Let’s talk about a pair of Black American sports stars who didn’t win major events last week but showed themselves to be true champions.
When Team USA’s Elana Meyers Taylor thrust her fist into the air as her two-person bobsled crossed the finish line on Feb. 19 at the Beijing Winter Olympics it was in celebration of third place. But it meant she captured a historic bronze medal because Meyers Taylor became the first Black athlete in Olympics history to win five medals during an Olympics career.
Meyers Taylor is a three-time silver medal winner — Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 in the two-woman bobsled event and Beijing 2022 in the monobob, a first-time Winter Olympics event in which a competitor races down a specially designed ice track in a bobsled. She is a two-time bronze medalist — 2010 Vancouver and in this year’s two-person bobsled.
Meyers Taylor, who has raced with 41 different teammates on 14 tracks in 11 countries, won her fifth medal with teammate Sylvia Hoffman.
“That is overwhelming,” Meyers Taylor said following the race.
“It’s so crazy to hear that [most decorated Black Winter Olympics athlete] stat and know that I’m part of a legacy that’s bigger than me.”
In respect for her dedication and historic achievement, her Team USA teammates voted her as flag bearer during the closing ceremony. She had been slated to carry the flag during the opening ceremony but tested positive for COVID-19 on her arrival in China.
After quarantine with her son, Meyers Taylor passed a pair of COVID-19 tests in time to train and compete.
“It’s going to be really hard to top this Olympics. Two medals and now closing it out with flagbearer, it’s going to be really hard to top that,” she said.
She hinted her career will end with five medals, saying “There’s a good chance that it’s my last [Olympics.”]
Bubba oh so close
Honestly, had Black NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace won the Daytona 500 instead of finishing as runner up by 0.036 of a second, his victory would be on the front page of this edition.
In taking second place, Wallace proved he is among NASCAR’s best, and he did it in the sports’ ‘Super Bowl’ showcase. He roared past those that doubt his driving ability and those that despise him because he dared to lead a successful battle to end the flying of Confederate flags at NASCAR events.
What will make him a continued force is his reaction to his second second-place finish at Daytona. He was second in 2018 but said “I really didn’t have a fighting chance [to win.]”
“Damn, I wanted to win that one,” he said immediately after the race.”
“This one, being that close, it’s just like a gut punch. So going from all the confidence in the world to literally having it ripped out from underneath you is a really [crappy] feeling.”
Wallace closed the 2021 NASCAR season with his first career Cup victory at Talladega Superspeedway in October. The race ended early because of rain with Wallace in first place.
“You know, we succeeded,” Wallace said of his near victory.
“We succeeded on all levels, but we failed at the same time. So, going through that, trying to ride that, is super tough.”
Regardless, Bubba, you did a super job.
The Reid Roundup
Bubba Wallace drives for 23XI Racing which is owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. Jordan was at the Daytona 500, then his private jet got him to Cleveland for the NBA All-Star Game halftime and official recognition of the NBA 75 Team. Hamlin finished 37th…Steph Curry’s 50-point Most Valuable Play performance in the All-Star Game was the brightest moment of the weekend. It also puts Curry back at the top of prospective NBA MVP Award at season’s end…Carmelo Anthony is on the NBA 75 team and Bob Pettit isn’t…Michigan coach Juwan Howard’s open-hand swat to the head of a Wisconsin assistant coach following a chippy contest last Sunday should not cost him his job. He should be suspended for the remained of the Big Ten regular season…The Pittsburgh Steelers hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores as senior defensive assistant and linebacker coach. Flores’ discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and three teams has the league on the defensive, and his attorneys say it will not be dropped.
