:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/8022864/20120724_jel_sl8_017.jpg)
I'll be totally honest with you. I don't really care about the Olympics. I don't care about 95% of these events anytime in the past three years and I can't bring myself to care about them this year. I'm totally this guy:
If you want to get me to care about the Olympics, you're gonna have to put some Syracuse Orange folks in there. And there are a couple to help make this summer a little more bearable.
There's the ones you know. Jim Boeheim and Carmelo Anthony will be representing the US as part of the men's basketball team. Noted world traveler, Boeheim isn't too bothered about not walking in the opening ceremonies, he just wants the medal. As for Melo, maybe he should play all his games under Olympic conditions.
The team kicks off their Olympic play with a game against France on Sunday, July 29, followed by a game against Tunisia on Tuesday and Nigeria on Thursday, Lithuiania on Saturday and Argentina on Monday. From there, they'll move on the Quarterfinals, or I suppose if they don't, they might as well all just stay in England.
The only other Orange representing US in the Olympics is former SU field hockey star Shannon Taylor. The centerpiece of our 2008 Final Four squad, Taylor has been a mainstay with US field hockey since:
Taylor and the 10th-ranked team have their work cut out for them. The United States has medaled only once in women’s field hockey during Olympic competition, earning bronze in 1984 (2 years before Taylor was born). This squad is on the right track, though, having won the Pan-American games for the first time in to qualify for the Olympics.
The field hockey team kicks off play on July 31 against Argentina.
Note: There are also a couple Syracuse rowing folks that need to be mentioned...
Former Orange rowers Mike Gennaro and Natalie Mastracci are also in London. Gennaro is an alternate on the USA men's rowing squad and Mastracci is rowing in Canada's women's eight which won silver at the 2011 World Championships.
H/T: Bleeding Orange