Beijing 2008

Some of the impressions from the Games of the XXIX Olympiad that will stick with me...

• Michael Phelps is an absolute stud. Swimming is one tough thing to do (this from a runner who can last one workout in the pool). To have the strength, the resolve and the focus do pull off what he did, with all of the different disciplines, is truly amazing. I would compare it to an individual track athlete winning the 100, 200, 400 and the long jump and then helping win the two relays.

And Phelps did it with unbridled excitement. At the end of each race, each time he stood on the top of the medal podium, he was excited to be there and, quite possibly, in awe of his own feat. Eight races. Eight golds. Seven records. Wow.

• Usain Bolt is an absolute stud. World records in the 100 and 200 at the same Olympics, a feat never before equalled. (Jesse Owens did set records in the 100 and 200 in the 1935 Big 10 Championships, but he couldn't repeat that in Berlin.) Add to that the world record in the 4x100-meter relay. But then...one would expect a record when the current 100m world record holder hands off to the former record holder (Asafa Powell). My only regret: seeing what he could have done had he not pulled up at the end of the 100. Possibly a sub-9.60? I have a feeling we will know in the future.

• The United States as a whole was quite disappointing in the Bird's Nest. Tyson Gay's no show to the 100-meter final (though I will give him the benefit of the doubt with the hamstring injury he suffered in the Olympic Trials). Bernard Lagat failing to medal in either the 1,500 or 5,000. The botched handoffs by both of the 4x100-meter relays. The absence of Reese Hoffa on the medal stand in the shot put (offset by the silver medal performance of Christian Cantwell). Lolo Jones striking the last hurdle in the 100-meter hurdles and failing to medal. The U.S. has some serious ground to make up over the next four years leading up to London.

• On the positive side for USA Track & Field: The 1-2-3 sweep in the men's 400 meters, the domination by both 4x400-meter relay teams, Bryan Clay's gold medal in the decathlon (join the likes of Dan O'Brien, Bruce Jenner, Bob Mathias and Jim Thorpe as Americans to earn the title World's Greatest Athlete), Hyleas Fountain's silver medal in the heptathlon.

• I could not be happier for Walter Dix. The former Florida State sprinter was one of the nicer and fresher personalities at the Olympic Trials and came home with broze medals in both the 100 and 200. He has the potential to be a force in world sprinting in the next four years.

• Note to Great Britain: Although you did best Jamaica in the finals of the men's 4x400-meter relay, the last thing you want to do is taunt the world's greatest sprinting power in a preliminary heat. Bad idea.

• As much as I love watching long distance running, I don't think I needed to see the men's marathon in its entirety in prime time (though I will admit that my dad and I spent a Saturday night on the couch, eating pizza, watching the Kenyans earn their first gold medal in the event).

• The Redeem Team lived up to it's name, playing like a team and showing the world that, although they are catching up, it is still the United States' game. And the callsy move for the team photo of putting all the gold medals around Coach K's neck (remember that the coaches do not receive medals).

• Every four years, I will watch sports that I would normally have no interest in whatsoever: weightlifting, air pistol shooting, badminton, water polo, gymnastics, kayaking, rowing, boxing. And it looks even better in HD.

• China won the race in gold medals, but will the sports machine they have created be as concerned about it now that the Chinese games are over?

• I am looking forward to what kind of a show London can put on. Beijing set the bar very high.

• If anyone can get me tickets for men's hockey or speed skating for Vancouver 2010, let me know!