Small N.J. school fields 11
When you think about all the college sports factories in the U.S., the usual names spring to mind.
There is UCLA, of course, which has 39 current or former athletes here at the Olympics. There is Florida with 33, and Texas with 27, and Essex County College with 11, and –
Wait. What was that last one again?
Yes, Essex County College, in Newark, N.J. Home of the silver medalist in the women’s 100-meter dash, Kerron Stewart, who was part of an unprecedented Jamaican sweep in the event on Sunday night. Home of 11 Olympians, including three who raced within 90 minutes of each other at the Bird’s Nest.
Essex County College. Home of champions.
Who knew?
“That’s OK – most people don’t know the team exists,” said Michael Smart, the head track coach and, for that matter, the only track coach at Essex County College for the past 22 years. “You can walk through the streets of Newark and people wouldn’t know.”
The 11 Olympians are competing for Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. Smart is the one who helped get their grades and SAT scores ready so they could transfer to a four-year college, while preparing them for the American coaching styles they would encounter.
“Everything here is a struggle,” Smart said. “At Essex County, the budget is always tight. But in the case of these kids, they knew if they weren’t here, they wouldn’t be anywhere.”
Hoops stars in awe
USA center Dwight Howard came to the podium, after scoring 22 points with 10 rebounds, in the Americans’ 106-57 win over Germany at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium, wearing swim goggles.
Carmelo Anthony joked after the Americans’ completed a 5-0 run in men’s basketball pool play at the Beijing Olympics that a certain eight-time gold medal winner has inspired Howard to return to the 2012 London Olympics as a swimmer.
The U.S. players have all attended events at the Water Cube during the games and talked about how impressive that Olympic record holder is. How he’s skilled like Michael Jordan, with the mental focus of Tiger Woods.
Isn’t it obvious?
The USA basketball team has a man crush on American swimmer Michael Phelps, who visited the U.S. locker room before Monday’s victory over Germany.
“He’s definitely one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever seen in my life,” forward LeBron James said. “It’s humbling for me and for Kobe Bryant. It was unbelievable especially for myself.”