SNL Brought the Good(s) on Saturday!

By: T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com

Saturday Night Live kicked off its new season on, well, Saturday Night, and it DID disappoint- except for at the very, very end where I witnessed my favorite post-Farley SNL moment.

Before The Transcendent Moment occurred, we had to endure 90 minutes of Michael Phelps' acting, which made your dad's skidmarked underwear look like Larry Olivier. Once again Kristen Wiig overacted, and Fred Armisen managed to creepily play a recurring-role-weirdo. Neither of those three were responsible for The Moment.

After musical guest Li'l Wayne's last song, it was time for one last sketch before the closing sequence. The last sketch was a funny spoof of those lame-o diet commercials that start off with a voice over saying something like, "Are you tired of always feeling hungry on your diet? And fed up with the puny portions and food that tastes like cardboard?". Then Michael Phelps appeared on camera and talked about his diet, and how it allows him to eat whatever he wants. With that setup in place, the usual laughs ensued for a few minutes before the audience got a funny surprise. Jared the Subway guy made a surprise appearance in his Subway colored shirt and told the camera that Phelps diet "sucks a footlong" (Jared is totally growing some creepy, slanty, moobs, by the way. It was really odd). But that wasn't the Moment of Awesomeness.

During the last segment when the host thanks the band, special guests, audience and then hugs everyone is when The Best Thing Ever happened. So Phelps did his thanking, of Li'l Wayne, Tina Fey and Jared, then gave everyone five/hugged them as the credits rolled. As Phelps made his way to high-fiving the cast.....the Impossible Happened.....Jared walked over to Li'l Waye and gave him the 5/handshake/one-arm-homey-hug. I wish the credits weren't rolling to screw up The Vision that it was. The two least likely bros of all time hugging it out like theys was old drankin' pahtnaz, and it came from out of nowhere. I'd love to get a picture of that on a t-shirt and/or mesh hat.

Michael Phelps and "Greatest Olympic Athlete" Semantics

By T.R. Slyder, TRSlyder@yahoo.com

I can assure you that I am as excited as anyone else to see Michael Phelps win every race he is in. I hope he sets the record for most gold medals by any Olympian ever, and I hope he adds to that total in London. But let's not get caught up in saying that he is the "Best Olympian" ever as a result of his medals tally. Upon winning his 10th gold medal he will be the most decorated Olympian in history, but not necessarily the best.

His sport offers more medals than any other sport. There are four different strokes, varied distances, relays at varied distances, and medleys- both individual and relay at varied distances. While Phelps could finish this Olympics perfectly, that does not prove that he is the best athlete in the history of the games.

If a US Softball player hits a home run in every at-bat for 3 straight Olympics she could finish with, at most, three gold medals over a 12 year span, a total that Phelps can achieve in two days. Athletic talent and medal quantity are not synonymous. Phelps will be the most decorated Olympic athlete, but that does not make him the best.

To say what Phelps did is more important than what Jesse Owens did in Berlin is offensive to all Americans.