An interesting comment (to me anyway) from Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans:
I feel like if I would have kept training for track I’d have a chance, but I play football and he runs track, so it’s totally different. I think I could still probably beat him in the 40. If I actually trained for the distance he trained for, I think I’d have a chance.
I’ve long felt that the decline in US sprint dominance was a direct result of the financial incentives for guys with world class speed to pursue a career in football or baseball- the two sports where speed is the greatest asset. In addition to Johnson, there were guys like Deion Sanders, who was arguably faster than Johnson. Additionally, Randy Moss would have been in the conversation. Plus, there was that fellow by the name of Renaldo Nehemiah, who wasn’t even the fastest guy in the NFL during his time. Also, see Calvin Hill and Willie Gault.
I’m not saying that the US would have been winning gold at every Olympic sprint. I do think the US team would be a lot deeper in the sprints though, possibly medaling consistently in the sprints. Usain Bolt may well be the fastest man on the planet, but I’m quite certain that he isn’t running against the fastest the US has to offer. So who knows.