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Home > Blogs > West Chester News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > August > 18 > Entry
Glued to the TV
Today’s post isn’t unique to West Chester Twp, but I highly suspect it’s relevant to many of you out there.
I’m talking about the Olympics.
How many of you stayed up this weekend to watch Michael Phelps add to his already impressive collection of gold medals?
More tellingly, how many of you knew who Michael Phelps was at this time two years ago?
Now I have nothing but respect for the U.S. Olympic team, and what their swimmers did in the pool over the last two weeks. But in between the events highlighted by the NBC stations, there was a lot more going on at the Olympics.
By picking between ultra-hyped events and timing my TV time, I’ve been able to catch the following:
A phenomenal new world record in the men’s 100-meter dash. The British cycling team establishing dominance in the Olympic velodrome. Badminton mixed doubles and mens finals with all the drama of a U.S. Open match. And enough table tennis to convince me there are people on this planet with Spider Man’s reflexes.
It’s those obscure, less visible sports that really show the Olympic spirit for me. A badminton player, at least in the U.S., is not going to get the endorsements and press time that a swimmer or gymnast might. But there’s something more pure, in my opinion, in that player’s gold medal celebration than that of American media’s next Olympic poster child.
Root for the swimmers and the gymnasts. They’ve spend a lifetime working toward a point of athletic perfection few of us will ever experience, and they deserve their once-in-four-years moment in the spotlight.
But if you’ve got Tivo or DVR, make sure you catch some of the 3 a.m., no-one-in-the-stands events. It may take a minute to understand the sports (if anyone understands all the time stoppages in water polo, I could use a tutorial), but it will be easy enough - and possibly more inspiring - to read the emotions on the medalists’ faces.
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