London 2012: Usain Bolt vs. Carl Lewis

It’s almost like the world missed this one. While they were busy focusing on Hope Solo v. Brandi Chastain, and Michael Phelps v. Every Damn Human and Animal in History, they totally wiffle-balled on Usain Bolt’s controversial (his words) rage against Carl Lewis.

And, really, who is Lewis to talk? They man should have forfeited all microphone privileges after he destroyed his nation’s national anthem. And, it’s not like the man who is suddenly all anti-doping hasn’t had his share of anabolic suspicion following him. Oh, no, actually he admitted to using banned substances, back in 2003.

But, sure, we’ll let Ben Johnson twist in the noose above the bathtub.

Carl Lewis went after Usain Bolt, who came back at the Oh, Unhonourable One with his one vicious tongue.

Lewis called into questions Jamaica’s doping controls. Maybe he wasn’t targeting Bolt, specifically, but even someone with as little cerebral action as Carl would know what his words mean. If you say “Jamaica doesn’t test for steroids,” then people will hear, “Carl Lewis thinks Usain Bolt is on steroids.” This isn’t the fault of a media craze or his words being taken out of context (which is an athlete’s favourite go-to). This is just Carl Lewis’s fault. Allegations and accusations. Bolt’s mouth, from Aug. 9, 2012, was as dominant as his feet in response (from The Huffington Post):

“I’m going to say something controversial right now. Carl Lewis, I have no respect for him… The things he says about the track athletes is really downgrading for another athlete to say something like that. I think he’s just looking for attention, really, because nobody really talks much about him.

“That was really sad for me when I heard the other day what he was saying. It was upsetting. I’ve lost all respect for him. All respect.”

This is up there with Donovan Bailey’s blast of Michael Johnson in 1997. “He’s a chicken… he’s afraid to lose.” That was gold.

This?

Like Bolt himself, it’s perfection.