Slammin' Samy: The Olympics that America Forgot About

For a brief two weeks every four years, the eyes of the world turn to the Summer Olympic Games and watch in awe as the best athletes in the world compete against one another.

Yet a peculiar thing happened these last two weeks. America lost the enthusiasm and frenzy it displayed just four years earlier during the 1996 Games in Atlanta. NBC's ratings for these Games were among the worst ever, partly because of the time difference and partly because the games were held in the middle of American autumn.

Despite this, thee Sydney games were among the most competitive ever.

Below is my own list of the top ten moments that characterized the 2000 Sydney Games, both good and bad.

10. US women's soccer team loses gold medal match to Norway while the women's softball and basketball teams defend their gold medals from 1996.

The women's soccer team, which had won the Olympics in 1996 against the same China squad that it beat for the 1999 World Cup at the Rose Bowl, loses a thrilling 2-1 overtime match to its rivals from Norway, the last team to beat the USA in major international competition. Women's softball rebounds from losing three straight matches, after winning 112 consecutive games prior to the slump, and avenges each of the three losses en route to the gold medal. Women's basketball withstands a hostile home crowd and dominates Australia in the gold medal match to repeat as Olympic champs.

9. Drug scandal hits track and field as well as the Romanian women's all-around gymnastic champion.

In a story that leads some to call these Olympics the "Dope Games," several track and field athletes are revealed as having tested positive for banned substances. Andreea Raducan, the Romanian gymnast who had won the coveted women's all-around event, is stripped of her gold medal for using another banned substance, found in cold medicine she took during the games.

8. Individual swimmers dominate the pool.

Aussie Ian Thorpe, a.k.a. the Thorpedo, Holland's dynamic duo of Inge de Bruijn and Pieter van den Hoogenband, and Americans Jenny Thompson, Gary Hall Jr., and Lenny Krayzelburg highlight the first week. More than 15 swimming world records fall.

7. Dream Team almost loses to Lithuania, twice!

There was once a time when the U.S. men's basketball team was so dominant that no one thought the squad would ever lose as long as NBA talent was allowed to participate. It's true no more. America manages to beat Lithuania by nine points in the preliminary round, but has to hold off for a two-point victory in the semifinals in a rematch.

6. US smashes the Aussies "like guitars" in the pool

The Americans and Australians came into these Olympics vying for the title of swimming supremacy. American Gary Hall Jr. predicted they would smash the Australian swimmers like guitars, and when all was said and done, they did, winning 29 medals to the Australians' 14.

5. Maurice Green renews USA's sprinting dominance.

After winning the 100 meter final with one of the fastest times ever recorded and anchoring the gold-medal winning 4x100m men's relay, the world's fastest man and world record holder in the 100m reclaims sprinting supremacy for the U.S.

4. Farm boy from Wyoming defeats the Siberian Bear for title of world's toughest man

American Rulon Gardener, who had never won an NCAA championship, does the unthinkable and defeats Russian Alexander Karelin, a.k.a. the Siberian Bear, for the gold medal in the heaviest weight-class in Greco-Roman wrestling. Karelin was looking for his fourth gold medal and had never lost an international competition before the match.

3. Michael Johnson completes his Olympic career with 2 gold medals.

The "man" of the 1996 Olympics takes a backseat this time around, but still wins the 400 meter gold medal and the 4x400m relay. He completes his career with 9 world championship medals and 5 Olympic medals, all gold. Seems fitting for the man with the golden shoes.

2. US Baseball pulls the "Miracle on the Diamond" and defeats Cuba for the gold medal.

With Tommy Lasorda at the helm, a ragtag group of minor leaguers and washed up major leaguers defeat the professionals from Cuba and win a shocker that some compare to the "Miracle on Ice" from 1980.

1. Marion Jones shines brightest among all Olympic athletes.

No one ever called her modest, but it is clear from the last two weeks that Marion Jones is one of the most dominant and charming female athletes ever. Not only does she win the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints by a margin larger than any other female in nearly 40 years, she also wins the gold in the 4x400m relay. She wins bronze in the long jump and 4x100m relay and would have had a fourth gold if two of her relay teammates had not been injured. In a word: dominant.