Wednesday, August 27, 2008

It's like waiting FOUR YEARS for Christmas to come around again

Well, the Olympics are officially over…though I still can’t get that song out of my head…not that I’d want to.

It was a great two weeks, wasn’t it? Made all the better, of course, because I was able to enjoy the events with my buddy Eric, who is (to say the least) as crazed as I am about Olympic competition. In fact, we recorded all the televised events and then watched EVERTHING sans commercials! (The guy who invented DVR ought to get a gold medal!!) Oh, but it gets better! For two solid weeks we staked out our spots in the basement—he got the easy chair and ottoman and I unfolded the sofa bed—and cheered on our favorite athletes.


We couldn’t help notice that this year was “The year of the…” fill in the blank—because it seemed to be “the year” for a lot of folks. Among my observations:

1) It was the year of MICHAEL PHELPS: If you don’t know about this guy, you’ve been living under a ROCK!
2) It was the year of the AMERICAN FEMALE: Gold and silver in the gymnastics all-round competition, gold in beach volleyball, gold in indoor volleyball, silver in softball, gold in basketball, among many, many others. Estrogen rules!
3) It was the year of the THIRTY and FORTY SOMETHINGS: From Dara Torres to Jason Lezak to that 33-year-old gymnast (who medaled in the vault, for pete’s sake!!!) these folks proved to everyone that sometimes it pays to not peak too early!

4) It was the year of the PRE-PUBESENT TEENAGER: C’mon, China—really? I have underwear older than those gymnasts!
5) It was the year of THE REDEEM TEAM: Now I’m not generally a pro basketball fan. (College football—the SEC is where it’s at, you know!) In addition, I’m not really a Kobe Bryant fan. It’s not that I hate him, it’s just that I generally can’t stand people who love him. But this year I saw Kobe in a new light…and I LOVED HIM!!! I also loved LeBron James! And Jason Kidd, and…take your pick. Look, the approach these guys took with respect to representing the US as a basketball team (a three year commitment to practice together) as well as the approach they took to being US Olympians in general (man, it was good to see them in the stands cheering on Phelps, Walsh & May-Treanor, etc.!!) was RIGHT ON! They charmed America, they enchanted China, they played like world-class athletes, and in every way they lived up to their moniker.

6) It was the year of STUPID EVENTS THE IOC SHOULD DROP AS OLYMPIC SPORTS: The list is long, but I have to say TRAMPOLINE and RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS tops it! In my never-to-be-humble opinion, it shouldn’t be an Olympic sport if: a) you can see it performed to that high a level in numerous backyards across America, or b) if you can see it performed to that level in any number of Cirque du Soleil shows.

4 comments:

Aryn said...

you're back!! I didn't actually read your posts yet since I have to rush out the door, but I'm so happy you're back!

I've missed you.

Aryn said...

I loved the Olympics, also. Though it was a bit hard to follow the schedule when Bob Costas said, "good night, good morning, and good afternoon."

And I thought the SAME DARN THING about the trampoline (didn't see the rythmic gymnastic... I"m curious, though). I mean, they jumped high and did flips and all that... but it just didn't seem that hard. Nor their performances that impressive. Chuckle chuckle on the "same thing in backyards across America" line!

I wish I could have watched more olympics up there in UT with you and Eric. I had SUCH a nice time last month...

One Southern Belle said...

Hey Aryn!

I wish you could have stayed longer too--of course, I'm the one trying to talk you into MOVING TO UTAH, remember??

Eric is currently in My Fair Lady (the stage production...not an actual woman...PUH!) at Pioneer Theater in Salt Lake; however, he'll soon be gone for four months to Seattle to do a show (or two?) in that neck of the woods. Maybe you and I should treat ourselves to a trip to the great Pacific Northwest?!?!!?

Think about it, would ya'?

Love,
me

Garity said...

Hey, tell Eric I would so be there if I wasn't stuck down here. I hear it's pretty easy to sneak across the border so maybe I'll give it a shot. I missed him in "Cats" and I'm still kicking myself for that one. Give him a huge hug from me.

BTW...YEA you are back...for a bit at least! Gotta read the next one.