Solid Gold

Living life like its golden

The Dynamic Duo

"While y'all was in limbo, I raised the bar up...I touched on everything...married to the game...rock a chain instead of wedding ring..."

Kayne West - The Glory

I named this story after a show that I used to watch in my youth...Solid Gold. It seemed appropriate as I wanted to give the US women's soccer and US women's beach volleyball teams their proper respect on GAME TIME. Before I get into the particulars, I'd like to give Marilyn McCoo a mention, while we were on the topic of the wildly popular TV series...because she is a champion in her own right.

I absolutely LOVE the Olympics and outside of men's and women's basketball, I enjoy softball, baseball, track and field, diving, swimming, archery, beach volleyball and no doubt women's soccer. 

Nike ran an ad campaign during the 2007 Women's World Cup for the US women's soccer team, as they were called the "Greatest Team You've Never Heard Of". It was a reverse psychology initiative as USA was the favorite, nevertheless, Brazil never got the memo as they shut out the USA 4-0 in the semi-final round. In Team USA's defense they played that match without the services of their ace goal keeper Hope Solo, however that is another story. 

To say that Brazil is the modern day rival is an understatement, move over Norway, there is another nemesis. The Brazilian women's team like their male counterpart, have superstars in Marta, and Cristiane. However Team USA playing without their superstar Abby Wambach 

did exceptionally well after their opening 0-2 loss to Norway, behind the play of Angela Hucles, Natasha Kai, Kate Markgraf, Christie Rampone, and Hope Solo. 

In the gold medal final it was a total team effort, as Solo shut out Brazil, and in extra-time at the 96th minute Carli Lloyd scored what would become the game winner, as USA outlasted the opposition 1-0. 

In women's beach volleyball, Misty May and Kerri Walsh continued their dominance over the world's best winning gold with style and teamwork. I first noticed this tandem during the 2004 Games in Athens, and while I've always been a fan of volleyball. Beach volleyball was new to me. May and Walsh are now as common and peanut butter and jelly. They are the best of the best.

They earned gold (without losing a single game throughout the Olympics) against host nation China, amidst rainy conditions which made for a tricky playing surface, by defeating Wang Jie and Tian Jia, in straight sets 21-18, and 21-18. Misty May and Kerri Walsh have now won 108 straight matches en route to back-to-back gold medals. 

Together they have made history as the best beach volleyball team to ever grace the sand. 

Stars and Stripes forever!

Crazy 8's

Florence Griffith-Joyner - Seoul Gold

Sir Charles - precision and power

Redeem Team

West Philadelphia versus the world

Allyson Felix - God's gift

"You go ooh and ahh when I jump in my car...people treat me like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar...no matter who you are, when I'm up to par..."

Chuck D - Yo! Bumrush The Show

08.08.08 is upon us and in the tradition of the Olympics...let the games begin. I couldn’t resist naming this crazy 8’s, not as a reference to the 1993 Philadelphia Flyers line of Eric Lindros, Mark Recchi, Brent Fedyk and their jersey numbers (88, 8, and 18), but because this date is a historic, once in a lifetime occurrence...unless of course you feel like Teena Marie and have been here before?

The Games of the XXIX Olympiad hold the dreams, fears, ups, and downs of athletes and countries from all walks of life. When I think about the games, my first memory comes from a sweat shirt that my father used to wear when I was a child. It was a navy-blue hoodie that said USA ’84 across the front. I didn’t realize what that meant, but I do remember it well. It’s interesting what we recall from childhood, nevertheless my recollection of this world event begins with Florence Griffith-Joyner in Seoul, Korea during the '88 games. She was as talented and graceful as she was beautiful. She provided black children across the globe with hope, as I too was inspired and captivated by her medals (3 gold, 1 silver) that year.

Four years later Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and the Dream Team would take Barcelona by storm, thus changing me and the global aspect of basketball forever.

In 1996, it was Barkley and my favorite sharp-shooter Reggie Miller that led the charge in Atlanta for the gold, as Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly and company ushered in gold for a new era in women’s soccer.

There are two things from 2000 in Sydney that I enjoyed...the first was the fact that Allan Houston of the New York Knicks (I was working as an intern for the Knickerbockers) was on that gold medal team, and last but not least, it was Vince Carter who jumped and dunked over the 7-foot Frederick Weiss, which has to be one of the best moves in basketball I have ever seen.

2004 in Athens was bittersweet. Dawn Staley of North Philadelphia (Ramon Rozen Housing Projects) carried the flag for the USA during the opening ceremonies which was AMAZING, and the Men’s basketball team didn’t playing too well, as they earned the bronze medal. I did however enjoy watching women’s beach volleyball...with Kerri Walsh and Misty May, as well as the Brazilian team, but that is another story.

What I anticipate this year is the opportunity for Kobe Bryant* and the United States to redeem*

USA basketball*, Allyson Felix and Lopez Lomong in track, Jessica Mendoza and Cat Osterman in softball, and Michael Phelps as he tries to swim into history. I love playing and watching sports, so I always look forward to Games.

Stars and Stripes forever!

* - Click on Kobe Bryant or USA basketball for a Nike video...and click the word redeem above, and if you watch the video until the end...you will see a moment with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and I.