Serena Williams = Super Slam (C'MON!)

The word of the day: "C'MON!"

Serena Williams blasted this four letter word -- as if to say "heck, yeah!" -- at Wimbledon at least three times today en route to her rare Super Slam victory with a gold medal at the London Olympics.

Maria Sharapova didn't seem to know what hit her -- by the time she got on the board, it was way too late. C'MON!

I loved learning Williams' trademark fist pump only steps from her place in the field of play. It is unreal to me that from the front two rows at Centre Court I captured the photos posted on this blog. Sharapova is as gorgeous in person as any magazine, (Serena is, too) and it was amazing and unbelievable to see her playing tennis where only weeks ago she won the Wimbledon title.

Viewing Williams' play, it really did seem like watching an Olympic goddess. Her serve is majestic. Her victory dance is entertaining. Though stoic with a hard core game face during match play, once she won Williams never stopped grinning and dancing, having the time of her life.

The Olympic tennis experience included other surprises, like all three women's medalists standing on the same patch of grass from which I grabbed a few blades for a longtime tennis friend back home.

Entering the venue, fellow Oklahomans Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci (married Olympic champions) walked beside me to the seating area (they were across Centre Court from the spot I found along one of the service lines). This was the third time in as many years to speak with Conner and Comaneci.

The most curious moment: During the national anthem, as the U.S. flag went up over the court, the flag flew off its hoist during the line "That our flag was still there" (see video). Williams handled the situation with grace, smiling to the crowd as if to say, "C'MON, it is all good" and "Come on, are you going to play our anthem again and get this right?" all at once (they did not start over, but it was all good).

I am too tired tonight to post about the other tennis feats from Team USA today, but there are/were more medals and a separate post will follow once sleep is achieved. There is also an interesting Olympic exhibit at the Wimbledon Museum about which to post. Today's women's triathlon experience also yielded amazement.

Congratulations, Serena Williams -- Super Slam Champion.

Photos copyright Nicholas Wolaver may not be used without written permission

Mary Lou and 60 other Olympians, too

Saturday night in Los Angeles, the LA Memorial Coliseum was decked out for the 25th Anniversary of the Games of the XXIIIrd Olympiad. More than 60 Olympians from LA84 and other Games assembled with hundreds of LAOOC and other Olympic officials and veterans for a gala under a perfect LA evening sky.

It was indeed a special celebration, and the hosts paid great attention to detail, bringing back some of the most iconic moments from LA84 while honoring Los Angeles' prominence in the history of the Olympic Movement.

Time Magazine's 1984 Man of the Year and LAOOC chief Peter Ueberroth read a letter from former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, who wrote a note of congratulations and memories, stating, "We will never forget that LA saved the Olympic Games," referencing how the host organization and city turned the Olympic Movement for the better following a most challenging Olympic decade filled with terrorism, financial fiasco and boycotts that nearly closed the Olympic tradition forever.

Ueberroth, the architect of the new financial system that worked wonders and set a new standard for host cities, stated that when he took the helm of LAOOC in 1979, the IOC had a respectable $1 million in its bank account, and as earlier this year, they maintain an account estimated at more than $1 billion, with billions more moved over the 25 years since LA's success. Ueberroth thanked the thousands of volunteers, government and Olympic officials who contributed, and he also honored several LAOOC and LA government executives who are no longer with us.

The event afforded attendees and media access to speak 1x1 with Ueberroth, IOC Member Anita DeFrantz, Edwin Moses, Greg Louganis, Bart Conner, Nadia Comenici, Evelyn Ashford-Washington, Henry Tillman, Peter Vidmar and Mary Lou Retton. Emcees for the night included ABC Sports veterans Keith Jackson and Jim Lampley. Also spotted on stage, where they assembled 60 Olympians, were Janet Evans, Mark Spitz, Billy Mills, Wyomia Tyus and Rafer Johnson.

Johnson, who lit the 1984 Olympic Cauldron, also took time to answer questions about his experience climbing the stairs in that perfect moment of the Opening Ceremonies (I will post video of that conversation and others throughout the week). Johnson repeated that moment, sans stairs, igniting the night before spectacular fireworks capped the night.

Posted now, part of the conversation with Retton. More to follow as time permits (heading to the beach then back to LAX and ATL)!