A lot of people are disappointed in our athletes’ performances in Beijing.  And they should be.  Tyson Gay didn’t make the 100M final, the men and womens 4×100 teams dropped the batons, Lolo Jones, a favorite for the gold, barely finished the 100M hurdles race…The performances were bad.  But there were also some great performances.  The men swept both the 400M dash and 400M hurdles, Walter Dix got the bronze in both the 100M and the 200M, Bryan Clay, a former competitor of mine, got the gold in the decathlon.  So as with every meet, there were highs and lows.  And despite the lows, they have all achieved something remarkable by simply being there. It takes a ton of courage and dedication to make it to the world’s largest athletic stage, so I salute them for that.

I can tolerate bad performances. In all forms of competition, including business, people choke. But what I can’t tolerate is the terrible sportsmanship displayed during some of their interviews.  It was embarrassing!  It was as if the athletes were too regal to look the reporters in the eyes.  They’d stare off into space, rudely walk away before the interview was over, and look at the reporter as if he was idiot.  They acted like a bunch of clowns.  Someone needs to remind them that they’re track athletes and their next shot for an audience that cares will be another four years from now…

Tyson Gay, on the other hand, was perfect.  Despite his terrible Olympic experience, he was gracious.  He could have blamed his injuries on his poor 100M race and he could have blamed his teammate for the bad baton exchange, but he took all responsibility.  He showed a reverence for the Games and was a great example for kids.

When we have our super bad days, it’s important to keep a level head, focus on the solution, and refrain from spitting into the wind.

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