1 post tagged “olympics”
I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but I've been thinking about the Olympics and America's place in the world over the past week, and I've been feeling . . . well, a bit underwhelmed. My pride in America's athletic achievements is tempered by what we've allowed our nation to become under the current administration. When President Bush spoke out against Russia's invasion of Georgia, I gotta say it kinda reminded me of those old anti-drug PSAs. . .
(President Bush walks in on Vladimir Putin and Dmitri Medvedev invading the former Soviet Republic of Georgia)
Bush II: "I can't believe you're doing this! Invading a sovereign nation based on a weak argument that you pumped up based on faulty evidence . . . Who taught you how to do this stuff?"
Putin & Medvedev: "YOU, George, OK? We learned it from watching you!"
And at this point, I've got to tell you how excited I am that Dmitri Medvedev is the Russian President because sometimes when I drink while I'm watching the news, I can almost hear President Bush unknowingly quoting President Merkin Muffley while engaged in his special brand of diplomatacy . . . "Well, it's good that you're fine and I'm fine! I agree with you, it's great to be fine! Now, then Dmitri . . . "
But I digress. . .
Some of the events that are part of the Summer Games aren't really summer games at all. Don't get me wrong, I love to watch table tennis when it's played at the supersonic speeds we generally see in Olympic level competition, but when I was a kid, playing ping-pong during the summer was a sure way to get mom to suggest that we go outside and get some fresh air. Then you've got the trampoline event. Again, fun to watch, but it's an indoor event. As a summer event, trampoline competition should really be held outside. Where athletes risk getting hit by passing birds. Really close to the skeet shooting competition. And speaking of the shooting events, I would have expected America to do much better than we did. I mean, it's not like we're teaching it in school, but still. . .
No, I think that the summer games should include more true summer games. Games like kickball, tag or hide and seek. At least in that last one, America would still be a strong contender for the Silver . . . maybe even the Bronze.
