mount olympics

I’m a bit of an Olympics freak. I dig these games. I’m really not a sports buff. I don’t follow teams in any sport during the year. I have no idea where the Packers hail from nor do I truly understand why the Dodgers went from Brooklyn to LA. That just seems sacrilegious. But, it also proves my point. Commercial sports, while filled with hard work and talent, are fake. I don’t understand why people become obsessed with one team. I can understand you like the Cowboys because you’re southern and until the Panthers came along you didn’t have a southern team to cheer for. But really, half that team ain’t never been to Texas before they were drafted. I don’t get it. College sports I can handle though I still spend no time following teams unless I’m sitting at my alma maters football games. And even then I’m just people watching.

But, when the Olympics come around it all changes. The Olympics is something I can get behind because every one of these athletes play for their country, not some rich millionaire. They aren’t drafted, picked from a lineup and paid huge sums. They work their tails off and they’re making their international debut.* They are the people I can get behind because there are personal stories of triumphant and defeat. And I love that everyone gets a chance to compete if they want to. Like Eddie the Eagle from the UK and that runner in ’84 Olympics who finished his race dead last with injuries and said “My country didn’t send me 5,000 to start the race. My country sent me 5,000 miles to finish the race.” Now, people, I don’t care how you try to dress it up, no scantily clad cheerleader or ultimate dance mix on the loudspeaker can beat that. Let the games begin indeed.

*let’s all ignore the pro basketball players please