Tuesday, August 26, 2008

I was a little disappointed with the Olympic Closing Ceremony the other night. Why? Because frankly they weren't even close to the spectacle of the Opening Ceremony. Sure it had some cool effects, like the guys climbing up and down the Memory Tower like ants up a tree. I guess what I was really disappointed in was the NBC coverage. Sure they showed Jackie Chan like a fool and some Chinese S Club 7 wannabes, but they didn't really talk to the Athletes. The Closing Ceremony is one of the worlds biggest parties! I just enjoy watching all the athletes have a good time celebrating each other's victories and hardships. Sure I envy them. Who doesn't want to be involved in such a spectacle, but it's neat to just sit back and watch people from around the world celebrate together and enjoy each other. It's such a rare things these days to see. Heck you can hardly see two people from the same city get along in different cars on the highway.

So my couple weeks of great sport watching is over until 2012. I think in four years I'll be taking two weeks off just to watch the games. I had to DVR most of the events while I was at work and sleeping (meaning I taped them while I slept, and while I worked, not while I was slept at work, give me a little more credit than that), which actually turned out quite nice. I could skip commercials and watch only the events I wanted to. My only grips were Bob Costa giving me the outcomes before I was able to watch my recorded events (not his fault though, he didn't know I taped them [I think]) and the fact that commercials would cut out part of my volleyball match. At one time it was 12-8, they cut to commercial and when you got back it was 12-14! What the flip happened?! I don't know?! I was watching a commercial.

All in all it was a satisfying Olympics. Sure the Chinese beat the USA in Olympic golds, but that's okay. As I've stated before, the games aren't really about winning. Sort of like Life really. It's not really about winning, but more about how you play, your determination and will to persevere against all odds. Even with the games of the 29th Olympiad over, there is still much to take from them.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Miss me? Probably not. In fact if my popularity is anywhere remotely close to Big Brother then you didn't even know I was gone. Well your time of wonder as to where I went is over. To be anti-dramatic, I didn't go anywhere. I was just too lazy to blog. But things have changed. There is stuff to blog about these days! Like what you ask? Oh you silly silly people. The Olympics that's what!

I've been waiting for 8.8.08 since 02.26.06 (the end of the 2006 Winter Olympics). I live for the Olympics! So what are we looking at this year? A domination of swimming gold medals by Michael Phelps? A first-time, 2 gold medal achievement by volleyball greats Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh? Perhaps even a USA basketball revival by the Redeem Team.

No matter what the outcome of the games, the principle of The Games is always clear. A pursuit of sport with the purpose of peace and unity of all nations on the planet. For the next two weeks Beijing, China will be the center of our universe. During times of great unrest and conflict across this globe our differences will be forgotten for the single purpose of competing in sport. To be the best with our body in the world and for that to stand for the next four years.

Every country has its problems. China is no exception to that. But perhaps hosting the Olympic Games is China's way of stating they are ready to be included with the rest of the people on this world. They are ready to make a stand and begin to find solutions to issues such as government corruption and the violence at Darfur. Right now, in China all that is is sport. It will be up to China after The Games are over to take the next step.

There is something to learn from everything that happens in our lives. Maybe even from the creed of the Olympic Games.
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.