The 5 Most Important American Summer Olympic Heros.....

I really enjoy watching the Olympics on tv. It's such an amazing spectacle. Everything from the opening ceremony to all the competitions seem just fascinating. These are mostly sports that I don't have much knowledge of, but I can appreciate the training and athleticism that is required.

The stories of the athletes are fascinating as well. They are all very young. Many are from underprivileged backgrounds and have overcome obstacles. But sometimes they can succeed. They can have one shining moment when their nation and the world acknowledges their achievement.

A very rare group can achieve something that is beyond the competition. They can have an effect on the sport overall, be an inspiration to others, and even effect society. I decided to try to make a list of the most important American summer Olympians. People that I think did something extraordinary that changed things. The Winter Olympics? Well, we stink at most of them. You have the figure skating princesses that come and go. The only memorable American winter Olympic feat to me was The Miracle on Ice in 1980. But we're watching the summer Olympics now. So I'll give it a shot.

6.. Al Oerter - Discus: (I know I said 5 Olympians, but in doing research it was tough to leave this guy out. so here's a bonus. No extra charge.)  His first Olympics were in 1956 when he was 19 years old. He was not the favorite,  but won the gold. Oerter overcame car accidents and injuries to win gold in the discus in the next 3 Olympics, becoming the first person to win an event in four straight Olympiads. He set world records along the way. Attempting a comeback in 1976, Oerter became involved with steroids, but he later spoke out against them and advised athletes on improving their technique to improve performance. Nevertheless, at age 43, Oerter made his personal best throw of 227.9 feet.

Bob Beamon flying in Mexico City.

5. Bob Beamon - Long Jump: In the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Beamon won the gold medal in the long jump on his first attempt with a jump of 29 feet 2 1/2 inches. In a sport where world records are measured in fractions of inches, Beamon had set a new world record by almost 2 feet. He almost out jumped the sandpit landing area. He never jumped close to that mark again. It stayed the world record for almost 23 years, and has only been surpassed once. It has been named as one of the 5 greatest sports moments of the 20th century.

4. Mary Lou Retton - Gymnastics: In 1984 Retton became the first American to win the all-around gold medal for gymnastics in the Olympics. She won one gold and two silver medals, but her impact went far beyond than the medal count. She seemed to inspire a generation of female gymnasts, and even the country as a whole to some extent. She had a knee operation only 5 weeks prior to the Olympics and competed in pain. She scored perfect 10's in floor exercise and vault. The vault was very dramatic as she fought pack pain and tears to win. Mary Lou Retton is a tiny girl/woman, but she has a beautiful smile and the heart of a lion.

Jackie Joyner Kersee: best ever in heptathlon.  

3. Jackie Joyner Kersee - Tack& Field: From the games in 1984 in Los Angeles to 1996 in Atlanta, she won 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals. She is considered the all time greatest in womens heptathlon. This covers 7 events that measure overall athleticism. She still holds the world record for points in that event. She is also considered one of the greatest in women's long jump. She has been named by Sports Illustrated as the Greatest Female Athlete of all time. She did all this while overcoming severe asthma.

2. Michael Phelps - Swimming: I don't know what to say about this guy. As you know, he's been in the news. He's competed in every Olympics since 2004. As of this writing he has 28 Olympic medals. He has a record setting 23 gold medals. I'm not going to list any more

Phelps: GOAT, with the eye of the tiger.

achievements, but I do want to mention a possible reason for his success. He's a killer. You can see it in his eyes. He never backs away from a challenge. He thrives on it. I'm more familiar with that look in basketball with players like Michael Jordan and Lebron James. In the pool, you can tell something special drives him to train and compete on a rare level.

1. Jesse Owens. - Track & Field: In the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Owens won 4 gold medals. That's it. He set no Olympic records. But his performance made a statement that may have changed things. The 1936 Olympics were run by the Nazi's. They were all about the superiority of the

Jessie Owens on the podium with a Nazi.

aryan race, and the inferiority of anything else. That was their propaganda. Owens was abused by fans upon his arrival in Berlin. He stayed in a segregated hotel. By winning 4 golds, and defeating Germans, Owens put a crimp in the German propaganda and embarrassed Hitler. His achievement transcended sports. It became important to the world. It still is.

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to stand on the Olympic platform and have the Star Spangled Banner played in your honor. What a feeling that must be! I can get emotional just watching it on tv. If I could whisper in their ear I would tell them congratulations. But remember you're just a kid. There is so much more to do in life. But you will now have a stage to do something with the rest of your life. I hope you do something good with it.