LITTLE ROCK — As the Olympics came to a close it was not with a whisper, but an almost surreal closing ceremony.
Yet, it was the body of work that left some great memories.
There was the “Fierce Five,” that group of teenaged Americans who did an outstanding job in women’s gymnastics. As a team they were phenomenal.
Mike Phelps is so golden now the bong is barely a memory.
The U.S. women’s beach volleyball teams winning gold and silver was thrilling.
When Missy Franklin, the 17-tear-old, won the gold in the 200-meter backstroke, yours truly was chanting, “USA, USA.”
In track, the women’s 400-meter relay team ran a breathtaking 40.82 seconds and shaved more than a half second off the world record.
The men’s basketball team won the gold, albeit in closer than-expected fashion, beating Spain 107-100. Still, there was a certain amount of comfort in knowing that even though the game was close in the fourth quarter, that is when NBA players are at their very best.
Jamaica won only four gold medals, with Usain Bolt winning three - the 100 and200 meters and anchoring the 400-meter world-record relay team.
If that wasn’t enough, Yohan Blake won silver in the 100 and 200 and ran the third leg of the relay team, around the curve, the most difficult part of the race.
Bolt at 6-5, 190 pounds, is a freak of nature, truly the fastest person in the world. If he didn’t have a $10-million deal with Puma, Bolt might make a great wide receiver for some NFL team.
There were too many highlights to mention them all, such as South American runner Oscar Pistorius, who became the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics, running on carbon fiber blades. But there was plenty of disappointment too.
Such as when American1,500-meter hopeful Morgan Uceny was tripped and fell. Instead of getting up and finishing like she did last year in the World Championships, she threw a temper fit on the track and left refusing to talk with the media.
She had a chance to have a great Olympic moment but let her frustration get the best of her.
If you think London had a festive atmosphere, which it did, wait until the Games are in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
One final Olympic note: Jermain Taylor, who won a bronze medal in boxing at the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics, celebrated his 34th birthday Saturday.
Taylor became the world’s undisputed middleweight champion and is currently on a comeback trail.
Including Taylor, USA has won only four medals in men’s boxing since 2000.
London was the first time women’s boxing was allowed, and Claressa Shields brought the gold home to the USA.
There were a lot of positives in the interview Bobby Petrino did with Joe Schad on ESPN last week.
The remorse was obvious in his voice, which cracked at least once, as the toughest coach in America proved to be human.
When asked what the toughest part of the ordeal was, he admitted having to look his wife Becky, the mother of their four children, in the eye and tell her he had been unfaithful.
One other thing seemed clear in the interview. The rumors can be put to rest he will return to the Arkansas Razorbacks as the head coach.
If that was the plan, and there is no doubt that Petrino has a plan to show he’s a changed man, he would have done the interview with the local media.
Petrino is cleaning his name nationwide.
Petrino also mentioned his faith for the first time since coming to Arkansas. The bottom line, he said, was if the Lord, Becky and the children forgive him, that’s really all that matters.
Sports, Pages 15 on 08/14/2012