By Gaile Robinson
grobinson@star-telegram.com
Editor's note: Art and design critic Gaile Robinson, an admitted Olympic fanatic, is acting as official armchair commentator on the Star-Telegram blog "London Calling: A Texas take on the Olympics," and she's not holding anything back until the flame goes out.
Nike just blew it USA's medal-stand jackets must be from Nike's geezer line, Pops on the Podium, modeled here by Nick Thoman and Matthew Grevers, silver and gold winners in the men's 100-meter backstroke. The jackets look even worse on the women.
These will get you an early bird special at Denny's, but who's going to want to trade for them at the Closing Ceremony? Everybody has better-looking jackets than these. Everybody.
Even Stella McCartney's jackets for Great Britain are better. They were originally panned, but after seeing Nike's efforts, hers are looking much better. Sorry, Stella. We had no idea.
Medal menOnce on the medal stand, the athletes are given their medals and flowers. In Olympics past, the flowers were delivered by beautiful young women. In London, the bouquets are presented by adorable young men. (If you are an athlete looking for pretty girls in the winner's circle, look to the Tour de France. There, stunning models in dresses that match the jersey color present the winning jersey.)
No biting, pleaseYou can always tell the new medal winners. After getting their hardware and facing the flash of the photographers, inevitably someone will shout, "Bite your medal." Make a mental note: DO NOT DO THAT. It's unseemly. If someone gave you a piece of jewelry, would you, after unwrapping it, bite it to see if it were solid? Of course not. If you win an Olympic medal, do not let some random attendee talk you into an unbecoming, ungracious act that will haunt you forever. You don't even have to say no! Just don't do it.
It's good to be FLOTUSFirst lady Michelle Obama has been in London, enjoying the Olympics, hanging with queens and forwards. Seeing her in action is a good sport in itself.
With Queen Elizabeth II, she is politely gracious, with hands clasped, nodding her head in agreement with whatever Her Majesty has to say, as one would.
Then FLOTUS visited the basketball venue. She gave the U.S. men's coach an encouraging pat on the back, but for LeBron and Kobe, she indulged in a full-frontal press. And given the chance, so would I.
Gaile Robinson, 817-390-7113Twitter: @gailerobinson
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