Olympic Bobsled Team Named Tomorrow; McGuffie a Strong Contender
The men's U.S. Olympic bobsled team will be announced tomorrow morning, and as far as I can tell, Sam McGuffie is a strong contender to make the team.
Shockingly, there's not much of a bobsled media in the U.S., so there isn't much out there to analyze this, but it appears McGuffie has been doing well on the World Cup circuit this winter. He took first place at a World Cup race in November, and that can't hurt his chances.
So, the question is: Would McGuffie be the first former Michigan football player to compete in a Winter or Summer Olympics? I can't think of another one.
Willis Ward would have surely made the 1936 Olympic Team as a track athlete if he hadn't given up on sports in the wake of the Georgia Tech incident, but I can't think of another football player who competed in the Olympics.
[EDIT: As Alton points out below, there was a Michigan football player named John McLean who won a silver medal in the hurdles in the 1900 Paris Olympics. So McGuffie would apparently be the first Michigan football Olympian in 118 years.]
Wishing you good luck tomorrow, Sam.
January 14th, 2018 at 9:24 AM ^
Who worked his way into playing time believe it or not... until that fateful crossing route...
January 14th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 10:07 PM ^
Once you reach 100 points, you will see arrows (up and down) for each post.
January 15th, 2018 at 1:14 AM ^
he ran into a laundry list of problems
January 14th, 2018 at 9:22 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 9:26 AM ^
John McLean (from Menominee) played halfback for Michigan's football team from 1897 to 1899, was a first team All-American in 1899, and won a silver medal in the 110 meter hurdles at the Paris Olympics in 1900. He finished 6th in the long jump and did not place in the triple jump.
January 14th, 2018 at 10:28 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
I just learned two fascinating facts that I never knew:
1. There was a Michigan football player who won a medal in the 1900 Olympics.
2. There was a Michigan football player named John McLean. Welcome to the party, pal!
January 14th, 2018 at 9:31 AM ^
Ah, yes. Willis Ward and the infamous 1930s Georgia Tech incident. My boys and I discuss it weekly...
What was that again?!? :-)
January 14th, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
Ward was also a fantastic track athlete - a strong rival of Jesse Owens (even beat him on a few occasions) but the Georgia Tech incident left him disillusioned about sports and he finally quit competing. Owens then dominated at the Olympics in Berlin.
January 14th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^
I never know how much to assume the board knows. You and your boys should see the fascinating documentary "Black and Blue," about the Willis Ward incident. It talks about his decision to not compete in the 1936 Olympics.
January 14th, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
...All kidding aside, I appreciate the info! They're 3 & 6, but I'll definitely have it on the list to watch when they're a bit older.
January 14th, 2018 at 9:52 AM ^
have any bobsledding highlights on You Tube?
January 14th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 10:17 AM ^
Looks like he has a website with several videos:
January 14th, 2018 at 11:08 AM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^
I remember Herschel Walker doing this how the hell did he fit into a bobsled
January 14th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
It would be cool if he wore a winged helmet!
January 14th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
I want to see Sam front flip over a bobsled.
January 14th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^
January 14th, 2018 at 2:27 PM ^
I'm sure hurdling ability must help a bobsledder, right?
January 14th, 2018 at 3:27 PM ^
January 15th, 2018 at 9:27 AM ^
Doubly!
Pushman for the 4 and brake man for the 2!
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/Texas-Athlete-in-Pyeongchang-Winter-Olympics-469344343.html