Who’s Lidsey Jacobellis? Most people will never know, and those who do will soon forget, unless you have a healthy does of shaddenfraude like me. Jacobellis is the latest in a line of American embarrassments at the 2004 US Olympics.
She was on her way to winning the gold in the women’s snowboardcross when she decided to show off, grabbed her board, fell, and lost.
U.S. coach Peter Foley fell onto the ground in disbelief. Although Jacobellis claimed that the grab was for balance, Foley admitted she had probably gone overboard.
“She definitely styled that a little too hard,” he said.
She now stands along side Michelle Kwan, Bode Miller, and the US Women’s Hockey Team as biggest flops in this year’s Winter Olympics. Teaching the timely lesson that all that hypes is not gold.
This harkens to the greatest American Olympic disappointments of all time.
There’s Michelle Kwan, five time world champion, unable to ever win gold.
There’s the entire 1998 Winter Olympic team winning only six medals, the worst showing ever.
And now it’s time for the medal stand.
Bronze Medal winner: The 1998 Men’s Hockey Team disgracing itself and their country by busting up the Olympic Village in a rampage after getting stomped by the Czech Republic 4-1.
Silver: Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson. Remember these guys? Hyped by Reebok as rivals for decathlon gold in 1992, Dan failed to even qualify, Dave took a bronze.
Gold: The 2004 Men’s Basketball Team. Dubbed the “Dream Team”, they ended the U.S.’s streak of 3 consecutive gold medals. Remember when Dream Team 1, with Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson embarrassed the rest of the world in 1992? Revenge was served cold as Allan Iverson and Tim Duncan lost 92-73 to Puerto Rico.
It's fun watching the Olympians learn the lesson of antiquity, that all glory is fleeting.
No comments:
Post a Comment