They're here! Finally. London, here we come. We have waited 4 years for this, left off on a cliffhanger after Beijing gave us excitement and pride as a country. Have you ever been more proud to say your an American than 4 years ago when Phelps and the infamous relay team came back to win the 800M free relay? That moment still lives in the back of all of our heads. Usain Bolt entered the argument as best athlete in the world, embarrassing the other runners (especially the Americans). The basketball team returned to glory, where they always should be, by eeking out a victory over the Spaniards. Shawn Johnson, deservedly, became the poster child of the Olympics. Who would have thought Gymnastics are so entertaining? I find it amusing to think of the billions of viewers, mainly men, sitting down and watching these athletes, flip, run, jump and...stick! It's mind bottling to me (Blades of Glory reference). We live in a society where we must compare these Olympics to the last, because everything is a competition, but who cares? No two Olympics will be alike, new stars emerge, and the old one's try to hang onto their legacy.
4 years later and again the same faces return but will become much more dramatic as new stars have emerged. Is it time for the new guns to overtake the legends, or will the legends retain their glory?
Usain Bolt, the best runner we have ever seen. Shattering basically every record in the books, but he is baaaaacccccckkkkkkk. That is bad news for the runners tying to ferment their own legacy, but Usain is insane. This year Usain actually has competition, in fact, a lot of competition. Yohan Blake, learn that name and know it. If you are watching Bolt, make sure to keep an eye of Usain's training partner Yohan Blake. This year, in the Olympic qualifiers Blake has already beat Bolt in the 100M and the 200M. This is where the drama starts and will continue to increase as the Olympics get further along. Bolt vs. Blake, mark it down.
Swimming, swimming, swimming. The most intense, dramatic event in the Olympics. Maybe not as much drama on the individual this year, as Beijing was with Phelps, but this year focuses in on the team. Missy Franklin is the new face of Women's swimming and because of Shawn Johnson's absence, Missy has the opportunity to become this years poster child. The USA swim team is a group of mainly 19-26 year olds, that are just there to have a good time. You don't believe that this team may be closer than any other USA Olympic team, here you go...http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/usa-olympic-swim-team-call-maybe-video-134628478--oly.html.
Phelps vs. Lochte will be the highlight of the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Phelps is the man, we all know that. But, Ryan Lochte is the second best swimmer in the world and possibly Phelps' predecessor. Lochte is the new wave of swimming (no pin intended) and if he beats Phelps for the second time, in the past year in the 400 IM, he will become the story and face of the 2012 Olympics. This is the best rivalry in sports right now, and of course the trash talk just adds to it. Word on the street is that these two don't get along and in practice, they separate themselves. I predict Phelps' to win this race, just because he knows that he is the man. Lochte will have his time, especially in every race other than the 400 IM, in which he is favored to win. This is the best storyline of the Olympics and the best rivalry in all of sports right now. May the drama begin.
All the rivalries will be put on hold, and it is time to come together as one, team USA!
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