Well, okay, if you hadn’t noticed, I adore the Olympics.
But, I think it’s bigger than that, of course bigger than me and what I think is great viewing.
I mean how can you not love the Olympics?
Apparently, it’s not hard to ignore them. If you’re Beano Cooke or Mel Kiper, Jr. that is.
Beano, who’s a University of Pitt grad (so I tried to cut him some slack while listening to him yimmer-yammer on the radio yesterday) is simply showing his age-spots when he claims he has no interest in the Olympics due to the commerical influences that infiltrate the games. Yeah, well, get over it oldy-but-goody guy. The fact that the athletes can now eat more than Ramen noodles for the twenty years they bust their asses for the country is just too bad for you, Beano.
Seriously, if Beano actually sat with one of those athletes, or gasp, simply watched one of them before, during or after their performance, the idea that the athletes themselves were all about the commercialism, money or anything else would blow his argument out of Michael Phelps’ smokin’ wake. I just think if you’re in the business of sports and God knows I love football as much as any of them, you should pull your head out of your ass or the ass cream for ten minutes and watch some of the hardest working, most gifted people the world has to offer. For the love of God.
And don’t tell me about the few that break the rules, I know they’re there, they don’t change things anymore than the fact the Americans are permitted to stock the shelves at, gasp, Home Depot while they train.
Sorry we don’t have centralized sports centers that rip kids from the crib to mold them into athletes at the age of three. That sort of alleviates the need for commerical influence in sports.
Now to Mel Kiper. Seriously Mel, you just sound stupid on the radio when you defend the fact you have to watch 50 games before the college or pro football season starts so that nine months from now you can pretend you know who will be a hall of famer in the NFL. You don’t sound dedicated to your work, you just sound stupid. Get a grip, grab a beer, snuggle into bed with your wife and watch something besides Inside the NFL for two freaking minutes. Or just admit you’re a narrow human being incapable of even noticing your country is kicking ass and when they’re not, some other fabulous athlete is. Be amazed by someone other than your self for once.
Sorry, a little grumpy over here. But it fits considering the men I’m writing about.
UPDATE: Chris Collinsworth has never been my favorite guy, but his stock just shot up. He’s on TV with Bob Costas and it made me remember C.C. has been psyched all week for these athletes showing that it is possible for a football guy to see beyond the field…sorry to have overlooked you Chris, baby!
Kathie, I’m amazed at the number of people including sports broadcasters that have had a negative view on this Olympics. From the pollution in Beijing to the doping to the Human Rights issues with China.
Even after an almost flawless event, one that had the most spectacular opening and closing cerimonies ever, one that the entire nation of China took pride in and worked tirelessly to open their city to the world with grace and warmth, I hear people try to inject venom into the Olympics.
As an aside, I have a lot of experience traveling in China. I watched northern China prepare for the past 6 or so years for this event. I saw Beijing get “Green” and spit-shined. The Chinese are wonderful people and their warmth is genuine, as Chris Collingworth and Bob Costas spoke of. They, in general, have so little, yet they enjoy life so much.
It’s nice to see that someone out there appreciates the coming together of the world. And as CC put it, living in peace for 2 weeks. Why not a month, or two or three?