So, I am now a couch potato. I have not watched much TV in the past couple years, but it feels good to sink into the cushions and eat potato chips while watching lean bodies do impossible looking things. Since probably 1988, I can remember watching the Olympics and viewing sports that I never think twice about the rest of the year.There’s a few names that sit in my head, taking up space. They are/were the greatest athletes in their sport in the world, that’s pretty cool. Also pretty cool are these guacemole chips.
7. Venus and Serena Williams- Tennis
I am well aware that these two women are basically the best female tennis players of their generation. I really never watch tennis much, except at the Olympics. However, I can imagine, that winning a gold medal would be so much better if your best friend and sister was able to share it with you.
6. Svetlana Khorkina- Gymnastics
This girl seemed to be the best female gymnast for years. She always had a scowl on her face. She was also much taller than all those little peanuts. But I don’t think she was pissed, I bet she was just shy and very very nice.
Here’s a picture of her smiling:
5. Lithuania Basketball Team
I love the US and like it when our teams win and all, but when these guys beat the US and their team full of “dreamy” NBA players, you had to admire that. Also, the uniforms.
4. Jackie Joyner Kersee- Track and Field
This woman has been named the best female athlete of all time by so many people. She really is. Oh, and after she won a crap load of medals, she played pro basketball, not super well, but still.
3. Dan O’Brien- Track and Field
Remember when he and Dave were supposed to be the super stars of track and field in 1992. And then Dan didn’t make it. Whoops. But, in 1996, he did make it and got the gold, whereas Dave had gotten bronze four years earlier. I bet it was worth the wait.
2. Alexei Nemov- Gymnastics
Um, I hear he does gymnastics well. No, seriously, I remember him at the three previous Olympics, he basically won a medal in everything.
1. Geena Davis- Archery
OK, this is cheating. She never made it all the way. But imagine if she did, that’d be weird.
The Pilver 
Ben Johnson..Canada’s not so favourite cheat…… he ushered in the modern era of getting caught cheating
I tried to watch a Serena Williams match last night online but I got a camera feed showing me a bunch of rain instead.
mylesfromnowhere- the cheats make for good TV.
No Jamaican Bobsled team? Or are you saving that for the Winter list? 😉
You are so funny. That would be weird if Geena Davis was in the Olympics. That’s the only way to describe it.
All Canadians are cheaters.
There, I said it.
Olga Korbut (Munich ’72) did an incredible service for the sport and artistry of women’s gymnastics. Take me for example: she enoucaraged me to have my spine remove, my hips narrowed and my tits made concave–to te point of retaining water when it rained. Thank God for Dr. Mengele!!! That that set in motion a whole slew of contortionistic moves befitting a Jr High then High School cheerleader.
Mark Spitz same Olympics was a hell of a swimmer and could see his record 7 gold medals surpassed by a ballsy and brassy cat named Michael Phelps.
I remember that Svetlana chick from Athens. It was always amazing to me to see chicks from begind the former Soviet block countries wearing eye shadow….Pool Cue chalk blue eye shadow, but make up none the less. The predecessors were so unhappy and stern , unsmiling, very very pale and well….mannish. No make-up. In fact, very little melanin.
These Olympics will be interesting. Maybe. I shall endeavor to watch them stoned.
LK
Galileo- I should have said summer games, whoops!
JoshC- I believe it only cause it’s coming from you.
Laurie- I think most female European gymnasts are/were going for that bizarre harsh 80’s look.
Eddie “The Eagle/Mr. Magoo” Edwards: 1988, Calgary Winter Olympics. Eddie was the first, and so far only, British ski jumper.
“Edwards shocked officials in 1988 by qualifying for the event simply because no other Brit applied and because he recorded a 77-meter jump–small by Olympic standards–in Australia.”
Because of how absolutely awesomely craptastic he was the Olympic Committee actually changed the rules regarding qualifying.
Gabriel- I don’t remember that, was that the last year the summer and winter games happened the same year?
Wiki sez: “The 1992 [France Winter] Games were the last to be held in the same year as the Summer Games…”
Eddie in flight, he had a LOT of fans:
The Calgary Olympics were also the one with the bobsled team from Jamaica… they made that movie — Cool Runnings — out of them.
i like your list, even though i dont know who some of them are. i’ve never been a big O watcher in the past, but it seems to be the only thing on, so now i’m hooked. i’ve learned a couple of things.
one, female gymnasts are doing a hell of a job keeping the scrunchie factory from closing.
two, men who swim have very nice bodies.
three, if you watch long enough, you can become interested in the outcome of any event that would normally not be something you care about in the least. such as ladies badminton.
love venus and serena