Usain Bolt beat Asafa Powell and everyone else in Rome today, running the 100 meters in 9.91 seconds, and solidifying his title as the world’s fastest man one more time. And even when the races are close, he makes it all look so easy. That’s part of the legend, of course. But it’s also part of the problem.
Usain Bolt Beats Asafa Powell In Rome, Now It’s Time For A Challenge
Usain Bolt survived the competition in Rome on Thursday with 9.91 finish in the hundred meters, and after another win, maybe it’s time we start thinking outside the box with Bolt. Plus: The art of the crossover, Jason Kidd rapping, and the best magazine ever. Talking Points is a daily series that highlights some of the best stories in sports (and elsewhere). Read the archives here.
Because when you really think about Usain Bolt’s legacy, what’s he leaving behind? He’s the greatest sprinter of his generation, but it seems like he’s more than that. There’s a pretty good chance that’s he one of the three or four most impressive athletes on the planet right now. It’s not to say there’s no glory in sprinting, but right now, Bolt’s like dominant heavyweight without a challenger.
How many times can one man beat Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell before it gets old? You can watch his race over here, and it’s impressive, but it still seems like we could have a cooler story here.
Plenty of people have talked about him jumping to the NFL, but that’d be insane. We want more Usain Bolt, we don’t want dead Usain Bolt. Soccer, though? Bolt says he’s interested. Just this week, he told reporters “I am a football fan for a lot of years now so for me I watch these guys playing, I think I can do a pretty good job. I think I could step up to the Rooneys, I think I could do well.”
So maybe that’s the answer. Even if he’d be awful, it’d be pretty amazing to watch him play soccer for a year. Just look at how dominant Thierry Henry’s speed made him during his prime.
Or maybe he can just go all-out race the cheetah he’s holding in this photo. (This seems like something a bored billionaire like Mikhail Prokhorov could organize in a year). It’s gimmick-y and ridiculous, but who sees the photo of Bolt holding the cheetah up there and doesn’t think, “What if...?”
You can’t say you wouldn’t watch. And how many Usain Bolt races have you watched otherwise? Two? Three? He’s one of the greatest athletes ever, but for now, this is getting a little repetitive:
With that, let’s get into Talking Points... Since the NBA Playoffs have melted my brain the past few days, today we’re going to switch it up a little bit. Maybe you noticed that the entire premise of my Bolt idea centered on the photo of him and that cheetah. Never underestimate the power of photos and/or ADD. Along those lines, everything that follows is either pictures or video, or a strange amalgam of both (wooooo .GIFs). Prepare for mindless stimulation!
You Know What The Opposite Of Usain Bolt Is? This GIF.
The Genius Of The Crossover. This video surfaced late Wednesday afternoon, and it’s pretty much the coolest thing ever. The New York Times takes a look at the genesis of the modern-day crossover, featuring cameos from Allen Iverson, Tim Hardaway, and more:
All of it’s great, but it’s the Iverson segments that take this to the next level, and if nothing else, it’s a good reminder that the world needs an Allen Iverson documentary as soon as possible. Think about it. He’s got one of the coolest stories in sports, Allen needs the money, there’d be at least ten different anecdotes that’d make David Stern go apoplectic, and there have to be countless disgruntled, past-members of AI’s entourage that’d be willing to collaborate. And again, Allen needs the money. Instead of that ESPN book, can we please get Allen Iverson: The Movie?
Rare, Unseen Photos Of Willie Mays. Very cool.
Rare, Unseen .GIF Of Magic Johnson. A little sad, actually. [via]
South Park Finally Takes On The NCAA. And it’s every bit as good as you’d expect.
If Dallas Wins The NBA Title, Jason Kidd Still Did This In 1994. “J-Kidd from the town, O-A-K, peep game from a newcomer so they say, I’m the new Kidd on the block, but they jock stilllll, I got skills with the rock.” Via Hot Clicks:
Even Carlos Boozer is like, “Dog, how can you live yourself?”
No Basketball On Friday Night, So We Should All Watch Hockey. Seriously.
Maverick Carter Re-tweeting Jason Whitlock Is Just Too Much For Me To Handle.
Rest In Peace, Buster Posey. You Will Be Missed. The only baseball game I’ve really paid attention to (including games I’ve attended) came during this past year’s NCLS, when Buster Posey almost single-handedly took down the Phillies. That prompted the only baseball article I’ve ever written, and it really boiled down to this sentence: “OHMYGOD HE’S BASEBALL JESUS.“
Wednesday night, it sounds like his entire leg exploded, and Giants fans are inconsolable. Injuries just suck sometimes. And since he's young and insanely talented, and the only baseball player I've really noticed since 2007, here's to hoping he gets better soon.
Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifiankis. Will Ferrell’s sitdown with Zach Galifianakis wasn’t quite as good as I hoped, it definitely still delivers. GET THE FAT OUT OF YOUR EARS.
Also, it’s too NSFW to feature here, but these Bridesmaids outtakes are outstanding.
“Jack in the Box... Jack in the Box... What?”
Finally, Can We Please Revive This Magazine? Just sayin... (via)
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