Gold and Silver for the US Olympic Men’s Basketball
Team?: Forget Spain. Why don’t we just have the US Men’s Olympic first team
play the second team? I mean really, the performance, albeit against Tunisia,
of the second team was pretty impressive. Although, frankly, I have a hard time
putting Mello on the reserves. He should
be a starter. The biggest surprise for me is Kevin Love. Maybe it’s because he
plays in a small market with little or no national exposure. I have to admit,
when he came out of UCLA after his freshman season, I thought it was a huge
mistake. I didn’t think we would ever
hear about him again, unless it was in a mop-up role for a championship team.
Man, did he ever prove me wrong. And Anthony Davis definitely looks like he
belongs. Those Hornets should be making things exciting in New Orleans for the next
few seasons, provided the team stays put. My guess is they don’t, but what do I know?
Just ask Kevin Love….
Just Give Him a Big Lead: How good is Michael Phelps?
Even at the end of a record-setting career, the guy finds a way to win silver
and gold in one night. And how close was that silver to another gold? No more
than the length of a finger. But at 19 medals and counting, the most decorated
Olympic athlete in history shows no signs of stopping. And for the first time,
he swam the anchor leg on a relay. He asked for a big lead, and guess what his
teammates gave him? All I can say is WOW! We don’t see swimming that often, so
it’s hard for us to think about Phelps in the same way we revere Montana,
Jordan, Federer, Woods, Sorrenstam, Gretzky, Brady, Manning (one or both, take
your pick), Rice and all of the other greats I left out. But he definitely belongs
there. Congratulations Michael Phelps! We should have nothing but respect for
his accomplishments. In addition, he has inspired an entire generation of
swimmers that continue to bring excellence to American swimming.
What the Men Couldn’t, the Women Did: One night after
the US Men’s Gymnastic Team stumbled out of the blocks, the women came out,
killed the vault and never looked back. What a gutsy performance, especially
given the disappointment of Jordan Wieber two nights ago. They put together 12
strong, sometimes spectacular performances to pretty much lap the field. The
balance beam, traditionally an American nightmare, proved to be the explanation
point on the efforts of five women who not only won gold, but miraculously
defied the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.
Great performance, great night for five very deserving young women.
There are a Lot of Great Performances at the Olympics:
There have been so many great performances at these Games, but NBC’s is not among
them. I can understand botching a live broadcast, especially with all of the venues
and cameras they have in and around London.
But when you have 4 or 5 hours to fine tune the production of THE
glamour event of the entire Olympics, and you fail to show scores after
numerous performances, come on. We all know it’s not live. We don’t care that
it’s not live. So don’t try to make it seem like it’s live by screwing it up
like it’s live. Like I said yesterday, and I’ll keep saying it until they get
it right. Come on NBC, you can do better by your viewers. We’re watching sports. Give us scores.
Especially when you have a few hours to do so.
I Know, Football Camps Opened: I’ve been so wrapped
up in the Olympics, it took my 11 year-old daughter to remind me that
evidently, RGIII is killing it in Redskins camp. Now, don’t get me wrong. Camp
isn’t the same as taking on the potential dynastic dream team of Philadelphia,
or America’s team (well, not anymore, but don’t tell Jerry Jones), or even the
defending champion Giants. But after 20 years of pretty much playoff futility
for us Redskin fans, I’ll take a good camp over a bad one.
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