Boston got some potentially exciting news last week when the United States Olympic Committee announced the city won the USOC’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Games.
That news was met with plenty of skepticism, but there’s no denying Boston now has a legitimate chance to host the Olympics. If the Hub does land the Games, it will be arguably the biggest event to take place in the city since the American Revolution.
Bringing the Olympics to Boston obviously would mean bringing the Olympic cauldron to Boston. The torch relay and the lighting of the cauldron is often one of the Olympics’ lasting images, and it would be no different in Boston — assuming, of course, they figure out somewhere to actually put the thing.
Anyway, there’s no shortage of potential candidates to light the cauldron in 2024. Here’s a few.
Larry Bird — The case is clear. Bird is American. He’s one of the greatest athletes in Boston sports history. He also has a connection to the Olympics as a member of the 1992 Dream Team, the greatest basketball team ever assembled.
Michael Phelps — It’s not unprecedented for an athlete with no tangible local ties to light the cauldron. That makes Phelps a candidate as it will be the first Olympics in the United States since Phelps’ Olympics run began. He’s the most decorated Olympian of all time.
Carlos Arredondo/Jeff Bauman — These two personified the Boston Strong slogan following the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy. It would be an unforgettable moment to see them both light the torch to kick off a celebration of Boston.
David Ortiz — He might be from the Dominican Republic, but few members of the sports world, if any, are more synonymous with Boston than Ortiz. He’s been the face of the city for a decade, and he probably will be in retirement, too, assuming he ever retires.
Tom Brady — Picture this: The year is 2021. Fresh off retirement, former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady runs for mayor of Boston and wins. He then becomes city’s biggest ambassador leading into the 2024 Olympics. There’s also his athletic achievements that make him a worthy candidate, too.
Bobby Orr — Who cares if he’s Canadian, has no real Olympic ties and played a winter sport? This is Boston, and it’s Bobby freaking Orr.
Carl Lewis — Lewis falls into the Phelps category as a great Olympian with no real ties to Boston. However, his Olympic résumé is undeniable: 10 total medals, nine of the gold variety. The 2024 Olympics will also mark the 40-year anniversary of his Olympics debut.
TBD —Â Let’s be honest. 2024 is “only” about a decade away, but that’s a long time in the sports world. A lot can change, and someone off this ballot can catapult to the top of the list. What if some New England resident cleans up at the Olympics before then? Perhaps the Boston Marathon is won by a local athlete. It’s a pretty wide-open race, no pun intended.
What do you think? Vote for your choice below or leave your pick in the comments if you think we forgot someone.
Thumbnail photo via  Jeff Swinger/USA TODAY Sports
