If you could meet a famous entertainer or athlete, who would that be, and why?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
The question posed is deceptively simple, but the answer is far from it. There are many famous entertainers and athletes in the world, but only a few qualify as ‘legends’.
Could it be that a famous celebrity is by definition a legend? Not at all. A celebrity is someone whose fame is widespread and well known. Many artists, writers, and musicians fall into this category. However, virtually all others do not. In sports, we are accustomed to thinking that an athlete who has won a major championship is a ‘legend’, but very few athletes are as universally recognized or celebrated as legends. Take, for example, the 1976 Olympic hockey team. The members of the US Olympic hockey team were known as the ‘Miracle on Ice’ team. This team went to the Olympics in 1976 playing poorly. The team was composed of players from the University of Michigan, which had only won one NCAA championship in the previous 26 years. When the team arrived for the Olympic games, many experts predicted that they would quickly go 0-4, and in the finals, would lose to the US team. However, the US team, led by goalie Jim Craig, lost the first game, 3-1. The team defied expectations by winning the next four games, including a 5-2 victory over the Soviet Union, and winning silver. In 1998, the US team was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and in 2006, they were named the greatest US Olympic hockey team of all time. The 1976 US team was not universally celebrated, but the consensus was that they deserved the recognition they received. They helped transform the image of hockey in the United States, especially for those who had never played the game.
The US Olympic team of 1972 is perhaps the most famous and celebrated Olympic team of all time. The team, led by Tommie Smith and John Carlos, won gold and bronze medals in track and field events. Smith famously raised his fist in the air, in tribute to his African American friends, while Carlos raised a Black Power salute while wearing a medal. Both were booed as they left the medal ceremony, but both went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The 1972 US team was one of the most talented US Olympic teams ever, but they were not universally celebrated. The 1972 Olympics were poorly funded, and Smith and Carlos were frustrated that they were not paid more by the Olympic Committee. Smith later said that during the 1972 Olympics, they felt like they were ‘God’s athletes. And, according to the New York Times, ‘there were moments during the 1972 Olympics when Smith was worshipped by a country that had never really given him its love. It was Smith and Carlos’ willingness to fight for what he believed was the right thing to do, rather than for the money, that elevated them to the status of legends.
In sports, there is a wide gulf between ‘legends’ and ‘celebrities’. While professional athletes are often celebrated for winning championships, they are generally not considered legends. Legendary athletes, on the other hand, have transcended their sport. They are honored as role models, and their names and deeds are celebrated long after their careers end.
There are many famous celebrities, but very few legends.