The Olympics are over today, and I can’t remember a more entertaining Olympics than in Beijing 2008. Maybe it’s the media aspect of it, where we can see more footage online, or the TV schedule being more pro-American, but it just seemed more visible than in Athens in 2004 or Sydney in 2000. Here are my top moments:

1)    Michael Phelps getting 8 golds. It was amazing that he had 2 very close races, very near misses, which show that luck was on his side. The 4x100 relay race was one of the greatest American Olympic moments of all time. It was so great that the French were talking smack about “smashing the Americans.” The result? Well, we know now, don’t we? Also, the 100m butterfly final was amazing. He just barely won that one, what a race! I guess all those fried egg sammies and energy drinks and pounds of pasta really help. 

2)    The Redeem Team finally winning a gold in international competition. The Wade to Kobe tandem was incredible, and it seemed like everyone was truly focused on winning that gold. It is curious to me, however, that the defensive beasts from the NBA champion Boston Celtics were nowhere to be found. Were Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett not invited? What happened there? Just strange that Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant were there representing their country while the Celtics sat at home.

3)    Usain Bolt winning 3 golds, and breaking 3 world records in the process. Just phenomenal. He’s a beast, and only 22. We’ll see more of him hopefully down the road, I love how cocky he is. Just seems so cool and confident. I’d love to see him in the NFL, hopefully wearing the ol’ maroon and black!

4)    That taekwondo guy from Cuba who kicked a ref in the face. Man, who among us hasn’t wanted to kick a ref in the face? Way to go, Matos, you got banned for life from your sport just so we can scream during a football game, “Hey, did you see that call? Man, I’d love to Matos that ref right in the face!” I’m kidding, of course. No one will remember the name Matos week from now.

5)    Beach volleyball. Wow, a very watchable sport. I love how they hug and pat each other after every point. Maybe in 2012 they can have Jell-O Volleyball or maybe Chocolate Pudding Volleyball?

6)    That commercial where the sumo wrestlers turn into a plane. Not much funnier than sumo guys pretending to fly. This also would’ve been acceptable with midgets. Hey, why isn’t sumo wrestling an Olympic sport?

7)    The trampoline. Not since watching Big have I wanted to jump on a tramp really high. 

        Now that the Olympics are over, we can finally breathe easy, now that that Beijing smog has been cleared out. It was a good time, can't wait until London 2012, when Drunken Rugby makes its debut as an Olympic sport.