Ali, Frazier, Foreman, De la Hoya and Patterson all have succeeded at the Games

By Leland Stein III

COMMENTARY

LONDON – US men’s Olympic boxers have won a record 108 medals. But since David Reid took gold at Atlanta in 1996, only one US man — Andre Ward, in 2004 — has taken the Olympic title.

The list of pugilist that has taken the sweet science by storm over the years after achieving Olympic glory is simply legendary. Any list will have to start with Floyd Patterson (1952), Cassius Clay (now Muhammad Ali) in 1960, Joe Frazier (1964), George Foreman (1968), Sugar Ray Leonard (1976), Pernell Whitaker (1984), Mark Breland (1984), Evander Holyfield (1984), Michael Spinks (1976), Riddick Bowe (1988), Roy Jones Jr. (1988) Oscar de la Hoya (1992), and David Reid (1996).

There are others that found noteworthy success as professional fighters like Ray Seales (1972), John Tate (1976), Howard Davis (1976), Leo Randolph (1976), Steve McCrory (1984), Frank Tate (1984), Meldrick Taylor (1984), Tyrell Biggs (1984), Henry Tillman (1984), Michael Carbajal (1988), Ray Mercer (1988), Andrew Maynard (1988), Chris Byrd (1992), and Antonio Tarver 1996).

All of the above mentioned Olympians medaled at their Olympic Games and went on to successful professional careers. Fast forward into the 2000 and anyone can see something has happened to USA Boxing. In fact, the 2012 Olympic Games is the first in history where the US men did not medal in any of the weight classes. It took the US women to hold the boxing torch. In the first Games where women were allowed to participate in boxing, out of the three weight classes US women won two medals. Marlen Esparza won a bronze medal as a flyweight and Claressa Shields won the USA’s only boxing gold medal.

Shields’ historic gold was the first US gold since Ward and Ward’s was the first since Reid in 1996. The Olympic boxing gold has been hard to obtain for the US. That makes 17-year-old Shield’s remarkable win over two world champion women on her way to gold even that more impressive.

How does USA boxing get back on track? Are the mix martial arts diluting the talent pool? Surely the allure of college and professional football has taken away the Ali’s, Frazier’s and Foreman’s in US Boxing.

Another problem is that the USA Boxing names coaches, but the trainers that have worked with the fighters that make the Olympic team cannot be in their corners at the Games. Who knows the fighter better than the men and women that train them? No one!! And as the sweet science continues to grow internationally the fighters are getting better and better.

For example, I was watching a young lady from Ireland (Katie Taylor) fight for lightweight gold and in her corner was her father, who has trained her since she started boxing. The Irish Olympic officials told me, “Why would we put anyone else in her corner?”

I looked at the Americans and they have people in their fighter corners that simply do not know the fighters they are charged to cajole. The US Olympic Committee is also disappointed by boxing’s medal-less men’s team. USOC CEO Scott Blackmun offered no specifics, but it’s clear the governing body expected more from US fighters, who left the Olympics empty handed for the first time in team history.

‘‘We’re going to sit down and take a hard look at why we are where we are, and make some changes,’’ Blackmun said. ‘‘I don’t want to say anything beyond that.’’ The US men’s team, the most successful in Olympic history, lost nine of its last 10 bouts in London. USA Boxing has been criticized for a sharp decline in recent years, along with the fact that the coaching staff was not in place until just about a month before the games opened.

‘‘It’s very disappointing for all of us, but we all fought hard and tried,’’ welterweight Errol Spence said. ‘‘We’re disappointed in boxing,’’ Blackmun said. ‘‘We want to do better, particularly in men’s boxing. By saying disappointed in boxing, I don’t mean in the people. I mean, we’re disappointed that we didn’t do better in boxing, because I know that we can do better and we have to focus on how we do that.’’   Leland Stein can be reached at HYPERLINK "mailto:lelstein3@aol.com" lelstein3@aol.com or at Twitter @lelandsteinIII

By Leland Stein III

COMMENTARY

LONDON - Throughout the history of the Olympic Games the larger nations like the Soviet Union, China, Germany and the United States have dominated the overall medal count at every Olympics.

The 2012 Games have recently concluded and the medal outcome was more of the same, with the USA and China battling for medal supremacy. Surprisingly jumping into the fray at third was Great Britain and that was a noteworthy story at the Games; however, the story of 2012 was the small archipelago chain Caribbean Islands just off the southeast coast of the United States.

The United States has long been the world dominate player in the sprints and relays and hurdles. However, the 2012 Games saw a measureable change in those events, especially with the men.

Leading the Caribbean charge was the small island of Jamaica. Out front and center for the resort-island and former British colony was one of the world’s most famous athletes, regardless of sport, superstar sprinter Usain Bolt. Led by Bolt’s historic showing the Caribbean Islands topped its record of equal 15 medals and surged to a record 18 in a fitting return to London, where it all started. Sure athletes from all over the world and especially the Caribbean’s have trained in the States’ university system, but Jamaica is unique in that their athletes are home grown. Jamaica's gold medals in London came from completely local-based coached and trained athletes.

I think that a man like Bolt, born in the States would have been a wide receiver and Olympic women’s 100-meter champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce would be playing basketball. Instead, the great athletes in the Caribbean have looked at what has been successful for their peers and have channeled their energies into track and field and the results are obvious.

Bolt, Doubted by many experts to repeat his Beijing conquests because of his relatively unsound build-up, the 25-year-old sprint marvel responded like great champions do. His 9.63 Olympic record run in the 100 meters was only 0.05 seconds off his own world mark and made him the second Olympic athlete to win back-to-back 100-meter titles. Bolt came right back won his second 200-meter title and helped the Jamaican team set another 4x100-meter world record. But the most amazing occurrence was the men producing a sweep in the 200-meters. Just like the Jamaican ladies did in the 100 at the Beijing Games.

The USA sports-wise is always distracted by football, baseball, basketball and hockey and all the other wonderful sports suffer in America. However, internationally the track and field is an apex sport and the phenomenal Bolt has effortlessly transplanted the 2008 Beijing euphoria to London and the world. It was mind-boggling the way Bolt was everyone's hero.

The USA always wins the 4x400- relay, 400- and 400-meter hurdles, but the Caribbean Islanders sweep all of those events.

Inspired by decades of Caribbean prominence at the global level, Grenada 19-year-old 400 runner Kirani James came within tenths of a second of the world record with a sub 44 in the 400 when he landed the one-lap event in 43.94 seconds. His win led a Caribbean sweep of the 400 medals with Dominican Republic's Luquelin Santos and Trinidad and Tobago’s Lalonde Gordon taking silver and bronze, a stinging blow to the Americans, who have traditionally dominated the event but did not even have a finalist in London.

The USA had not lost a men's 400m final at the Olympics since 1976, and they swept (1-2-3) all the men's 400 medals in the two games prior to London — Athens and Beijing. The Bahamas men's 4x400 relay team delivered more agony to the USA in a tremendous result and national record 2:56.72, accentuated by Ramon Miller's thumping of US veteran Angelo Taylor on the final lap. It was the first Olympic defeat for the US in the event since 1972.

The Jamaican team won the 4x100, with Bolt and company setting a world record. To the USA’s credit the men ran a national record and have nothing to be ashamed of: It’s just that the Islanders are better.

Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica won her second consecutive 100 gold medal. But the USA women came on strong and won the 200, 400, 4x100 and 4x400 relay. The Islanders did not stop there as Trinidad and Tobago 19-year-old javelin thrower Keshorn Walcott became the first Black man to win the event. He became the youngest Olympic champion ever in the event.

In the 400 hurdles SANCHEZ Felix Sanchez clocked an astounding 47.63 with Puerto Rico’s Javier Culson finishing second.

The Islanders are trying to extend themselves outside of running as Jamaican swimmer Alia Atkinson and T&T cyclist Njisane Phillip, also hinted that with more investment and focus in these sports, the region can also rise to high levels. Atkinson was bravely fourth in the women's 100-metre breaststroke final and Phillip lost the bronze medal ride-off in the match sprint.

The Caribbean Islands have made the Olympics their focus without seeking all the American professional sports and the results are obvious.

Leland Stein can be reached at HYPERLINK "mailto:lelstein3@aol.com" lelstein3@aol.com or at Twitter @lelandsteinIII

USA Basketball on top of the World

By Leland Stein III

COMMENTARY

LONDON – The United States Women’s and Men’s Senior National Basketball teams have proven that the round ball is truly American’s game. In spite of the fact international teams had over 20 players playing in the NBA, as opposed to the 1882 Dream Team having on 6 NBA players on international teams. The USA Basketball foundation and organization is firmly planted on solid ground and during the 2012 Olympic Games it once again proved that the best basketball in the world is played every year right here in the NBA.

The linchpin behind the USAQ Men’s resurgence has been the inclusion of Jerry Colangelo as the Managing Director of USA Basketball National Senior National team in 2005. Before his involvement Colangelo confidently rebuilt the program from the bottom up, obtaining the involvement of the NBA’s top players (Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James) and naming Duke University’s Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski as the USA National Team head coach. In the 2004 Olympics the USA Men earned a bronze medal and in the 2006 FIBA World Championships the US Men earned another bronze.

“Coach K, LeBron and I met in Las Vegas to discuss being a part of the US team,” Anthony told me. “He said it would take a commitment, but in the end it would be worth the effort. LeBron and I are the only one’s remaining from the original teams in 2004. We endured the ups and downs and now we have put together a system that works.”

Added James: “Coach K and I have been a part of the whole USA rebuilding process. We share the same Olympic tract and that makes this win even that more special. I made a commitment to be a part of this. It was a long journey to get to 2008 and now 2012, but eight years later we are back on top.”

Through the solidifying efforts of Colangelo and Krzyzewski along with the commitments of Anthony and James, and, the wooing of Bryant in 2007, the foundation of USA Men’s Basketball is entrenched. In the 2012 Olympic Games Final, a rematch with Spain, young upstart Kevin Durant scored 30 points in a contest that featured 16 lead changes and six tied scores no matter, the U.S held off Spain for a 107-100 win to capture the Olympic gold medal.

While Anthony and James earned a second gold medal in a third Olympic appearance; three more were members of the gold-medal winning team in 2008, Bryant, Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Playing in their first Olympics were Tyson Chandler, Anthony Davis, Durant, James Harden, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Andre Iguodala.

“It was very emotional,” Bryant said of his 2012 gold medal. “You just kind of think back on the journey, so to speak. Being here for your last go-round, wearing USA on your chest, it’s very emotional.”

Meanwhile, for the USA Women it was business as usual. Since the inclusion of the women in Olympic Basketball in 1976, where the Soviet Union won the first two Games, the captured its unprecedented fifth-straight Olympic gold (dating back to 1996), a feat never before accomplished in any women’s traditional team sport, the USA women have compiled a 41-game Olympic winning streak that began with the 1992 bronze medal game.

This time around the U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team posted a 86-50 win over France at North Greenwich Arena in London, England.

“You know, you go into every game thinking that there’s going to be some things that you have to do, and if you do those things you’re going to have a chance you can win it,” said Geno Auriemma, USA and University of Connecticut head coach. “France was probably playing as well as anytime I’ve ever seen them, since I’ve been the coach.”

“I think that this is just so sweet to get the second one,” said Candace Parker. “You can stumble on a championship once, but it’s really hard to do it twice. And for USA Basketball to do it five times in a row, that’s truly special.”

The gold medal is a third for Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Catchings. While Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Swin Cash, and Parker also earned their second gold. Tina Charles, Asjha Jones, Angel McCoughtry, Maya Mooremand Lindsay Whalen all got their first gold.

By Leland Stein III

LONDON – MAKING HISTORY: Kim Rhode won the Olympic gold medal in women's skeet shooting becoming the first woman to win three gold medals in Olympic shooting. Rhode now joins basketball player Teresa Edwards, who is serving as Chef de Mission for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Delegation, as the only U.S. female athletes to win medals in five different Olympic Games, regardless of sport.

There were standout performances right across the program - from Felix Sanchez's golden night in the 400m Hurdles to Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich stunning the Kenyan challenge to clinch Olympic Games gold in the men's Marathon on The Mall.

In total, four world records were broken in London 2012 Athletics. Russia's Elena Lashmanova set one in the women's 20km Race Walk and the USA 4x100m Relay quartet of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter blazed round the track in 40.82, beating East Germany's record of 41.37, which had stood since 1985.

TOO SMALL? The London 2012 Olympic Village located on the Olympic Park, had residential apartments for around 17,000 athletes and officials during the Games, along with shops, restaurants, medical, media and leisure facilities, and large areas of park and open space. However, if you were 6-foot-5 Usain Bolt or 6-foot-4 Michael Phelps if they decided to stay in the village, forgive them if they felt a little cramped. Each sparsely decorated room has two single beds next to bedside tables and small lamps. But the beds are only 5, feet, 8 inches long, meaning many athletes might need extensions to get a good night's sleep.

After the Olympics, the apartments will be transformed into 2,818 new homes. SHOUT OUT TO: Wrestler Jordan Burroughs out of the University of Nebraska. He came into the Games as the world champion in freestyle wrestling, having won gold at the 2011 World Championships in Istanbul. He fought through a tough draw and won the Gold medal in London.

Ashton Eaton is officially crowned the new "world's greatest athlete." Although, in case you're not up on your Latin, "decathlon" means 10 events. Eaton shattered the decathlon record scoring 9,039 points at the US Olympic qualifiers event. He held on and won gold in his specialty. Have to give it up for hurdler Lolo Jones was favored to win gold in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, until a stumble on the final hurdle cost her a trip to the podium. She missed her window, but fought through the hurt and made the 2012 team. She finished fourth, but did run a season’s best time.

THE HURT: USA's John Orozco came into the games as a favorite to win at least one medal in gymnastics. Instead, his USA Men’s team did not medal nor did he make the all-around of individual medal events.