Herschel Walker, Willie Gault, or Jeremy Bloom?* So you are probably saying: why are these three in a Titan’s Clash? Ah, but what is the question? The question is: who was the best Winter Olympian?
Herschel Walker was a running back for the University of Georgia. A three time consensus All American: 1980; 1981; and 1982; as well as the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner. In 1980 he led his team to a Consensus National Championship. His Olympic sport was the bobsled and he competed in the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France.
Willie Gault was a wide receiver, punt returner, and kick returner for the University of Tennessee. He was a one-time All American in 1982 and (as of the 2013 season) his 1,854 kickoff return yards and 2,513 total return yards remain school records. He was also a world class track and field athlete in the 4 X 100 meter relay and the 110 meter hurdles. If not for the Olympic boycott, he would have participated in the 1980 summer games. His winter sport was the bobsled and he competed in the 1988 Olympics in Calgary.
Jeremy Bloom was a wide receiver and punt returner for the University of Colorado. In his freshman year he was named to the Freshman All American team. Bloom was also a world class mogul skier. Jeremy had competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, and he desired to compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, which he did; however, the NCAA in their infinite wisdom declared him ineligible and so his college football career was cut short by two years. (The NCAA has since changed the rules, which state that an athlete can compete in an NCAA sport that they are not getting paid in.) He played briefly in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and cut short his skiing career to concentrate on football.
Hershel Walker and Pilot Brian Shimer finished seventh in Albertville. Willie Gault was a member of the U.S. No. 3 sled, driven by Randy Will of Endwell, N.Y. and the other members, Mike Aljoe of Lewisville, Tex. and Aubrey Jones of Norman, Oklahoma. They, however, did not make it into the competition rounds. Jeremy Bloom competed in the moguls competition and finished 9th in the 2002 games and 6th in the 2006 games.
So there you have it: who was the better Winter Olympian? All three were great multi-sport athletes; however, who was the better Winter Olympian? Please comment below.
* - Mike Aljoe played at the University of Oklahoma and also competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. He competed in the two man bobsled and raced in the U.S. No. 1 sled, but was not included in this discussion. .