Art & Photography

I've always admired Jenny Thompson. It could probably go without saying that she is one of the greatest female athletes ever. But Thompson—a bright, independent-thinking woman—also helped cultivate a new archetype for the 21st-century athletic woman; for example, when she challenged male chauvinists and priggish faux feminists alike with a seminude Sports Illustrated photo. Her response to her critics merits repeating: "I think that women have made great strides in the world of athletics and showing bodies -- the essential element in athletics -- is part of that. It's not about sex, it's about strength. Both physical and mental."

And though her Olympic days are behind her, she is still that same strong, resolute woman today—something two thugs learned by experience last week: