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Monday, August 18, 2008
Olympics overload
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SMYRNA - Thank goodness the Hawks are in crickets mode right now, because if they weren’t I wouldn’t have any time to watch this wall to wall coverage of the Olympics (and that’s not one of my usual slights, I’m serious).
Since college football is still a couple weeks away and the Hawks’ summer drama has come to a pleasant halt, I’ve been glued to this Olympics coverage.
I’ve watched it all, everything from track and field to volleyball and team handball to swimming and diving.
For the life of me I can’t figure out how anyone that loves sports of any kind avoids the summer games. Even the basketball games, most of the ones I’ve watched so far have been routs, have been nothing short of entertaining.
Team USA overmatching opponents the way they did Germany this morning (106-57) wouldn’t normally keep me glued to the screen. But there’s something about watching Deron Williams and Chris Paul tossing alley oops to each other in the final seconds that makes me smile. Even the blowouts are more fun in the Olympics.
So strong is the Olympic pull, it’s kept me from focusing all of my non-Hawks related early August attention to my life’s true passion (Michigan football). And I know you’ve all grown fond of my preoccupation with all things winged helmet (that’s a joke, besides family and Michigan football are tied for the top spot. And since my Wolverines are probably going to endure a long and painful season, I’ll refrain from my usual college football smack talk until we get good again - or until I ruin the DVD replay of us stomping Florida in the bowl game last year. Whichever comes first).
Honestly, the only remaining intrigue for me is seeing if Team USA can bring home the gold (well, that and the men’s 400 meter finals). If they do so they’ll cap a glorious redemption tour with the only thing that can pacify the basketball public. But Australia appears to be prepared to play the role of spoiler in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
I’m excepting it to be the best game of the competition, since Andrew Bogut is healthy and ready to go after missing out on a chance to face Team USA with a sore ankle in the exhibition game the two teams played the week before the Olympics began.
A few other notes, a quote or two and some general observations from a long weekend:
LIGHTNING BOLT: Usain Bolt did something in the 100 meters final that few people thought possible, he destroyed the 9.7-second barrier while also smashing the world (his own) and Olympic record in the process.
Someone that big (a NBA-shooting guard-esque 6-5, 210) should never be able to move that fast. It’s not fair to the rest of us. It’s not fair for the rest of the people out there trying to run the 100 meters for a living, especially when you consider that Bolt is just 21.
Before he could finish the race he was being criticized for showboating in the last 10 meters. And for the next however many days folks care he’ll be pounded for not shaving more time off of the world record (I can’t tell you how many times I read it Sunday. Nearly every account of the race I read mentioned it).
A little news flash for all of us in the media, since dude owned the world record anyway, wasnt it his prerogative to do whatever he wanted to with own property? Besides, something tells me he’ll be running as fast or faster in the future anyway, so who cares if he didn’t get down to 9.59 seconds or whatever folks were hoping he would.
The only downside to Lightning Bolt’s fantastic showcase is that the skeptics wondering if Bolt is 100 percent free of chemical performance enhancers were sounding off before the race was finished, too.
They’re almost as bad as the celebration police that show up every time something (or someone) takes the sports world by storm with a little flair and style (for the record, I’m a staunch supporter of showboating, smack talking, touchdown celebrations and any other celebratory gesture after someone has accomplished a feat deserving of any fuss at all).
I guess we could all stand to lighten up a little bit. The Olympics come around every four years. And these athletes train like crazy to have the chance to win gold. If they want to celebrate a little bit, or even a lot, so be it.
Plus, when you’re as good as Bolt appears to be … you get a pass.
The Jamaican team physician might have said it best, “Toscanini said Marian Anderson’s contralto voice comes along once a century,” said Dr. Herb Elliott. “A guy like Usain Bolt comes along once a century.”
PARGO TO RUSSIA: The Hawks snagged Flip Murray last week and the guy we talked about around here, Jannero Pargo, bolted for the cash in Russia. Pargo was obligated to do what was best for his bank account and career and apparently that didn’t include playing in the NBA this season.
Pargo would have been a nice addition, but I’m not sure there’s much difference between what he brings and what Murray gives you. Their styles are a bit different and Murray, when locked in, is a much better defender. But Pargo is a scoring machine and a fearless offensive weapon.
Strangely enough, had he not signed a deal with the Hawks word is Murray was headed for Russia as well. Anyone still think that rush of NBA role players to the Euroleague was just a fluke?
KEMP, TOO: Not all of the migration of NBA players to Europe looks as good on paper. An Italian team has reportedly snagged former NBA All-Star Shawn Kemp. Outside of it being a total publicity stunt, I have no idea what this is supposed to do for the team.
There have to be scads of young big men that could use that job and do a much better job than an old cat like Kemp (who in his prime was pound for pound one of the most exciting players on the planet).
Here’s hoping he is the first and last retired NBA player to jet overseas for a job in the basketball hinterlands (I know Kemp’s supposed to be in great shape and everything but face it Rain Man, it’s over).
TRANSFORMER: Josh Smith was spotted Saturday playing in the championship game of the Wallace Prather Jr. Pro Summer League and left an indelible impression on those of us who hadn’t seen him since the Hawks’ playoff run ended in that Game 7 loss in Boston in early May.
He’s transformed his upper body into a sculpted mass of muscles. He looked as physically imposing as I’ve ever seen him while tussling with an array of other Atlanta-born, bred or based pros at the Adamsville Recreational Center Saturday afternoon (by the way, his team lost the big trophy because they couldn’t slow down Javaris Crittenton and Louis Williams down the stretch of an extremely competitive contest).
Smith’s added bulk doesn’t necessarily appear to be added weight either. He’s literally transformed his upper body. The added strength is something he’ll need this season as well, what with all the heavy lifting he and Al Horford will have to do in the paint if the Hawks are going to chase the playoffs again.
JUST ABOUT OVER: Now that Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala has finally signed his contract (six-years, $80 million), the summer’s free agent frenzy is all but over. The only name big name left on the board is Ben Gordon who, if you believe all the published reports out of Chi-Town, is bound for another locker room.
The minute the Bulls drafted Derrick Rose you knew someone had to hit the bricks. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be Gordon or Kirk Hinrich. The Bulls cleared that up for us all by playing hardball with Gordon (who turned down $50 million last October and now might not come close to anything like that on his next contract).
Gordon’s a tough sell for most teams because while he can score at will, he’s a “tweener” in the truest sense of the word. He won’t fit as a starter at the point because it’s not his game. And if you try to start him at shooting guard he’ll be a defensive liability, not to mention that he absolutely needs to play alongside a much bigger point guard.
He is a scoring machine and could give a team a huge boost off the bench. No team, however, is going to be interested in paying a sixth-man (that struggles to guard anyone at his position) the kind of money Gordon is apparently looking for.
Man, restricted free agency. It’s a nasty business. I’m just glad it’s over around here.
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