BEIJING --- No gymnastics for you, Reese Hoffa. No Olympic medal, either.

The world champion in the shot put, who tantalized his fans with the idea of doing a roundoff back tuck if he won an Olympic gold medal Friday, instead trudged out of the Bird's Nest empty handed.

So did American teammate Adam Nelson.

The other U.S. thrower, Christian Cantwell, did take the silver, but even he was disappointed. The colorful American team had sweep potential, but it didn't work out that way.

"They anointed us as the 'Dream Team,' but we're not so dominant," said Hoffa, the Lakeside High and University of Georgia alum who finished a shocking seventh, with a throw of 67 feet, 41/4 inches. "We're human. We're susceptible to making mistakes on the biggest stage, and it showed."

The Americans were trying to sweep the event for the first time since 1960. The trio accounted for eight of the top 10 throws in the world this season.

It was Tomasz Majewski, of Poland, who won the gold, with a throw of 70 feet, 61 inches (21.51 meters), a winning distance that made Cantwell cringe. All three Americans have personal bests of more than 73-7.

With a throw of 69 feet, 21 inches, Cantwell won the silver. Andrei Mikhnevich, of Belarus, collected bronze at 69 feet, 3 inches.

"I'll take it, I guess -- silver's silver," Cantwell said. "Hopefully, tomorrow it will feel a little bit better. Right now, I'm still a little hurtin'."

Same for Hoffa. He came in as not only the reigning world champion, but also the U.S. Olympic trials champion, not to mention a natural entertainer who does wonders with a Rubik's Cube, has come to meets dressed as the masked "Unknown Shot Putter," and is known to celebrate victories by circling the track carrying a big turkey leg.

Hoffa has been working on his gymnastics skills of late, saying he might do something crazy -- like that roundoff back tuck.

Instead, he fouled on his last two throws, sticking out his tongue after the last one.

"I still see myself as a champion," he said. "Today, Tomasz won. Tomorrow, I could win, or Christian or Adam."