Speaking to a tennis-mad relative this week we were discussing last weekend’s inductions at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI, and how fans were staying away because the players on show weren’t considered ‘A-list’ as they were doubles specialists.

This got me thinking a lot this week as to the difference between those perceived as singles and doubles specialists and what they could be had they been able to conquer both fields.

Looking at those inducted last week, we had the Australian ‘Woodies’ Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge. Together they held aloft a record 61 ATP doubles titles, a record only just equalled by the Bryan brothers of America, including 11 majors.

They are the only team in the Open Era to win one of the four Slams for six consecutive years and sit second in the all time Grand Slam doubles winners list to the twelve hoisted by John Newcombe and Tony Roche.

Gigi Fernandez and Natasha Zvereva won more women’s doubles titles and Grand Slams together than any other partnership since Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver. They won six consecutive Slams from the 1992 French Open to the 1993 Wimbledon title and are largely considered one of the sport’s best partnerships.

These sound pretty ‘A-List’ to me. So why are doubles players not remembered as fondly as some of their singles specialist counterparts?

For years Anna Kournikova was chastised as being more eye candy than tennis quality. Yet she won two Grand Slam doubles titles with Martina Hingis and was ranked as the No. 1 doubles player in the world. She was also named (w. Hingis) as the No. 1 WTA doubles partnership of 1999.

How big could the worldwide names of Leander Paes or Liezel Huber have been had they single-handedly conquered the tennis courts? And why does this happen?

The Williams sisters have pretty much dominated the women’s game over the past few years by sweeping aside nearly everything before them in both singles and doubles play. Serena has her clothing labels, they have both ventured in to writing, while top magazine covers have also borne their images. They both appeared in cult American TV hit ‘The Simpsons’ alongside Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, widely seen as one of the greatest monikers of success in some fields.

Going back to the record-equalling Bryan bros. it begs the question of how large an empire they could muster had they also been top singles players too. Men’s tennis is generally the larger of the two, and players like Roger Federer and Agassi before him became worldwide figures with both tennis fans and non-sports fanatics by facing advertising campaigns for some of the world’s largest international corporations.

I have no doubt that they would garner the same attention. And with their band, and the various spin offs other top spars enjoy they could quite easily amass a financial empire to match some of the world’s top stars.

Not that they will be unhappy with what they have achieved of course. Let me say that this post is not meant to demeanour the doubles game in any way as the top players in this field are often equally as athletic as their singles counterparts but this facet of the game always plays second-fiddle to its glamorous brother and looks set to always do so.

Woodforde said at the ITHF induction ceremony that they never intended their careers to turn out this way and that they just turned out to be better doubles players. Congratulations to them all. But what could have become of them had the ball bounced the other way?

Don Paige (Athletics) Philadelphia, Pa. / Bahama, N.C.; Glenn Mills (Swimming) Ridgeville, Ohio / Chester, Md. ; Gwen Gardner (Athletics) Los Angeles, Calif.; Gene Mills (Wrestling) Pompton Lakes, N.J. / Liverpool, N.Y. ; Craig Beardsley (Swimming) New York, N.Y. / Chatham, N.J. ; Sue Walsh (Swimming) Hamburg, N.Y. / Durham, N.C.; Bill Hanzlik (Basketball) Beloit, Wisc., / Denver, Colo.; Amy Koopman (Gymnastics) Arlington Heights, Ill.; Isiah Thomas (Basketball) Chicago, Ill. / New York, N.Y.; Carol Blazejowski (Basketball) Fairview, N.J.; Luci Collins (Gymnastics) Inglewood, Calif.; David Kimes (Shooting) Monterey Park, Calif. /  La Palma, Calif.; Brian Gust (Wrestling) Lakeville, Minn.; Lisa Buese (Swimming) Louisville, Ky. / Palo Alto, Calif.; Linda Cornelius Waltman (Athletics) Ft. Worth, Texas / Boerne, Texas; Thomas Schuler (Cycling) Birmingham, Mich. / Wauwatosa, Wisc.; Ron Galimore (Gymnastics) Ames, Iowa / Indianapolis, Ind.; Debbie Landreth (Volleyball) El Segundo, Calif. / Granger, Ind.
 
Vice President Walter F. Mondale, who spoke on behalf of the boycott prior to the USOC’s April 12, 1980 vote to officially boycott the Games, wrote the Foreword for the book. Mondale apologizes to all the athletes who were denied the opportunity to compete calling them, “warriors in our country’s defense of freedom.”
 
The U.S. Olympic team roster from 1980 was as follows;
 
Archery
Judi C. Adams Also member of 1996 U.S. Olympic Team, Lynette Rae Johnson, Scott Michael Kertson, Darrell Owen Pace Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Coach: Dwight Nyquist Manager: Harold Kremer.
 
Athletics
Colin Anderson Discus Throw, Jodi Anderson Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Heptathlon; Lynne Anderson, Duncan Fuller Atwood, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Javelin Throw; Augustus Banks, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Triple Jump; Roberta J. Belle, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 4×400 Relay, Andy Francis Bessette, Hammer Throw, Jeanette Bolden, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 100-Meter Individual, 4×100 Relay; Alice Brown, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 100-Meter Individual, 4×100 Relay, Douglas Brown, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Steeplechase, Julie Anne Brown, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Marathon, Richard Thomas Buerkle Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 5000-Meter Individual; James Butler, 200-Meter Individual, Gregory Caldwell, Triple Jump, Anthony Campbell, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 110 Hurdles, Robin Campbell, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 800-Meter Individual, Matthew Centrowitz, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 1500-Meter Individual; Chandra Cheeseborough, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Relays team Robert Coffman, Decathlon, Dedy Cooper, 110-Meter Hurdles, Sharon Ann Dabney, Relays team, Mary Decker Slaney, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1996, U.S. Olympic team; 1500-, 3000-, 5000-Meter Individual, Fred Dixon, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Decathlon, Boris Djerassi, Hammer Throw, Benji Ray Durden, Marathon, Michael Kevin Durkin, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic, team; 1500-Meter Individual, Marco Ray Evoniuk, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992, U.S. Olympic team; 50-Kilometer, 20-Kilometer Walk, Rod Ewaliko, Javelin Throw, Allan Dean Feuerbach, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Shot Put, Benjamin Fields, High Jump, Benita Fitzgerald, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic, team; 100-Meter Hurdles, Stanley Floyd, 100-Meter Individual, Herman Frazier, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 400-Meter Individual, 4×400 Relay, Gregory Fredericks, 5000-Meter Individual, Gwen Gardner, 400-Meter Individual, Willie Gault, Relays team, Paula Darcel Girven, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; High Jump, Harvey Glance, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 100-Meter, 4×100 Relay, William Earnest Green, 400-Meter Individual, Pamela Greene, Also member of 1972 U.S. Olympic, team; 200-Meter Individual, John Stanley Gregorek, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 3000-Meter Steeplechase, Lorna Joann Griffin, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Discus Throw, Marlene Harmon, Pentathlon, Karen Hawkins, Kyle Daniels Heffner, Marathon, James Heiring, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 20-Kilometer Walk, Stephanie Hightower, 100-Meter Hurdles, Denean Hill-Howard, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team; 4×400 Relay, Tomas Hintnaus, Pole Vault, James Allen Howard, Also member of 1988 U.S. Olympic team; High Jump, Sherri Francis Howard, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 4×400 Relay, Paul Jordan, Triple Jump, Bruce Kennedy, Javelin Throw, Steven Lacy, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 5000-Meter, Francis Ann Larrieu-Smith, Also member of 1972, 1976, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team; 1500-Meter, 10,000-Meter, Marathon, Melvin Lattany, 100-Meter David Kenneth Lee, 400-Meter Hurdles Carol Lewis, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; Long Jump Carl Lewis, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 U.S. Olympic team; Long Jump, 100-Meter, 200-Meter, 4×100 Relay, Henry Marsh, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 3000-Meter Steeplechase, John McArdle, Hammer Throw, William McChesney, 5000-Meter Individual, Walter McCoy, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 4×400 Relay, Kathy McMillan, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Long Jump, Madeline Mims, Also member of 1968, 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 800-Meter Individual, 4×400 Relay, Brenda Morehead, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 100-Meter Individual, Edwin Moses, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 400-Meter Individual Hurdles, Larry Myricks, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; Long Jump, Renaldo Nehemiah, 110-Meter Hurdles, Daniel O’Connor, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 20-Kilometer Walk, Mary Osborne, Javelin Throw, Nathaniel Page, High Jump, Donald Paige, 800-Meter Individual, Lee Palles, Decathlon, Ben Plucknett, Discus Throw, John Gates Powell, Also member of 1972, 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Discus Throw, Dan Ripley, Pole Vault, Louise Ritter, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; High Jump, James Robinson, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 800-Meter, William Rodgers, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Marathon, Alberto Salazar, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 10,000-Meter, Marathon, Anthony Sandoval, Marathon, Kathryn Schmidt, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Javelin Throw Carl Schueler, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team; 50-Kilometer Walk, Steven Scott, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; 1500-Meter Clark Scully Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 20-Kilometer Walk, Maren Seidler, Also member of 1968, 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Shot Put, Peter Shmock, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Shot Put, Karin Smith, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team; Javelin Throw, Willie Smith, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 400-Meter Individual, Karen Sokolitz, 200-Meter Individual Pamela Spencer, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; High Jump, Frederick Taylor, 200-Meter Individual, Kim Thomas, Relays team Michael Tully, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Pole Vault, Ann Turbyne, Shot Put, Craig Virgin, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 10,000-Meter, James Andre Walker, 400-Meter Hurdles, Larry Walker, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; 20-Kilometer Walk, Linda Waltman, Pentathlon, Clifford Wiley, 200-Meter Individual, Mac Maurice Wilkins, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team; Discus Throw, Barton Williams, 400-Meter Hurdles, Diane Williams, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; 4×100 Relay, 100-Meter Individual, Randy Lavelle Williams, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Long Jump, Randy Byron Wilson, 800-Meter Individual, M. Lynne Winbigler, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team; Discus Throw, Canzetta (Candy) Young, 100-Meter Hurdles Head Coach: Carnes, Jimmy, Assistants: Huntsman, Stan Santos, Jim, Tellez, Tom, Williams, Willie, Head Manager: Newland, Robert, Assistant Managers: Cunliffe, Ernie, Griak, Roy, Simmons, Steve
 
Basketball
Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Carol Blazejowski, Sam Bowie, Michael Brooks, Denise Curry Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Anne Donovan, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Bill Hanzlik, Tara Heiss, Kristin Krichner, Alton Lister, Rodney McCray, Debra Miller, Cindy Jo Noble, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Lataunya Pollard, Jill Rankin, Isiah Thomas, Darnell Valentine, Daniel Vranes, Rosie Walker, Frances Warlick, Charles Lindwood Williams, Martin Wood, Lynette Woodard, 1984 Olympic team, Men’s Head Coach: Gavitt, David, Men’s Assistant Coaches: Brown, Larry Also Head Coach of 2004 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball team, Rowe, Dee Men’s Manager: Vancisin, Joe Women’s Head Coach: Gunter, Sue
Women’s Assistant Coaches: Head, Pat Plarski, Lea
 
Boxing
Jackie Beard, Bantamweight, Willie Broad, Super Heavyweight, Johnny Bumphus, Light Welterweight, Charles Carter, Middleweight, Don Curry, Welterweight, Joseph Manley, Lightweight, Lee Roy Murphy, Light Heavyweight, Richard Sandoval, Flyweight, Robert Edward Shannon, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team; Light Flyweight, Bantamweight, James Shuler, Light Middleweight, Bernard Taylor, Featherweight, Head Coach: Nappi, Pat, Assistant Coach: Pelligrew, Dick, Manager: Silverglade, Ed
 
 Canoe & Kayak
Bruce Barton, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Greg Barton, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Theresa Di Martino-Haught, Also member of 1988 U.S. Olympic team Linda Dragan, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, David Robert Gillman, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Jay Kearney, Stephen Paul Kelly, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Leslie Gail Klein, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Charles Clinton, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Angus Morrison, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Roland Muhlen, John Robert Plankenhorn, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team Terry Streib, Ann Clare Turner, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, John Van Cleave, Andrea Weigand, Also member of 1968, 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Carl White, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Coach: Toro, Andy Assistant Coach: Rademaker, Sperry, Manager: Turner, Howard,
 
Cycling
Les Barczewski, Robert Cook, Bruce Donaghy, Thomas Doughty, Brent Emery, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Mark Gorski, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, David Grylls, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Greg LeMond, Leonard Nitz, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Thomas Schuler, Douglas Shapiro, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Dale Stetina, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team Wayne Stetina, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Danny Van Haute, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Andrew Weaver, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Track Coach: Borysewicz, Edward, Road Coach: Kelly, Timothy, Assistant Coach: Leusenkamp, Carl, Manager: Burke, Ed
 
Diving
Randolph Ableman, Philip Randolph, Brian Bungum, David Earl Burgering, Greg Louganis, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Kevin Scott Machemer, Amy McGrath, Megan Neyer, Cynthia Ann Potter, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Christina Anne Seufert, Barbara Weinstein, Coaches: Kimball, Dick, O’Brien, Ron, Manager: Robbins, Bryan
 
Equestrian
Washington, Bishop, Norman Dello Joio, Also member of 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Lendon Gray, Conrad Homfeld, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Katherine Monahan, John Michael Plumb, Also member of 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Teresa Lee Rudd, Melanie Smith, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Karen Elizabeth, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Gwen Elaine Stockebrand, Torrance Watkins, John Winnett, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team James Wofford, Also member of 1968, 1972, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Linda Zang, Manager: Burton, Gen. Jack Jumping Coach: de Nemethy, BertDressage Coach: van Bruggen, Melle 3-Day Coach: LeGoff, Jack
 
Fencing
Jane Marie Angelakis, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Elaine Gayle Cheris, Also member of 1988, 1996 U.S.
Olympic team, Gay D’Asaro, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Nikki Franke, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Timothy Glass, Elaine Ingram, Stacey Rita Johnson, Wayne Johnson, Stanley Lekach, Thomas Losonczy, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Michael Anthony Marx, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 U.S. Olympic team, Gregory Massialas, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Robert, Nieman, John Michael Nonna, Also member of 1972 U.S. Olympic team, Alex Orban, Also member of 1968, 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Paul Pesthy, Also member of 1964, 1968, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Philip Reilly, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Mark Smith, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Peter Westbrook, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 U.S. Olympic team, Captain: Keane, Jack, Coaches: Auriol, Yves, Elthes, Csaba, Manager: Vaisimis, Marius, Armorer: Byrnes, Joseph
 
Field Hockey
Elizabeth Anders, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Elizabeth Beglin, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Gwen Cheeseman, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Denise Desautels, Jill Grant,  Sheryl Johnson, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Christine Larson-Mason, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Susan Marcellus, Anita Miller, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Leslie Milne, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Charlene Morett, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Diane Moyer, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Karen Shelton, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Julia Staver, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Judith Strong, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, White, Nancy Pitkin, Head Coach: Gros, Vonnie, Assistant Coach: van Beaumont, Will, Manager: Watson, Margery
 
Gymnastics
Philip Cahoy, Luci Collins, Bart Conner, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Marcia Frederick, Ron Galimore, Larry Gerard, James Hartung, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Kathy Johnson, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Beth Kline, Amy Koopman, Julianne McNamara, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Tracee Talavera, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Peter Vidmar, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Wilson, Michael Gower, Men’s Head Coach: Allen, Francis, Men’s Assistant Coach: Meade, William, Women’s Head Coach: Weaver, Ernestine, Women’s Assistant Coach: Ziert, Paul, Pianist: Stabisevski, Carol
 
Judo
Jesse Goldstein, Tommy Martin, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Keith Nakasone, Mitch James Santa Maria, Steven Seck, Michael Swain, Michael Lee Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Miguel Angel Tudela, Nicholas Yonezuka, Head Coach: Maruyama, Maj. Paul Manager: Fullerton, Frank
 
Modern Pentathlon
Michael Burley, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, John Fitzgerald, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Dean Glenesk, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Robert Nieman, Also member of 1976, 1988 U.S. Olympic team
 
Rowing
Christopher Allsopp, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Charles Altekruse, Also member of 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Valerie Barber, Hope Barnes, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team William Belden, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Earl Borchelt, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Mark Borchelt, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Carol Bower, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Carol Brown, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, John Carababas, Richard Cashin Jr., Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, John Chatzky Jr., Steven Christensen, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Sean Colgan, Christina Crus, Thomas Darling, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Anita DeFrantz, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, James Dietz, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Karla Drewsen, Bruce Epke, Robert Espeseth Jr., Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, John Everett, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Jeanne Flanagan, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Charlotte Geer, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Julia Geer, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Virginia Gilder, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Carie Graves, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Janet Harville, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Hollis Hatton, Thomas Hazeltine, Elizabeth Hills, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Thomas Howes, Thomas Hull, Bruce Ibbetson, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Robert Jaugstetter, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Kathryn Keeler, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, David Kehoe, Elizabeth Kent, Stephen Kiesling, Bradley Alan Lewis, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Joan Louise Lind, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Walter (Chip) Lubsen Jr., Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Anne Marden, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Peggy McCarthy, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Valerie McClain, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Kristine Norelius, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Mark O’Brien, Mary O’Connor, Jan Palchikoff, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Paul Prioleau, William Purdy, Kelly Rickon, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Daniel Sayner, Kurt Somerville, Patricia Spratlen, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Philip William Stekl, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Nancy Hitchcock, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, John Richard Terwilliger, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Cathleen Tippett-Thaxton, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Susan Tuttle, John Van Blom, Also member of 1968, 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Nancy Vespoli, Anne Warner, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team Christopher Wood, Also member of 1976, 1984, U.S. Olympic team, Thomas Woodman, Men’s Head Coach: Parker, Harry Men’s Coach: Gardner, PeterMen’s Sculling Coach: Vespoli, Mike Men’s Manager: Zandbergen, Peter Boatman: Drelselgacker, Richard Men’s Assistant Coach: Melslahn, Findley Women’s Head Manager: Lippett, Peter Women’s Coaches: Case, Nathaniel Ernst, Robert Korzenioswky, Kris McKibbon, Thomas
 
Shooting
Terence Anderson, Also member of 1996 U.S. Olympic team, Dean Clark, Also member of 1992 U.S. Olympic team Steven Collins, Matthew Dryke, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Martin Edmondson, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Roderick Fitz-Randolph Jr., Also member of 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Boyd Goldsby, Donald Hamilton, Aso member of 1968 U.S. Olympic team, Terry Howard, David Kimes, Ernest Neel, Steve Reiter, Randolph Stewart, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team Lones Wigger Jr., Also member of 1964, 1968, 1972, U.S. Olympic team, Team Manager: Pullum, Bill, Assistant Manager: Berry, Joseph, Gunsmith: Sizemore, James
 
Soccer
Peter Arnautoff, Tony Bellinger, Timothy Clark, Paul Coffee, Angel Di Bernardo, Also member of 1984 U.S.
Olympic team, Donald Ebert, Darryl Lester Gee, John Patrick Hayes, William Tyrone Keough,  Adolphus Lawson, William McKeon, Joseph Morrone, Louis Nanchoff, Njego Pesa, Daniel Michael Salvemini, Perry Van Der Beck, Greg Villa, Head Coach: Walt Chyzowych Assistant Coach: Robert Gansler, Manager: Kurt Lemm,
 
Swimming
Stephen Barnicoat, William Barrett, Terri Lynn Baxter, Craig Beardsley, Matthew Bottom, Michael Bruner, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Elisabeth Anne Buese, Richard Carey, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Kim Carlisle, Tracy Caulkins, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Chris Cavanaugh, Stephanie Elkins, Jeff Float, William Forrester Jr., Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Rowdy Gaines, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Brian Goodell, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Matthew Gribble, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, John Hencken, Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Nancy Hogshead, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Robert Jackson, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Linda Jezek, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team Elizabeth Kinkhead, Kris Kirchner, Karin LaBerg, David Larson, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Kimberly Linehan, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Marybeth Linzmeier, Stephen Lundquist, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Mary T. Meagher, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Glenn Mills, John Moffet, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Ronald Neugent, William Paulus, Joan Pennington, Susan Rapp, Peter Rocca, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Brian Roney, John Simons Jr., David Sims, Jill Ann Sterkel, Also member of 1976, 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Susie Thayer, Richard Thornton, Jesse Vassallo, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Susan Walsh, Cynthia Woodhead, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Head Coach: Haines, George, Assistant Coaches: Bergen, Paul, Gambril, Don, Pursley, Dennis Reese, Randy, Schubert, Mark, Managers: Breen, George, Burton, Linda, Richardson, Pokey
 
Volleyball
Janet Baier, Carolyn Becker, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Laurel Brassey, Also member of 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Rita Crockett, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Patricia Dowdell, Laurie Jean Flacheier, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Debbie Green, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Flo Hyman, Debra Landreth, Diane McCormick, Terry Place, Susan Woodstra, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Head Coach: Sellinger, Dr. Arie, Assistant Coach: Yoshida, Toshiaki, Manager: Becker, Ruth
 
Water Polo
Christopher Dorst, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Gary Figueroa, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Stephen Hamann, Eric Lindroth, Also member of 1972 U.S. Olympic team, Andrew McDonald, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Kevin Robertson, Also member of 1984, 1988 U.S. Olympic team, Peter Schnugg, Terry Schroeder, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, John Siman, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Jon Svendsen, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Joseph Vargas, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Coach: Nitzkowski, Monte, Assistant Coach: Lindgren, Kenneth, Manager: Sayring, Terry
 
Weightlifting
Mark Cameron, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Guy Carlton, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Michael Cohen, James Curry Jr., Brian Derwin, Robert Giordano, Jerome Hannan, Michael Karchut, Also member of 1972 U.S. Olympic team, Luke David Klaja, Joseph Puleo, Also member of 1968 U.S. Olympic team, Callen Schake, Kurt Setterburg, Thomas Stock, Head Coach: Schmitz, James, Manager: Smith, Richard
 
Wrestling
John Azevedo, Jeff Blatnick, Jeffrey C. Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Christopher Campbell, Also member of 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Daniel Chandler, Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Mark Fuller, Also member of 1984, 1988, 1992 U.S. Olympic team, Brian Gust, Russell Hellickson, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Mark Johnson, Leroy Kemp Jr., Randall Lewis, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, John Matthews, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Daniel Mello, Gene Mills, Thomas Minkel, Benjamin Peterson,Also member of 1972, 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Brad Rheingans, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Bruce Thompson, Also member of 1976 U.S. Olympic team, Robert Weaver, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Gregory Wojciechowski, Charles Yagla, Coach/Manager: Dziedzic, Stan, Coach: Allen, Lee, Assistant Coaches: Baughman, Maj. Wayne, Gable, Dan
 
Yachting
Ron Anderson, Stephen Benjamin, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, John Bertrand, Also member of 1984 U.S.
Olympic team, Henry Bossett, William Buchan, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Roderick Davis, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, John Duane III, Neal Fowler, Robert Haines Jr., Also member of 1976, 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Jeff Kent, Michael Loeb, Edward Trevelyan, Also member of 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Manager: Merrick, Sam Assistant Manager: Kober, Chuck Boatwright: Eichenstein, Carl Meteorologist: Mairs, Robert Coach: Arnold, Dr. Homer.

Boycott is published by New Chapter Press – also the publisher of The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer, The Bud Collins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda, The Education of a Tennis Player by Rod Laver and Bud Collins, Bone Appetit, Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog by Susan Anson, The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle by Stewart Wolpin, People’s Choice Cancun – Travel Survey Guidebook by Eric Rabinowitz.

God trembles as he awaits Probert’s arrival in the the Kingdom of Heaven.

Probert will without doubt be remembered for his pugilistic artistry but he was a pretty darn good hockey player as well. He had to be if he was going to play in 935 games amassing 162 goals and 3300 penalty minutes over 16 years. He added a respectable 16 goals and 48 points in 81 games in the playoffs.

So the guy could play.

Unfortunately, as many hockey fans know, Probert fought demons off the ice battling with alcoholism and drugs.

Probert’s career coincided during my formative years as a sports fan. The 1980s in particular was a great era for all sports and hockey in particular. Probert was not only regarded as the premier fighter of his time but a respected as a person as well. He was an iconic figure with hockey’s hard core fan base. I never heard a story where Probert turned his back on a kid looking for an autograph.

Probert was among the last of what was to become a dying breed in hockey: The hockey fighter. When he fought you knew you were watching one of the all-time greats and we all understood, deep down, what he delivered was part of hockey lore. We can deny it all we want, but fans love the hockey fighter; for their reputations as being well liked to their honor code among each other. They were a cult within the hockey community.

Probert, truth be told, was a bloody legend around hockey circles.

Sports is loaded with tragedies and Probert is just the latest to enter its macabre hall.  

Venus Williams deserves the every bit of attention she gets from all the quarters. Be it for her exploits on the WTA Tour, her collection of seven Grand Slam singles titles or her tenure at the top, she deserves all the adulation for her achievements.

But what about being in the limelight for her on-court attire?

Venus seems to have mastered the art of being in headlines for her clothing.

Even considering the usual attention-seeking standards of women’s tennis, Venus seems to have broken all the records this year. Be it for coverage in both the offline and online world, Venus’ images and comments about her outfits have adorned publications for quite a while now.

Guessing what Venus is going to wear or waiting for the same everytime a major is about to commence has almost become a routine.

The fact that the publications have even started questioning what Venus is going to wear at Wimbledon, the major tournament with the strictest dress code, accentuates the same.

For Venus, the five-time Wimbledon women’s singles champion, her attire reflects her passion for designing.

To her credit, she completed a fashion degree while on tour, and has also launched her own clothing line called EleVen. She categorically says he has set sights on post-tennis career.

Venus always explains her designs and defends all the criticism with aplomb. She says she wants to herself, be it via her game or her clothing. Its a matter of individuality for Venus in whatever she does.

When the 30-year old wore the bright yellow dress and flesh-coloured underwear during the Australian Open in January this year, she reportedly said that the knickers showed her outfit to its best advantage. “My dress for the Australian Open has been one of my best designs ever! It’s all about the slits and V-neck. I am wearing undershorts the same colour as my skin, so it gives the slits in my dress the full effect,” reportedly said Venus.

After this, at the French Open, Venus wore a black long-sleeved shirt over her self-designed black-lace corset dress.

And now at Wimbledon, Venus’ attire has a lace overlay on the bodice and a skirt covered in fringe. She says she has been inspired by Tina Turner to create the “shimmy” dress with her clothing label EleVen. Seems slightly mundane going by Venus’ love for colours and cuts as a designer. Obviously, one can’t get too jazzy or glitzy considering the fact all the players have to comply with the traditions and the dress code stipulated for the only Grand Slam on grass.

The link between fashion and tennis is nothing new.  And the bond between underwear and women’s tennis continues to get stronger. Some argue that when fashion and sports collide, the actual talent and the performance of players sometimes pales in comparison with all the buzz around the on-court attire.

Even Venus admitted last month when she said, “I can feel the attention around me.”

Still, irrespective of whatever she wears on court, it has to be remembered that Venus has featured eight times in the singles final at the same championship.

Her record at Wimbledon speaks volume about her achievements. Venus may or may not bag so many accolades for her attire in the time to come, but she will always be remembered for her exploits on the WTA Tour, more so at Wimbledon.

Every once in a while something happens in the world of sport which has you laughing to yourself, completely in disbelief about what is taking place before your very eyes.

Most weeks I find myself stood at Cardiff City Stadium wondering why I bother paying my hard earned money watching the tripe laid out on the pitch before me.

Tennis often throws out some great encounters. Two players matched stroke for stroke in a sheer battle of personas in a bid to lift a trophy and see the dollars rolling in to their account.

There was the now infamous Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final of 2008. Or how about Andy Roddick refusing to lay down and die until deep in to the fifth set in last year’s final? Goran Ivanisevic finally getting his hands on a Grand Slam?

A milestone was reached at Wimbledon

And that’s just recent Wimbledon encounters. Looking back through history there are so many match-ups I read about and think, I wish I had been there. As a 22-year-old I have been treated to many great match-ups in my rough decade of closely following tennis. And I look forward to many, many more over the next 60 (or knowing my luck, 10) years of my life.

But I think very few will quite stick in the memory like what I have witnessed over the past two days at SW19. You all know what I’m talking about. Yes, Isner-Mahut. It’s the match everybody’s talking about. The encounter which has had the tennis world totally transfixed for over ten hours. Ten hours!

Play finally drew to a close at roughly 9pm last night due to bad light and both men valiantly supported each other off the court, probably connected by the knowledge that their names would now forever be etched in to the history of the sport.

I’m sure that in ten years time, unless one of these guys goes on to lift a few Slams, the mention of one of their names will instantaneously bring up thoughts of the other. They will be connected like brothers over this.

Just look at the records they have broken. As well as the longest match in history, the fifth set alone is longer than the previous longest match set by Arnaud Clement and Fabrice Santoro at the 2004 French Open. The 163 games contested by the two guys is also a new record, beating the 112 set by Pancho Gonzalez and Charlie Pasarell in 1969. It has also overcome the previous longest fifth set from the 2003 Aussie Open where Andy Roddick finally overcame Younes El Aynaoui 21-19 in the quarterfinals.

Ivo Karlovic’s record of 78 aces in his Davis Cup quarterfinal against the Czech Republic. Both players have blitzed that. Mahut currently stands at 95, while Isner is the current record holder on 98. That Karlovic-Stepanek match also held the record for the most combined aces with 96, but now these two have served up 193.

Phew! That’s quite a lot of statistics to digest. And with play resuming on this Thursday afternoon they could all be set to change again. On the other hand of course, it could be over in two games. That would be quite ironic!

Imagine if Jimmy Van Alen had never been listened to with his idea for the set tiebreaks. Isner and Mahut might just about be starting the fourth set the rate they’ve been going.

Whoever triumphs here will face the Dutchman Thiemo De Bakker who needed a 16-14 fifth set to overcome the Columbian Santiago Giraldo. But he will feel like a fresh-born foal compared to whoever comes out of this. The fitness trainers of Isner and Mahut are really going to have to earn their corn to prepare their man for what will only be round two. I bet they feel like they’ve completed a whole tournament already.

Good luck to both of them. As Isner said leaving the court last night: “Nothing like this will ever happen again. Ever.” I don’t know John; I would have said that about this match two days ago!

I can’t remember a time when I was not into sports. Either I was playing sports,  reading the newspaper , or watching on TV.  One of the advantages of going to a Catholic high school was the blazer we had to wear.  I also always drew the last seat in the first row due to my last name beginning with a “D.” When the Phillies would play an afternoon game -quite often back in the day- I would put a transistor radio into my breast pocket and run the earphone through the sleeve and into the palm of my hand.  I looked like just another student resting his head on his hand. 

Funny thing is, I never fell in love with the stars.  I always went for the grinders.  The guys who worked twice as hard to be half as good.  I identified with them since that mirrored my own paltry athletic career.  While most boys worshiped Dr. J, I saved a piece of hero worship for Bobby Jones.  Who, in the words of former Sixer GM Pat Williams “Bobby gives two hours of blood, showers, and goes home.”  Sometimes grinders break through and become stars of a sort.  The ultimate grinder-made-good is Jens Voigt. 

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I have grown to love two sports that are the grinders of the sporting world.  First and foremost, Cycling and more recently, I have developed an affection for Lacrosse.  The later sport is through my son who is currently following his father as a grinder in a grinder sport.

One of the downsides to following these second tier sports is that they only time they make the front pages is when there is bad news.  We all know by now about the horrible tragedy in Virginia and of course, cycling is front page again with Floyd Landis’ admission. Even more unfortunate, the sport gets defined by these stories.

I am hearing that Lacrosse is full of thugs, that the sport is too violent.  I’ve engaged in countless debates as to whether cycling is a dirty sport and full of cheaters.  Bad people play sports.  All sports.  NBA players are frequently making the police blotters for rape, weapons, and drug charges.  How many non-cyclists showed up on BALCO’s ledgers.  Is professional football a bad sport because Ben Roethlisberger is a scum bag?   

It is a tough line to walk when I try to defend the sport without defending the abhorrent acts of any of its individuals.  I think all such arguments are just white noise or better yet, akin to the “Wa wa wa wa wa” of any adult in a Peanuts cartoon.

I’ll keep tilting at those windmills.  Twice as hard to be half as good.

As for me, I picked this Azzurri Adidas t-shirt. Want more Italy apparel? Head to this link.

In fact, soccer pro is stacked with World Cup soccer jerseys for your team!

I have to say Canadian sports websites are lame sometimes. I understand they may not have the resources ESPN has but I’m sure they can try a couple of things to enhance the website experience. It has gotten better over the years and the pages are clean. Nonetheless, more needs to be done.

 One thing I like about ESPN  is I can head to the site and grab scores immediately because they post them at the top of page with easy access to boxscores and all that. What I don’t like about ESPN is I have to pay to be an “Insider.” But I guess they have to make some money. More annoying is all those pop up ads. When you click ‘close’ and head for the article you’re blitzed again this time by video. I’m all for advertising, however, my philosophy it’s better to be non-invasive.

Anyway. About finding out scores on a timely basis. By the time I figure it all out on TSN I lost a couple of minutes for nothing. It’s not just TSN. Sportsnet and The Score suffer from the same cheapish disease.

Just earlier, I went to TSN to get an update on the scores not involving Canada at the World Hockey championships. Instead of just posting them on the front page I had to browse the site and even then I didn’t like how it was presented. I don’t know what it takes to do that. It should be so easy an idiot like me can find it.

Easy, clean accessibility. More updated, refreshed information please!

The Montreal Canadiens and Philadelpia Flyers have only met six times in history (the Habs hold a 3-2 series edge) but despite the small sample size, it’s a rivalry by any measure.  I wanted to mark this occasion with one series in particular that remains stuck in my memory.

In 1989, the Canadiens eliminated the Flyers 4 games to 2 in a sick, intense, wild series. Chris Chelios had set the tone in the series after a dirty hit on Brian Propp early in the series. Listening to whiny Flyers fans still talk smack about the hit is comical given how proud they are of the Broadstreet Bullies and their lunatic antics. Incidentally, the could never intimidate the Habs and Boston Bruins of the 1970s. Just thought I’d throw that in there.

They say Bruce Springsteen saved rock and roll in 1975 with the landmark Born to Run album. One year after, people in hockey circles were saying the Canadiens saved hockey when they took out Philadelphia. It seems fans outside Philly had had enough of the Hanson brothers-like goonery.

Not to be outdone Ron Hextall pulls this classic madness out of his ass. As Philly fans littered the ice with garbage, a young Patrick Roy wasn’t helping matters by challenging Hextall, Flyers defenseman Kjell Samuelsson was doing is part to gang up on Bobby Smith (a wonderful smooth hockey player who deserves more credit for his play) while Craig Ludwig (hardly an angel himself) stepped in to help Smith out. Not seen in this video is when Smith was escorted off the ice to a shower of beers as he flashed a #1 gesture with his finger. I remember that very well. Good times.

Love Mats Naslund.

That these two franchises don’t like each other much is obvious. It’s a neat rivalry. One that doesn’t get too much attention. If they’d meet more often I think it would rank among the top rivalries in hockey.

I’d like to add one thing. The infamous pugilism of the Flyers of the 1970s has earned the franchise a reputation for hard-nosed, if not dirty hockey – a tag they carry proudly. Hey, you have to respect that. However, recent editions of this team hardly come close to that rap yet the media still write about them as though they’re the Broadstreet Bullies redux. I don’t see it. I see a team willing to shit disturb and does play physical hockey but the goonery seems no worse than other teams.