Meet the Cast
Juval Aviv (Vengeance)
The Real International Man of MysteryIf there ever were a real-life International Man of Mystery, Yuval Aviv would be that guy. He's like Bond + Bourne + Bauer…and he doesn't even need a name tha...
Michael Phelps (No Limits)
Party BoyOh Michael, Michael, Michael. What are we going do with you? You're one of the most gifted athletes to grace the Olympic stage in decades (maybe ever?). And yet, you can't seem to get out...
Avery Brundage (Rome 1960)
King of the OlympicsAlthough Rome 1960 covers more athletes, events, and topics than any of the other books combined, there is one person we'd like to focus on more than the exemplary athletes Mara...
Joe Rantz (The Boys in the Boat)
The Rowing Version of RudyRudy. We Are Marshall. The Blind Side. And who can forget the classics like Rocky? All of these movies have one thing in common: the underdog defeating incredible odds and...
Jesse Owens (Triumph)
The Buckeye BulletYou might have noticed that one of the running themes (pun intended) for our Olympic athletes is that many of them came from pretty rough childhoods. Jesse Owens is no exception....
Herb Brooks (The Boys of Winter)
Don't Call Him "The Herb" Even though Coffey's book highlights all the different players on the 1980 Olympic hockey team, Coach Herbie Brooks's motivational speeches and coaching style are often co...
Gabby Douglas (Grace, Gold and Glory)
The Flying SquirrelLittle Gabby is so sweet; she'll give you cavities. And it feels weird using such diminutive descriptors for her…because she may be short, but in the world of Olympians she's a...
Amanda Beard (In the Water They Can’t See You Cry)
More Than Just a Swimsuit ModelAmanda Beard is one of those women you envy almost to the point of resentment: after all, she's gorgeous, talented, and has led what seems to be a pretty charmed life...
Lopez Lomong (Running For My Life)
From Lost Boy to American IconThough many of our athletes have fascinating lives, we feel like Lomong's is possibly the most compelling of the bunch. We covered his story pretty well in the book su...
Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Dream Team)
Can't Keep Him DownWhen talking about a team chock-full of egos, personalities, styles, and athletic talent out the wazoo, it's really hard to pick one guy to focus on. Do we talk about Michael Jor...
Tiff Wood (The Amateurs)
The HammerHalberstam chose a pretty apt title for his book about the four men competing to be the United States's single sculler in the 1984 Olympics. This wasn't by mistake: his quest was to find...
Lance Armstrong (It’s Not About the Bike)
Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin-EaterLance Armstrong. His name has been dragged through the mud more than a farmer's plough. But before he became an international disgrace to the sport of bicycling, he w...
Greg Louganis (Breaking the Surface)
Skull of SteelGreg, can we be friends? You probably throw killer dinner parties, have awesome friends, and can teach us how to tango. (He did get his start in dance, after all.) Also, Greg Louganis...