The celebration of determination, physical and mental fortitude, and the art of competition – man, I love the Olympics! Sure, you want to cheer your country on, if yours is represented, but don’t you find yourself rooting for ANYONE?
Tears appear now and again. I think to myself, WHY?! You’re in the OLYMPICS!!!!!!!! This is history. You are at your peak. You are the pride of the world. Any place is superior. Let the tears be only of joy.
There will be a few athletes whose attitudes rot. They may have their priorities askew. Who doesn’t once in a lifetime? Unfortunately, the world is privy to their poor choices. Let’s hope they learn from the experience and we, the world, don’t hold it against them. I’d hate to have to grow up in front of the world. I’d hate to put my foot in my mouth when I wasn’t mature yet. It is these athletes’ youth that often makes us cheer them on all the more. Remember.
I LOVE THE OLYMPICS! Congratulations all Olympiads! You embody excellence. If this is the last year you expect to compete, let your future be as inspiring as your present!
3teensmom 
Hi mommy 🙂
This is for you
Super Sweet Blogging Award
Sorry I haven’t been around much lately, but my book, The Bellman Chronicles, will be FREE to download on Sept. 10 – 11! Check it out on my Amazon Kindle page.. You won’t be disappointed. And if you can slip me a review, I’d be forever grateful…
Just nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award 🙂 http://smilescavenger.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/liebster-award/
I LOVE how sports can unite a country and at times the world.
Good take on the emotions. but I do think your reaction to loosing is mature and most of them are not yet. when they look back their attitude will have changed because they are champions!
Great piece. I too enjoy the Olympics. A moment in time when the world says, “Let’s just put this crap behind us for the sake of something we all care about [sports].”
I love how you cut some of the athletes with an attitude some slack for their youthful inexperience.
Because I swim (in the slow lane) for US Masters, I love following the swimming events. It amazes me when a commentator interviews someone who just won silver and says something like, “So how does it feel to lose this race?”
They LOST the race? Is the commentator crazy?
This swimmer is competing in the Olympics. This swimmer is the second fastest in the world. And you’re calling them a loser?
Hey. If I “lost” the race, I’d feel like I was on top of the world!!!
Agree the interviewers are heartless- they try to provoke emotional/dramatic/good-for-tv responses. I saw a girl interviewing the U.S. swim team after one of the events – one of the guys said, “Well we’re all pretty young so maybe next time it’ll be gold.” She goes, “Well, all of you but Phelps anyway, I doubt he’s going to make it back again! ” …tactless. And I’m not even a raging Phelps fangirl type.