Arvydas Sabonis: Hall Of Famer, Big Mystery, Great Arm Wrestler

The entire Jonathan Abrams feature on former Portland Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis is worth your time, but here’s my favorite part:

↵↵The legend of Sabonis grew after the game. The United States would play Croatia in the gold-medal game eight hours later, allowing for a time gap between the bronze game and the award ceremony. Sabonis and his teammates ventured back to the Olympic dormitory, where Sabonis challenged fellow Olympians in arm wrestling for shots. One by one, wrestlers and shot putters among them, Sabonis beat them. By the time of the award ceremony, three Lithuanians did not make it to the podium. Sabonis was one of them. “I knew how they used to roll,” said Chris Mullin, part of the United States’ Dream Team. “I think they came out with their tie-dye on. They did what the Deadheads do. They got loosened up. Made use of their free time.”

↵↵The lesson: Sabonis was pretty much the best at everything. Even arm wrestling and pounding shots.