Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Catch that Olympic Spirit
Did you know that they made 8000 shuttlecocks for the Sydney Olympics, from the feathers of 12000 geese? Evidently, there are only 6-7 feathers on one goose that are suitable for making an Olympic-quality shuttlecock. Additionally, they don’t use air conditioning in the stadium because the air currents mess up the flight of the cock. Must be hot in Athens.
I love that about the Olympics: the event’s sheer massiveness. Really, when you think about it, its one of the best events humans can routinely pull off on a worldwide scale. Every four years, hundreds of thousands of people swamp some unlucky metropolis to celebrate the universal athletic spirit of humans.
People in the American media gripe that there are too many events in the Olympics, which is a horrible falsehood. Sports like Badminton or Men’s Field Hockey, which aren’t culturally relevant in our country, are HUGE in other parts of the world. As long as there is healthy competition between multiple nations, a sport deserves to be at the Olympics. I think they should expand, to include Texas Hold-Em, Rugby, Starcraft, Super Smash Bros, etc.
Watching from another country has made 2004 a better experience as well. Obviously the coverage in Australia focuses on the exploits of Australian athletes, be that in Equestrian or Skeet Shooting. The American media does the same thing, as I am sure most other countries do. However, what is missing is the sob stories, the vignettes, Dick Enberg’s special moments. Instead we are shown event after event. Entire games of Team Handball and Water Polo.
I enjoy watching these sports because I can appreciate the athleticism it takes to succeed at these sports, something I have lost after watching play after play of basketball or NFL. That’s not to say I like these sports more, its just interesting to watch from a new fan’s perspective. I also can root for teams and players for no reason other than because I want to. I don’t have to know the personal life of the star players, or his contract. Nowadays, when I think about my favorite baseball or football team, cap numbers or years remaining on contracts are part of the equation. The Olympics bring back the glory days of “I like the Russian team because that guy has a big head.”
Speaking of Russians, I was reminiscing that the Olympics were better when there was the Communist-West battle going on. Now, America is the biggest and best. There hasn’t been an Anti-American slant in the coverage at all, although the Australians are pleased that they have more swimming golds than us. The only Anti-American commentators were the Men’s Basketball Team.
Of course, we can say the Men team deserved it after their performance. You have to blame the selectors for this one. The team is way too young: Bron, Melo, and Dwyane Wade are freaking children. What would you do in Athens if you were 19, rich, and single? I thought so. Of course they are staying on the freaking Queen Mary 2 rather than in the Olympic Village. I hope they get kidnapped by pirates.
Additionally, this team contains several wildly overrated players, including three players from the 2003-04 Suns. They won 29 games last year. Why not put three Wizards on there instead? Stack Gilbert Areanas and…Etan Thomas? The only players worth keeping are Duncan Odom, and maybe Iverson. If it was 2001, you’d want Iverson starting on any team, but I worry he has slipped a little. GP in three years? I hope not.
Regardless am I rooting for them hard. I don’t want to lose to some crap country, and losing to Puerto Rico is pathetic. Shouldn’t they be trying out for our team anyways? This is like losing to the state of Rhode Island. I am proud of our players and our country’s basketball supremacy, and I want the players to prove it. To do so, we will have to capitalize on our superior athleticism, since we can’t shoot a lick. I recommend a full court press and running the ball on every play. And go small: Duncan, Odom at the 4 Iverson, and whoever’s hot. Coach Brown I hope you are reading.
I love that about the Olympics: the event’s sheer massiveness. Really, when you think about it, its one of the best events humans can routinely pull off on a worldwide scale. Every four years, hundreds of thousands of people swamp some unlucky metropolis to celebrate the universal athletic spirit of humans.
People in the American media gripe that there are too many events in the Olympics, which is a horrible falsehood. Sports like Badminton or Men’s Field Hockey, which aren’t culturally relevant in our country, are HUGE in other parts of the world. As long as there is healthy competition between multiple nations, a sport deserves to be at the Olympics. I think they should expand, to include Texas Hold-Em, Rugby, Starcraft, Super Smash Bros, etc.
Watching from another country has made 2004 a better experience as well. Obviously the coverage in Australia focuses on the exploits of Australian athletes, be that in Equestrian or Skeet Shooting. The American media does the same thing, as I am sure most other countries do. However, what is missing is the sob stories, the vignettes, Dick Enberg’s special moments. Instead we are shown event after event. Entire games of Team Handball and Water Polo.
I enjoy watching these sports because I can appreciate the athleticism it takes to succeed at these sports, something I have lost after watching play after play of basketball or NFL. That’s not to say I like these sports more, its just interesting to watch from a new fan’s perspective. I also can root for teams and players for no reason other than because I want to. I don’t have to know the personal life of the star players, or his contract. Nowadays, when I think about my favorite baseball or football team, cap numbers or years remaining on contracts are part of the equation. The Olympics bring back the glory days of “I like the Russian team because that guy has a big head.”
Speaking of Russians, I was reminiscing that the Olympics were better when there was the Communist-West battle going on. Now, America is the biggest and best. There hasn’t been an Anti-American slant in the coverage at all, although the Australians are pleased that they have more swimming golds than us. The only Anti-American commentators were the Men’s Basketball Team.
Of course, we can say the Men team deserved it after their performance. You have to blame the selectors for this one. The team is way too young: Bron, Melo, and Dwyane Wade are freaking children. What would you do in Athens if you were 19, rich, and single? I thought so. Of course they are staying on the freaking Queen Mary 2 rather than in the Olympic Village. I hope they get kidnapped by pirates.
Additionally, this team contains several wildly overrated players, including three players from the 2003-04 Suns. They won 29 games last year. Why not put three Wizards on there instead? Stack Gilbert Areanas and…Etan Thomas? The only players worth keeping are Duncan Odom, and maybe Iverson. If it was 2001, you’d want Iverson starting on any team, but I worry he has slipped a little. GP in three years? I hope not.
Regardless am I rooting for them hard. I don’t want to lose to some crap country, and losing to Puerto Rico is pathetic. Shouldn’t they be trying out for our team anyways? This is like losing to the state of Rhode Island. I am proud of our players and our country’s basketball supremacy, and I want the players to prove it. To do so, we will have to capitalize on our superior athleticism, since we can’t shoot a lick. I recommend a full court press and running the ball on every play. And go small: Duncan, Odom at the 4 Iverson, and whoever’s hot. Coach Brown I hope you are reading.
# posted by Marmaniac @ 8:33 PM 
