10 favorite Olympic moments:

1. Michael Phelps winning the 100M fly by 1/100th of a second over Serbia's Milorad Cavic. What a touch.
2. Usain Bolt winning the 200M run in world record time (against a headwind), finally running through the finish line.
3. Jason Lazak making up nearly a body length on France's Alain Bernard over the final 50M to win the 4x100M relay.
4. Virtually unbeatable Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh repeating as Olympic beach volleyball champions.
5. Women's U.S. soccer team beating Brazil in overtime for the gold medal.
6. U.S. men's volleyball team beating Brazil for the gold.
7. That guy shadow running across the membrane at the top of the stadium during the Opening Ceremonies.
8. The emotional distress of American Alicia Sacramone after she fell twice during the gymnastics team all-around.
9. The virtual flawlessness of Chinese diver Guo Jingjing, who won the gold in 3M springboard and 3M synchronized.
10. Sanya Richards, the U.S. anchor of the 4X400M relay who came from behind down the stretch to win the gold.

Honorable mention: Favored U.S. hurdler LoLo Jones leading the 100M hurdles but hitting the ninth (of 10) hurdles and finishing seventh.

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