I'm sitting here late at night, everyone else in their rooms asleep, as is often the case. I'm watching womens hockey. I'm not really a hockey fan. I'm really not really a womens hockey fan.
But. It's. The. Olympics!
Gold medal game between Team USA and Canada. Whether you love hockey or not, that's exciting!
I love watching the Olympics. Not only because I love sports and these games are the best of the best in each sport. I love everything about them..... the locations, the history, the athlete's stories.
Some of the sports I have zero interest in. Curling, for one. I just don't get it. At all. Most of the skiing events are kind of boring to me. (Moguls just look painful) Watching figure skating is my favorite. Always has been. I love watching speed skating. I love the bobsled (those quads!!!!). During these two weeks every four years, I become a fan of ski jumping, biathlon, snowboarding and a dozen other sports that I otherwise never ever watch.
You can't tell me you're a true American if you were not screaming and cheering when Shaun White came from behind to win his third gold medal in the half pipe. What a truly amazing moment for him, and for Team USA.
I love the traditions of the Olympics. I love how not only are the athletes competing against each other, but they are often competing with themselves.... to better themselves. The Canadian ice dancers...... flawless once again. The mens bobsled gold medal competition ended in a tie. Yes, a tie. In a sport where time is measured in hundredths of a second..... through four different runs, two teams ended up with the exact same time. Craziness.
There are hundreds of storylines during the Olympics.... some sad moments, a lot of victorious moments. People crash on the mountainside. People fall on the ice. People get hurt. People live up to their potential. They kick ass and take names, reaching the pinnacle of their sport, allowing the world to cheer them on. These athletes jump dozens of meters in the air, landing on 3" white skis. They speed down a mountain faster than I drive in my car (and I drive fast). They hold each other upside down while spinning on the ice. They defy the odds time and again, and the world cheers for them.
The Olympics bring out the ultra-patriotic athlete in all of us, and I'm always sad when they are over.
Go Team USA!
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