Word: thompson
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1980-1989
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...square name is Francis Morgan Thompson. "Daley" is a corruption of Ayodele, an African endearment bestowed by his Nigerian father and mispronounced by his Scottish mother. It means "joy enters the house." "That was the only thing," in Thompson's bittersweet estimation, "that they got absolutely right." His London childhood was something out of Thackeray, not Dickens, though classic shadows like boarding schools were involved. "Since forever, I always thought I was going to be the best in the world at something. My school friends used to laugh at me, but I kept searching for the thing that would express...
...richer, or faster, or just better suited. But can the thing that he was given be lined up against everything you've got?" At 6 ft. 1/2 in. and 195 lbs., much too thick and blocky for track, though not nearly brawny or flexible enough for the field, Thompson is ideally constructed for none of the ten events. "But I'm happy with my dimensions," he says. "I've got by so far. Would I change anything at all? Sure, I would. I'd take Paul Newman's eyes...
...Olympics stir Thompson. "As a concept," he says, "I think it's one of the most genuinely humanitarian thoughts that man has ever had. The youth of the world coming together to play -- it's a wonderful dream." He quadrennially skips the opening parade to save his legs from the speeches and his head from the pigeons, but partakes in all the casual camaraderie. "I'm a Village person. I like to go around and meet gymnasts and weight lifters, every kind of athlete. We share a special understanding. All sports are the same; it's just the rules that...
...someone who pulls down hundreds of thousands sipping soft drinks on billboards, Thompson sounds suspiciously like an amateur. "I like to think of myself as one of the last true amateurs," he says, "but I can only be an amateur because I can afford to be. Inside, though, that's exactly what I am. I love the occasion and I can't help showing it. At the end of the day, I think that's the real reason why the public doesn't enjoy Carl Lewis. He never looks to be having a good time...
...Thompson frequently trains in California and is a student of the U.S. "It's | nice to get away from the English ambience. If you're at all aggressive -- gung ho -- it's really kind of frowned upon. Whereas, in America, they appreciate that. In fact, it's a prerequisite to getting around. For everybody on the street, every day is a competition." One national trait troubles him: "People in the U.S. tend to value a sport or a sportsman exactly according to how much money is involved. In adjacent arenas, if Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson were running...