10) Roger Federer continues to crumble
It seems like years ago that Roger Federer was on top of the tennis world winning three out of four Grand Slams every season. Today, like the olympics, Federer's dominance of the game is history and what we have is probably his worst year since 2002, the season before he won his first of 14 Grand Slam Titles. In his olympic quest, Federer didn't even get to face new world number one Rafael Nadal. Instead, he lost to American James Blake, who had never beaten the swiss in his career. With each tournament that goes by, Roger fades more and more, and we're left with thoughts of nostalgia and a new era in tennis.
9) Brazilian Soccer
Another bitter disappointment for the most powerful soccer nation in the world. There is no question Brazil is the king of kings when it comes to the beautiful games, but when it comes to the olympics, the South Americans just can't seem to get over the hump. This year, another bronze medal will haunt them along with the sight of their most hated rival, Argentina, winning yet another gold, and of course the thought of never having won gold in the sport they have owned on every other world stage. Ronaldinho? Pato? Marcelo? Diego? All great stars, all going back home with only the bronze.
8) The ceremonies
The Beijing olympics began like no other games ever have. The opening ceremony was breathtaking, sometimes a little fake, but breathtaking nonetheless. Just when we had gotten used to boring parades of national culture during these events, the Chinese brought out all the secret weapons: the fireworks, the singing, the dancing, and an unbelievable showcase of their vast and interesting culture never before seen in any other host city. Good luck trying to top that London
7) Spanish basketball
Go back to the first round of the basketball competition. Spain vs the US. Absolute domination by the "redeem team", a thirty point blowout, and an absolutely overwhelmed Spanish team with no answer for the strength and quickness of the United States. Now fast-forward to Sunday's final. Led by Pau Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and young phenom Ricky Rubio, the Spaniards never let up and found themselves down by just 6 points in the fourth quarter to a team that seemed unbeatable and light-years ahead of its competitors. In the end, the US was unbeatable. However, those silver medals tasted a lot like gold.
6) US softball and baseball
In its last appearance at the olympics for now, the national past-time and its sister seemed everything but American in Beijing. The men just never looked dominant or like the favorite, and their olympic dream was absolutely shattered by an infinitely superior Cuban team that went on to lose to the unexpected gold medalist, Korea.
As for the women, they looked their dominant selves at the beginning, crushing everyone who got in their way on path to their fourth consecutive gold medal. However, another Asian foe, Japan, awaited them in the final game, and the Americans did what they had never done in softball, they lost. Now baseball and softball are gone and the inventors of the game will have to wait and see if they're brought back for a chance at redemption.
5) US men's volleyball
What began in tragedy for the men's volleyball olympic squad, ended with an unlikely gold on sunday against the powerful Brazilians, and it was all for Hugh McCutcheon, the coach who had to deal with the loss of his father-in-law, who was stabbed to death while sightseeing in Beijing. The Americans were never expected to beat defending champion Brazil, and they weren't even supposed to be in contention for the gold. However, from tragedy comes great triumph, and the US, inspired by great loss, found themselves emotionally drained, but on top of the world as the games came to an end.
4) The redeem team
Gold has never tasted so good for US basketball. After an extremely tough final against Spain, the Americans climbed back to the top after eight years of bitter disappointment for the hoops program. Bronze in Athens, another Bronze in the Tokio World Championships, and fifth place at the World Championships in Indianapolis had US basketball spiraling downhill like never before. The task in Beijing was not easy, gold was the only option, everything else was failure, and all this in an era where basketball is global and other teams also have NBA superstars.
So what did Kobe, Lebron, and company do? they destroyed every opponent up to the final and when it came time to actually be tested, they played like a team, they defended, they made the big shots, and went from "redeem team" back to "Dream Team", because more than a spectacle of high-flying dunks and individualities, this was basketball fans dream of seeing, a bunch of superstars who actually got it together and made a team. Not since 1992 had the world seen such a thing.
3) China
The Chinese are now officially a powerhouse in the sports' world after this. 51 gold medals, 100 total. No matter what some Americans might say, the Chinese were the winners, they won more golds, and that is how the olympic rankings are measured, period. With outstanding showings in gymnastics, weightlifting, and ping pong, the hosts dominated the stats and came out on top like they planned. They might not have won in the most popular events, but in the end, every gold counts for the same amount.
2) Usain Bolt
He's bold, brash, cocky, and some people can't stand him. His celebration before the finish at the 100 meter dash was considered disrespectful by some and the fact that he broke the world record even having slowed down before he crossed the line was just a slap in the face to those people.
It is undeniable, Usain Bolt is the fastest man ever. He came into the olympics battling countryman Asafa Powell and American Tyson Gay for the title, and left Beijing with absolutely no competition. Three races, three gold medals, three world records, including one that was 12 years old and another that dated back 16. Just imagine what this guy would have done if he could run some more races... he could have won like...8 golds.
1) Michael Phelps
Speaking of 8 golds...
He came, he saw, he conquered, there is no other way to describe what the winningest athlete in olympic history did in Beijing. 8 races, 8 golds, 7 world records, 8 olympic records. In most races, he had no competition, and in the ones he did, he was simply clutch, winning the 4x100 freestyle relay by .1 seconds and the 100m butterfly by .01.
Phelps was absolutely unbeatable, he swam better and faster than any man before, and all other swimmers were merely spectators in the Michael Phelps show. Beijing surrendered, and all other sports stars stepped aside. He stole the show, and the olympics during the first week were not China's or America's, they were simply Michael's.
Leave a comment