First, let me just say that I like the winter Olympics Vastly Better than the summer. Skiing is just So Cool– especially that aerial stuff they do. Really Really Amazing.
I like that, for about two weeks, there is something worth watching on television. That said, I Can’t Believe that American Idol got better ratings, and that fact shows, doesn’t it?, that we are, nationally, in a Sorry State of Affairs.
I like the focus on athleticism and hard work and practice. I like learning about athletes from different countries. I like learning about the host country, and seeing how they choose to portray themselves in the opening and closing ceremonies. I like things like an eleven-year-old girl standing alone, spot-lit in a vast stadium, singing impeccably her country’s national anthem.
The Olympics work for me, even though I don’t watch constantly, and don’t keep a medal count. The Olympics make me believe– for two weeks, at least– that many people out there care more about peace and playful competition than about … oh, Other Things.
But my favorite aspect of the Olympics: Bob Costas, who demonstrated Real Intelligence in sports reporting during the ’96 Olympics. He used the word “supine.”
That Made My Day.
