



LONDON – Long after the Legend of London delivered another gold medal for Jamaica, long after he ran away from a pack of outclassed opponents, this time as the anchor of a 4x100 relay that would bust the world record with a time of 36.85, long after he accomplished his historic goal of defending three championships here, long after he thrilled 80,000 in Olympic Stadium and millions across the globe, from English castles to poor third world streets, Usain Bolt was asked about Jacques Rogge.







Rogge is the president of the International Olympic Committee who conducts himself with all of the tact, understanding and compassion of a falling safe. If Bolt is what is best about the Olympics, Rogge is what’s worst.





Thursday Rogge was asked by reporters about Bolt, who would on Saturday win his third gold medal and thus become the first man to ever defend his titles in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 4x100-meter relay.





Rogge, as is his character, decided to sniff at the concept that Usain Bolt, while certainly a star, could yet be called a “legend,” the very word Bolt set as his goal coming in here. This was the principal holding back praise for the kid with the perfect grades because, well, because that’s what powerful people do when they feel threatened.





“The career of Usain Bolt has to be judged when the career stops,” Rogge told reporters. “If you look at the career of Carl Lewis, he had [four] consecutive games with a medal. Let Usain Bolt be free of injury, let him keep his motivation which I think will be the case, let him participate in three, four games, and he can be a legend.”

[Photos: Usain Bolt]





Right, do it for me again. Make me more money again.





Rogge went on to cite British rower Steve Redgrave and sailor Ben Ainslie, according to the Independent newspaper, as legends. They won gold in five and four Olympics respectively.





A sailor? Oh, Jacques, how perfect.





"You have to be there, you have to be at the top for almost 20 years,” Rogge said.





Look, call those guys legends all you want. Amazing accomplishment. Tremendous sportsman. Spread the praise all around. It doesn’t even remotely compare to Usain Bolt or competing in the sprints against his field of competitors.





*****







You want a legend? Here’s a legend. With three legs of Saturday’s 4x100 complete, Jamaica and the United States were essentially tied, Bolt getting the baton perhaps an instant ahead of American Ryan Bailey.

[Related: Usain Bolt says he has no respect for Carl Lewis]





From that point on Bolt blew past Bailey, hitting a speed that is almost unspeakable, causing Olympic Stadium to nearly come unglued and eventually charging through the finish line with a world record despite cool and windy conditions. No one who witnessed it will ever forget.





The Americans ran 37.04, which tied the old world record. So no team ever, in the history of earth, ran faster than the United States did Saturday. And they still lost by about three meters.





“He was basically the difference in the team,” said American Justin Gatlin. “We were even through three. When he got the stick there was nothing we could do about it.





You want a legend? Here’s a legend.





It's Tyson Gay weeping after finishing fourth in the 100-meter to Bolt, realizing that no matter what he does, he can’t really compete. “I tried, man,” Gay said. “I tried my best.”

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