Former South Carolina tennis student-athlete Ricardo Acioly has played and coached in the Olympics. Recently, he helped carry on the great tradition of running with the Olympic torch in his home country, and now the Brazilian native is excited to share the Olympic experience in a new capacity, as a spectator and a father.In every Olympics, the torch tours around the host country before it gets lit up in the stadium at the opening ceremonies, Acioly said. A few people get a chance to carry the torch, and since I have a history in the Olympics as a player and a coach, and because of what Ive done in my tennis career and what Im doing now with my coaching career and my involvement in sports, I was honored to get a go at this. So I was pretty happy, and pretty honored. Its not something that happens every day.When you are carrying the Olympic torch, you are the only person in the world doing that. I thought that was quite cool to be able to do that and knowing what it means.Acioly played doubles for Brazil in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, and was later a coach for Brazil at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.One of my best memories (as an athlete) is of the opening ceremony, Acioly recalled. It was really, really neat to be there with everyone. At that time, we didnt have all the communications like we have now with email and mobile phones. Being in front of the whole world at that time was unreal. The atmosphere was something I had never felt before. Walking in with the other athletes and representing my country was very special. That experience is something I will cherish my whole life.The experience in Sydney was also amazing. It was a little different because I was outside of the court. In Sydney, the team stayed in houses as part of the Olympic Village. Our house was quite successful because we got three medals from the athletes that stayed in the house. We had two judo guys winning a couple of silver medals. The womens basketball team won the bronze medal, and their coaching staff was together in the same house. We were bragging a lot about our house.Acioly enjoyed participating from both perspectives. He also enjoyed watching a lot of other events during his Olympic experiences.I watched track and field, Acioly said. When the whole Ben Johnson story happened, I was there. I saw volleyball and basketball. You try to see the sports that you like a lot, or you end up meeting the other athletes and you get a feel for what they do, so you want to watch.After a standout playing career for the Gamecocks from 1983-1985, Acioly is a well-recognized figure in the tennis community in his home country. He founded the R3A Sports Management company, continues to coach young players at a couple of tennis schools near his home in Rio de Janeiro, and he is the director of the ATP 500 event, which is the largest tennis tournament of its kind in South America. Among the many young players he has coached includes current Gamecock womens tennis sophomore student-athlete Ingrid Gamarra Martins, who earned SEC All-Freshman Team honors last year.Its great to be so involved in tennis, Acioly said. There were quite a few schools interested in Ingrid since she was 12 to 15 years old. I saw her grow up. She is doing quite well. I came back to visit South Carolina a few years ago. I had a chance to meet (womens tennis head coach) Kevin Epley at that time, and I already knew (mens tennis coach) Josh Goffi. The way they are running their programs is a lot like what we do and where our players want to go. Theyre very professional. Thats why I thought it was a good fit for Ingrid.Acioly and teammate Richard Ashby led the Gamecocks with 22 doubles wins in 1984, and although an injury curtailed some of his playing career, he has many good memories of his time as a Gamecock.I had some misfortune while I was there because I tore a ligament in my knee, Acioly said. But I enjoyed being able to represent Carolina all over the U.S. I embraced the college scene. The whole atmosphere of being a student-athlete and being involved with other athletes from other sports was also pretty cool.Acioly noted that his time at South Carolina helped him prepare for his life after college.It helped me grow as a sportsman and as a person, Acioly said. That was key for my development on the court and off the court.Now that the Olympics have come to his home country, Acioly is proud to be able to witness the games with his nine-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter.I have tickets to go somewhere every day, Acioly laughed. Obviously I will go see the tennis. Im going to see basketball. Im going to see volleyball and beach volleyball. Brazil has a good chance to get some medals there. I want to see some of the radical BMX biking. I want my kids to see some neat stuff like that. Gymnastics, too. Obviously well see track and field as well. I want them to catch some spirit. The Olympic spirit is so great.It is something I will never forget for my whole life. Its the first time that the Olympics have come to South America. Normally, all of the athletes from Brazil have to travel abroad to compete in the big arenas. Now the big arenas are here. That is something that probably wont happen again for a long time. Wholesale Jerseys USA Online .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Cheap Authentic Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.wholesalejerseys.pro/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Jerseys China . -- Stanfords Kevin Danser knelt on one knee and hardly moved on the sideline as Michigan State celebrated its Rose Bowl victory and his Cardinal teammates made their way to the locker room. Jerseys From China .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. CLEVELAND -- Jason Kipnis was raised on Chicagos North Side, and like so many other kids, he grew up idolizing Ryne Sandberg, watching Sammy Sosa smash home runs and listening to Harry Caray.He bled Cubs blue.And he never once blamed Steve Bartman -- they went to the same high school, by the way.We have a joke, the Indians second baseman said, referring to the infamous fan vilified in Chicago for a failed attempt to catch a postseason foul ball. The only thing Im mad at Bartman for is missing an easy flyball.Kipnis wishes those Chicago fans who havent been able to let go would finally forgive Bartman and turn an ugly moment into something special.I would love to see him throw out a first pitch, he said. Everyone would go nuts.Kipnis was in high school when Bartman, innocently sitting in a front-row seat down the left-field field lane, became an unintentional celebrity in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series in 2003. The slight man, wearing a Cubs cap and headphones so he could listen to the game on the radio, reached out and tried to catch a foul ball in the eighth inning as Cubs outfielder Moises Alou tried to close in.The Cubs were derailed during the Bartman Game, blowing a big lead and losing, and then dropping Game 7 to the eventual world champion Marlins.Kipnis lived close to Bartman and very vividly remembers seeing police staked out around his house to prevent any zealous fans from getting at him. There are Cubs fans to this day who hold a grudge toward Bartman. He has remained in hiding.He didnt deserve that, Kipnis said. He never asked for all the stuff that probably happened to him afterward. I dont think he deserved any of that. He was probably actually a pretty loyal fan and he wanted a ball, and its just the way events turns that turned him into this scapegoat.The likelihood that he would return to throw out a first ball or anything like that is probably slim, none and no chance, Frank Murtha, a longtime friend and spokesman for Bartman, told CNN Saturday.Kipnis now finds himself in a unique situation in his first World Series, facing the team that helped shape his life. The Cubs are in his DNA. Theyre the team he learned to love, the one that taught him the game and the one that often broke his heart. But while Kipnis family and friends intend to remain true to their Cuubbies over the next week, his loyalties are not divided.ddddddddddddheres zero conflict at all, he said Tuesday on the eve of Game 1. Lets be clear about that.Kipnis, though, said watching the Cubs wrap up their first NL pennant since 1945 on TV was emotional. Some of his friends were at Wrigley Field on Saturday night, and when the last out was recorded, part of Kipnis was there, too.I didnt know how to handle it, he said. I didnt know if I was happy, mad, sad. I was emotional. I was choked up, I was like, Oh, no, what does this mean right now? But its nothing more than excitement for the games.He was 11 in that magical summer of 1998 when Sosa and Mark McGwire seemed to belt a home run in every at-bat. Baseball was bulked up and booming and Kipnis was under its spell.As he reminisced during an interview session, the two-time All-Star seemed to remember every swing.Thats when I was really watching baseball closely and turning into a baseball fan, said Kipnis, who is dealing with a sprained left ankle suffered in Clevelands ALCS celebration. In the 98 season, it was Hey, Sammys up, get to a TV every time. And on WGN there were always recaps of the games. Thats pretty much what I grew up on.Despite his Second City roots, Kipnis knows hell be treated like a complete stranger -- and sworn enemy -- when the Series shifts to Wrigley for Game 3. Hes taking solace that there will be a few welcomed faces in the crowd.But the Friendly Confines wont be very friendly.He wouldnt have it any other way.If theyre Cubs fans, theyll boo as they should if youre a baseball fan, he said. But Ill have enough there that youll hopefully hear a couple cheers.Kipnis knows what a championship would mean to fans for both teams, who have gone a combined 174 seasons without celebrating a World Series title.They have the only drought that could make our drought look small, he said. Theyve got us by 40 years. Both franchises have been yearning for this championship, but its pretty neat one of them will come to an end.And Kipnis isnt torn over which one he hopes continues.Theres not one part of me that doesnt wish this curse would keep going, he said.The Associated Press contributed to this report.? Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jersyes Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '