The greatest memory for me of the 1984 Olympics was not the individual honors, but standing on the podium with my teammates to receive our team gold medal.
quote by Mitch Gaylord
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sincere Thanks
Sincere thanks to the Africans who,
Made us proud at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games;
For there their talents were exposed to the world.
Thanks to Kenya who got the total of 14 medals:
Made up of 5 Gold medals,5 Silver medals and 4 Bronze medals.
Thanks to Ethiopia who got the total of 7 medals:
Made up of 4 Gold medals, a Silver medal and 2 Bronze medals.
Thanks to Zimbabwe who got the total of 4 medals:
Made up of a Gold medal and 3 Silver medals.
Thanks to Cameroon who got a single Gold medal,
Thanks to Tunisia who got a single Gold medal,
Thanks to Nigeria who got the total of 4 medals:
Made up of a Silver medal and 3 Bronze medals.
Thanks to Algeria who got 2 medals:
Made up of a Silver medal and a Bronze medal.
Thanks to Morocco who got 2 medals:
Made up of a Siver medal and a Bronze medal.
THanks to South Africa who got a single Silver medal,
Thanks to Sudan who got a single Silver medal,
Thanks to Egypt who got a single Bronze medal,
Thanks to Mauritius who got a single Bronze medal,
And tanks to Togo who also got a single Bronze medal.
You've really made Africa proud and we do thank you all!
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Through everything I've gone through- and I've been everywhere, at the top of the world, in jail, hung over drunk - I never gave up my dream of winning a gold medal in the Olympics.
quote by Dan O'Brien
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When you're expected to win and you have the press saying that you are going to win the Olympic gold medal, and you're the only sure thing in the Olympics, it can undermine your confidence.
quote by Scott Hamilton
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Well my thoughts on American swimming are that our prospects look favorable, but we may not have as strong a showing in the gold medal count as in previous Olympics. But I am not coaching.
quote by Mark Spitz
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2008 Beijing Olympics Poem - Lin Dan versus Lee Chong Wei
lin dan, chong wei
look alike faces
shape like
shuttlecocks
eyes gleaming
like diamonds
the shine of white
velvety feathers
between their
masterful strides
the feverish desire
of two nations
to top the world
to and fro, to and fro
their hearts flew
smashing into one
lifting the other
onto its wing of gold
China's Lin Dan triumphed over Malaysia's Lee Chong Wei to grab the men's single gold for badminton yesterday at the Beijing Summer Olympics. Chong Wei got the first silver medal for Malaysia for the Olympics. Lin seemed to be a far superior player in the two matches that lasted less than 40 minutes beating Chong Wei by 21 - 12 and 21 - 8.. Lin seemed to be flying on wings after he was crowned gold. First he fell flat on the court, then rose to salute the audience afterwhich he threw his racket and shoes to them as presents.
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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1984
Someday they wont let you, now you must agree
The times they are a-telling, and the changing isnt free
Youve read it in the tea leaves, and the tracks are on tv
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984
Theyll split your pretty cranium, and fill it full of air
And tell that youre eighty, but brother, you wont care
Youll be shooting up on anything, tomorrows never there
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984
Come see, come see, remember me?
We played out an all night movie role
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
In 1984 (who could ask for more)
1984 (who could ask for mor-or-or-or-ore)
(mor-or-or-or-ore)
Im looking for a vehicle, Im looking for a ride
Im looking for a party, Im looking for a side
Im looking for the treason that I knew in 65
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984
Come see, come see, remember me?
We played out an all night movie role
You said it would last, but I guess we enrolled
In 1984 (who could ask for more)
1984 (who could ask for mor-or-or-or-ore)
(mor-or-or-or-ore)
1984
1984
1984 (mor-or-or-or-ore)
1984
1984 (mor-or-or-or-ore)
1984
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I have to consider my greatest accomplishments winning the Olympics because everything that I've done after that is really because of the Olympics.
quote by Brian Boitano
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Jim Thorpe
Born in May of Eighteen eighty-eight
Though the birth record is obscure
In Oklahoma, in a one room cabin
With brother Charlie, of that we're sure.
His father, Hiram, was a farmer
Mother, Mary James, a Pottawatomie
Descendant of the Chief, Black Hawk
A Warrior with an athletic history.
His Indian name of Wa-Tho-Huk
Translated meaning of “Bright Path”
As his future really seemed to be
Before the typical white man's wrath.
His twin brother passed away at nine
Then in the year, Nineteen, ought four
He attended the Carlisle Indian School
Where he learned football, track, and more.
Trained by legend, Glenn “Pop” Warner
Who had the unique insight to see
The young phenomenon evolving
Into, the great athlete, he would be.
All-American in Nineteen 0-nine
And soon, on the Olympic Team
Sailing across the sea to Sweden
The answer to many-a-youngster's dream.
He trained on board on the journey
And he must have done it very well
For he blew away his competitors
That's what, long lasting records tell.
In the Pentathlon and Decathlon
He won a Gold Medal in each
And it seemed any goal he went for
For him, would be an easy reach.
Gustav, the King of Sweden said it best
After the Nineteen twelve Olympics
“Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world.”
After witnessing, Thorpe's sporting epics.
And, not one to stand on ceremony
That sometimes, great success can bring
He answered, honestly and simply
As they shook hands, and said, “Thanks, King.”
But, it came out after the Olympics
He'd played some semi-pro baseball
They said his medals were illegal
And the Committee issued a recall.
His name was removed from the records
And his Gold Medals taken away
But, with style he just moved on
To play the games he loved to play.
He signed with the New York Giants
And played with the Reds in Cincinnati
Ending up with the Boston Braves
On his baseball playing odyssey.
At the same time he played football
For teams like Canton, Cleveland, and Chicago
Helped form what is now, the NFL
Which a lot of folks probably don't know.
He worked for awhile in the movies
As boss of the Chicago Park System
Involved in matters of Indian Affairs
A song and dance troupe named after him.
He was named, “the greatest football player”
By the Associated Press in Nineteen fifty
And, “the greatest overall male athlete”
One of the best that we will ever see.
In Fifty-three he had a heart attack
And on the New York Times front page
They said we'd lost, “a marvelous performer”
From this world's sporting stage.
But he was so much more than that
With his dignity and quiet grace
One of those very special people
Who have made this world a better place.
He was subjected to the racism
That, “Indian athlete” and “Redskin”
And it eventually took it's toll
Lead to poverty and alcoholism.
Thirty years after his passing
His Olympic Medals were finally restored
Along with many posthumous honors
Much too late, for his just reward.
He's just another great American
Born of the Natives of this land
Who never knew and/or never saw
Real American freedoms, take a stand.
Here were these college kids beating the Soviets and going on to the Olympic Gold Medal. To me, that's the greatest upset of all time in any sport that I can think of.
To anyone who has started out on a long campaign believing that the gold medal was destined for him, the feeling when, all of a sudden, the medal has gone somewhere else is quite indescribable.
quote by Sebastian Coe
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As a theoretical physicist, I feel at once proud and humble at the thought of the illustrious figures that have preceded me here to receive the greatest of all honors in science, the Nobel prize.
quote by Murray Gell Mann
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I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.
The Other Olympians
The Diver leapt off the high board
but missed the water and hit the floor
then his team-mate went and did the same
so the judges gave them a nil score.
The Cyclist set off in his opening heat
but he got a puncture half way round
when he was given a replacement bike
he fell off it hitting his head on the ground.
The Boxer said he'd win the Gold Medal
but in the first round got knocked out the ring
he ended up lying prone amongst the spectators
and a week later he still can't recall a thing.
The Javelin thrower said he felt really good
and he would beat the opponent from Denmark
but his Javelin got caught by a gust of wind
and it ended up outside the arena in the car park.
The Weightlifter raised the bar above his head
but his legs suddenly wobbled and turned to jelly
he ended up collapsed lying on the stage in a heap
with the heavy weight sitting perched on his belly.
These are the other Olympians who never win a medal
but they go out there and just try their best
just like the unlucky Gymnast who's shorts fell down
leaving him standing there in just his vest!
poem by Kevin Halls
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The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime.
Survivor
The Sound of their laughter
in the dream, I still hear.
I wake up in a sweat
with their screams in my ears.
On a road trip to Tucson,
my teammates and I
met with disaster
and two of them died.
Our team van blew a tire
at a high rate of speed.
It flipped on the highway.
I can still hear the screams.
I kicked out a window
when the van came to a stop.
and dragged out my teammates
off of the blacktop
It was then I lost consciousness
the state trooper said.
I saw white sheets pulled
over two of our dead.
He said I was lucky
and so it must seem
to someone who never
had to wake from the dream
poem by John F. McCullagh
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The relay race
I may have been the slowest child
to ever run in track and field
I was a foodie even then
with not the fastest set of wheels.
I still have the medal that I won
for finishing in second place.
awarded to our relay team
In a two team relay race
I was the anchor(aptly named)
they could have called me 'ball and chain'
The other three were none to spry
We were well matched those three and I.
By the time the baton reached my hand
My competitor neared the promised land
I set out full steam(for me)
as he crossed the line to victory.
I gamely tried to speed in haste
for what I knew was second place
and I was genuinely surprised
when they gave medals to us guys.
I never after won a race
nor finished either show or place.
I prize the medal that I got.
If I was a horse, they'd have me shot.
poem by John F. McCullagh
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The Olympics are coming... and it's a big problem in American politics, because the problem with holding the Olympics this fall is that we're all going to be focused on the Olympics, and it makes that window of opportunity for Gore to win the election that much smaller.
quote by Susan Estrich
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I tried to make the Olympics team in 1956.
quote by Bruce Dern
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Splitting Team-mates
Splitting team-mates,
To see them challenge each other...
For an attention,
Others they should have never listened...
Had convinced them to get.
A wished individual attention mentioned.
Has taught,
With time lost...
A costing for all,
Their payment to receive defeat.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Men's competitive team sports focus on the balance between individual achievement and team achievement with the emphasis on team achievement.
quote by Warren Farrell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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