Sunday, February 14, 2010

Exciting Olympics

I stayed up too late last night watching Olympic events. I like short track speed skating for its unpredictable free for all nature. Apollo Ohno won silver only because two of three Koreans out front at the end of the race, set to sweep, tripped each other. They both went down and slammed into the barrier so the two Americans got second and third.

You could see their faces in the slow mo replay of their fall as they realized the significance of what had just happened. But that's short track speed skating.

It is interesting to learn how many of the athletes have parents from two different countries. Like the young American woman who won gold in moguls. One of her parents is Canadian. And the Frenchman who just won an exciting Cross Country Combined event was born in Montana, with one parent American and one French. That was one of the most exciting finishes I have seen in a race. We are a small world afterall!

I like some events and don't others. I like the winter Olympic events more than the summer Olympic events.

3 comments:

  1. I LOVE THE OLYMPICS! I LOVE THE OPENING CEREMONIES! I LOVE THE COOPERATION OF THE NATIONS! I LOVE THE MEMORIES IT BRINGS BACK FROM MY CHILDHOOD OF THE EXCITEMENT OF A UNITED WORLD! I WISH THE ENTIRE U.S. FELT THIS WAY. THANKS, JODY-TO KNOW SOMEONE ELSE DOES!

    TAKE CARE,

    JUDITH

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  2. I do love them, Judith. How those young people stand up to that pressure is incredible. I like to learn about all the little countries, who might send one athlete. I like, for the most part, the good sportsmanship portrayed, although in the original Olympics, the athletes were there to win at all costs, no glory in defeat.

    The Nordic Combined event ending was something else, with the top three battling it fiercely to the end, then they all collapsed on the snow exhausted.

    It's like peaceful war, in a way.

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  3. I too like the spirit of participation by so many countries in the Olympics. I a not fond of the overly corporate sponsorship but I guess that is where one gets money, sigh! I also - and I know this is a minority opinion but it is my heritage since I lost relatives in the Holocaust - that the relay of the torch through the country is good in the sense people get to participate but that becomes political and the fact it was started by Hitler and a great PR project for the Nazis makes my skin crawl. However, I love the torch itself and what it stands for - that is an original Greek Olympic tradition, which is what it should be about.

    I was happy to see the young Swiss woman who won the bronze medal in a snowboarding racing event try to get the Canadian and American (mostly though there are others) excited since this is the first time a Canadian woman has won a gold medal in any Olympics on home turf. A young man - now a hero - (and his inspiration was his brother Frederick who has cerebral palsy, such a lovely story!) actually became our first EVER in Canada to win. We've won gold before , just not in Canada, lol Amazing, we have a large country but a small population so we do not do as well as we might. There was one guy - who won the Olympic moguls gold last time, who did not even smile (ad he is a Canadian who moved to Australia- long story there) , but I prefr the happy cheerful tales of people who care about the world they live in and are passionate about their sport and others. Like Clara Hughes and others who work for "Play for Sport", (I hope that is the right name!) an org that helps children in underdeveloped countries learn sports. And I love it when kids who are not well off get to win! One has to actually think that is one ting at least the communist countries did- it did not matter how much money you had but how good you were! Of course , it was hardly perfect and their govts were awful....

    But I watch many events- love curling, (which is something even I who is so unathletic can play tho not at any significant level, lol , hockey (of course, I am Cdn lol) and skating of all kinds. I like snowboarding and skiing as well and my nephew who lives in New England where that seems VERY popular is very involved in the sport so has taught me some of the moves, not that I'd ever attempt them, lol

    Enjoy the Olympics! And I agree- the winter ones are much more exciting for some reason! Maybe because I live in a country that has a cold climate sometimes? Not sure really.... or I just like most of the sports better!

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