Carl Lewis Has Things To Say

I know everyone was waiting with baited breath about what former world champion sprinter Carl Lewis had to say about the man/woman runner Caster Semenya, well wait no futher. Carl weighs in on the issue and lays all blame at the South African Federation for allowing her to run in the first place.

Yeeeeaaaah…personally, I like it better when Carl isnt talking and is singing. Who doesn’t remember this classic?

Or this gem?

Or when he attempted the national anthem?

Ahh, great moments in Carl Lewis singing history. Wait, Mustafa wont let me rest unless I link this great moment in Carl Lewis acting history, NSFW language there. Can your Thursday get any better?

Carl Lewis Hate Usain Bolt’s Game

Don’t front like the thought hasn’t crossed your mind. Would you really be surprised if it turned out Usain Bolt was on the juice? I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. I’m not saying he’s juiced but Carl Lewis is.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Lewis said,

“When people ask me about Bolt I say he could be the greatest athlete of all time. But for someone to run 10.03 one year and 9.69 the next, if you don’t question that in a sport that has the reputation it has right now, you’re a fool. Period.”

The Times of London calls Lewis’ comments incendiary but he does have a point. Granted Bolt hasn’t tested positive for anything yet but that is a huge time reduction.

Lewis also calls out Jamaica’s drug testing setup.

“I’m proud of America right now because we have the best random and most comprehensive drug-testing programme. Countries like Jamaica do not have a random programme, so they can go months without being tested. No one is accusing Bolt, but don’t live by a different rule and expect the same kind of respect. How dare anybody feel that there shouldn’t be scrutiny, especially in our sport?”

There it is. Usain Bolt has been called out. Will anything come of this? Unlikely. Will it result in increased scrutiny? Who knows. Track and field is lucrative but it could also use a big name star personality like Usain Bolt. The danger is that increased positive drug tests especially from stars could end up tainting the sport. All one needs to do is take a look at the public image of cycling.

Lewis better watch out. The Jamaicans might send Screwface after him. “Him dead and him don’t even know it!” One could also say it takes a fool to know a fool. His acting and singing make him a prime candidate for an electrified fooling machine.

Nuts And Gum: Together At Last

There are certain things that should never go together like Vito Fossella and drunk driving or Ted Kennedy and channels. Who knew drunk driving makes love children?

Another deadly combination is athletes and music. There are always exceptions like Wayman Tisdale but the usual result is Carl Lewis or Deion Sanders. Could Jon Mikel Obi and Didier Drogba do better? Unlikely but they’re going to try anyway. The Chelsea players are collaborating on some hip-hop tracks. If there’s one thing footballers can’t do, it’s make music. If you doubt me, try this, this or this. I’ll never look at John Barnes the same way again.

The IOC Does Not Feel Your Pain

If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Words to live by if you’re International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge.

Athletes can be expelled from the Beijing Games if they display Tibetan flags at Olympic venues including their rooms. Rogge said that participants are free to express their political views but would face “sanctions” if they engage in propaganda. Whatever, dude.

The IOC can’t define propaganda for the competitors so they won’t have any idea if they are engaging in propaganda. The Chinese would consider almost any political view not in line with theirs propaganda. Consider their response to Rogge’s request that they respect human rights.

Mr Rogge’s call for Beijing to abide by its promise to address human rights was given short shrift by Beijing, which bluntly told him to keep politics out of the Games.

How did we become China’s bitches? Of course they already have America’s monetary balls in a vice grip but it’s like the rest of the world has lost its sack. Somehow the Chinese have got other countries including the US thwarting protesters and doing their dirty work. Are the Olympics so important that countries who claim to stand for human rights, sponsors and athletes are willing to stand by and act as though nothing is going on when people are being repressed? Of course, the answer is yes.

Be honest with yourself. If you’re not participating in the Olympics or related to someone who is competing, the Games aren’t that important. Maybe they are if you’re from somewhere like the Central African Republic, Bangladesh or Zamunda. NBC and corporate sponsors may shove them down our throats and we may take it like champs but would you really miss them if they weren’t around? Besides a few great moments, do you remember anything about past games? Do you reminisce and talk about how you can’t wait until the next Winter or Summer Olympics? If you said yes, you’re lying. The only time Carl Lewis comes up these days is when you’re talking about this hotness or his acting chops (Foul language warning).

The Olympics do have some redeeming value but they don’t rise above all other considerations. It may have seemed like a wise political move but the idea that giving in to the Chinese government would make them respect human rights was and is absurd. They don’t roll like that.

Things will get worse (more annoying at the least) as we get closer to the opening ceremonies. The IOC and participating countries shouldn’t feign shock and surprise when things blow up in their faces. This crisis was foreseeable. Maybe we can burn some more doves (start at 4:50) during the opening ceremonies. It’ll be applicable this time.