Top U.S. Olympians to watch

1. Michael Phelps How many? The first week of the Olympics will be all about keeping count of Phelps’ swimming medals in individual and relay events, projecting his chase of Mark Spitz (seven golds in 1972). The tireless Phelps is most dominant in the individual medley, most vulnerable in the backstroke. Even though swimming is one of the more frustrating spectator sports, Phelps is about to become one famous bobbing cap. 2. Bryan and Tom Remember the decathlon hype over Dan (O’Brien) and Dave (Johnson)? There’s a big difference with Tom Pappas and Bryan Clay. "We both made the team," Pappas said, smiling. That’s as big a yuck as you’re likely to hear from the soft-spoken Pappas, who went into the Olympic trials as the heavily-favored, heavily-publicized star with the Greek heritage. Then Clay beat him, soundly, and all of a sudden designers of Wheaties boxes were very confused. Clay is more outspoken than Pappas, and predicts a one-two finish at the Olympics. TV loves decathletes, because the event extends 3. Kerri Walsh and Misty May This photogenic beach volleyball pair became famous during the Super Bowl, when they were featured in a likeable Visa ad. Now they better win a gold medal, or it’s back to Dan and Dave, again. Walsh, 25, is considered the best player in the world right now. May, recovering from an abdominal muscle strain, teamed with Holly McPeak for a fifth-place finish in Sydney. With Walsh, she is expected to fare much better. 4. Courtney Kupets Courtney Kupets and Courtney McCool are a pair of 18-year-old gymnasts on the deepest, most dominant gymnastics team in U.S. history. They’re still trying to figure out what they should be called in Athens, to avoid confusion. While you’re at it, keep an eye on the third star of this team – Carly Patterson. New rules changes in Olympic gymnastics give greater weight to apparatus specialists. The U.S. is stocked at every station 5. Tim Duncan The San Antonio center is the rock that stands between the American NBA stars and the first humiliation of a so-called Dream Team. The other nations have shooters, they have passers, they have rebounders. Some even have pains in the neck like Allen Iverson. None has a Duncan, though, who faces enormous responsibility and pressure that comes with his unique, big-man talent 6. Mia Hamm This is the fond farewell to a golden generation of stars, personified by Hamm. After losses in Sydney and at the 2003 World Cup, Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain and all the others are looking for a graceful, triumphant exit. Ask Hamm what she hopes her legacy will be with the team, she says, "Dental insurance." Her teammates will probably remember her for more than that. 7. Marion Jones There are better track athletes these days (Maurice Greene, Alan Webb, Stacy Dragila, Jamie Nieto, Jeremy Wariner). But you can’t take your eyes off this exquisite athlete, or the headlines that trail behind her. Jones is only a threat for an individual medal in the long jump, and that event is rarely one of the sexier competitions. But Carl Lewis once proved that a star can turn a landing pit into a takeoff board for celebrity. The big question: Will the track coaches include Marion in the relays, knowing there is a chance her drug scandal may explode and all medals might have to be returned? 8. Venus Williams Yes, we know tennis is not that important at the Olympics, and that everybody is pointing instead to the U.S. Open that follows within days. But with Serena withdrawing, Venus has all our attention and will try to win without her sister, and bring home the gold medal. Unfortunately, Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova didn’t qualify, because her ranking was too low at the time the Russian team was selected. 9. Lisa Fernandez Forget all the hype over photogenic Jennie Finch. The star of the softball team remains Fernandez, the overpowering pitcher who can start any number of games in a row without tiring. 10. Rulon Gardner Gardner was a breakout story in Sydney, where he finally beat the unbeatable Russian bear, Aleksandr Karelin, in the super heavyweight division of Greco-Roman wrestling. Now, Gardner could be even bigger, because he is coming back at age 33 from a snowmobile accident that cost him a toe. Gardner remains a breath of fresh air in this sport, an unspoiled farmer’s kid from Afton, Wyoming. He’s as tough to knock off his feet as Jim Brown.