Eight 'Saturday Night Live' Cast Members and Which Olympic Events They Should've Called

With Colin Jost set to call surfing, we gave assignments to SNL vets past and present.

"Detroiters" actors Tim Robinson, left, and Sam Richardson throw the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. / Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press / USA TODAY

Going back decades, Saturday Night Live and sports have had a symbiotic relationship.

If you can name a sport, the venerable NBC sketch show has probably paid it homage and/or parody. Baseball has George Steinbrenner playing every position. Basketball has the Other Cavaliers. Football has Bill Swerski's Super Fans. Hockey has, well, "let's do that hockey."

On Wednesday, however, NBC took that relationship to the next level by announcing SNL's Colin Jost would be a part of the network's Olympic surfing coverage in Tahiti beginning next month.

With that in mind, let's take a look at eight SNL cast members past and present who also might've made for good Olympic announcers.

Michael Che, 2014-present, Golf

For the Paris Games, Jost is getting the cushy assignment— one that allows him to delve expressively into a stated passion of his in a tropical locale. It seems only right, comedically, to give Jost's partner-in-crime the event that permits the least emotion—as well as one that, rather than surfing, is on television every week. We'll reap the rewards in SNL's forthcoming 50th season.

Jason Sudeikis, 2005-13, Soccer

He started his improv career in Kansas City, one of America's traditional soccer hubs. I can't think of anything else that would qualify him.

Will Ferrell, 1995-2002, Athletics (preferably distance running)

Unfortunately, baseball isn't in these Olympics, and we have a better candidate for basketball (see below). This is the perfect opportunity for Ferrell to put his Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby racing chops to use. "Si vous n'êtes pas premieres, vous etes dernieres."

Tina Fey, 2000-06, Archery

If there was ever a summer event crying out to be broadcast in Sarah Palin's lilt, this is it. Funny enough, the episode where Fey unveiled her epochal Palin impression was hosted by... Michael Phelps.

Bill Murray, 1977-80, Badminton

You thought we'd give Murray golf, given, well, you know. However, we will avoid the obvious move and instead send Murray to badminton for some Andersonian understatement. Any sport remotely able to be described as "genteel" would work here.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, 1982-85, Field Hockey

Speaking of genteel sports! This one works on three levels: Louis-Dreyfus's brief Northwestern matriculation, Elaine Benes's stated pretentiousness, and the fact that her other iconic role is as the vice president of the United States.

Rob Riggle, 2004-05, Swimming

Wherever a sport's celebrity All-Star festivities are being held, Riggle is sure to follow. It seems only right to give him, the working man's Ryan Seacrest, what might the Olympics' most reliable star-making event in America.

Tim Robinson, 2012-13, Basketball

B-b-b-b-b-basketball! Gimme, gimme, gimme the ball, because I'm gonna dunk it! B-b-b-b-b-basketball! Gimme, gimme, gimme the ball, because I'm gonna dunk it! B-b-b-b-b-basketball! Gimme, gimme, gimme the ball, because I'm gonna dunk it!