Posted by
The Patriot on Thursday, August 21, 2008 2:54:27 AM
I thought I was too jaded, too cynical about the state of sports these days to care about the Olympics. Fortunately, I was wrong. As the 2008 Olympics began, I found myself drawn in even though I fully expected to be bored. Part of the time I was even in an "undisclosed location," with a 5" black and white TV, no cable, and a lousy signal. But I watched. I watched, and I cheered, and I thrilled at the performance of America's athletes.
Win or lose, I am immensely proud to see these (mostly) young people representing the United States so very well. I was captivated by Michael Phelps, whose easygoing manner and humility was betrayed only by his intensity in the pool, where he decimated all comers. Diminutive gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson were giants to any who competed against them, but were consummate good sports when their performances were topped by others. What else will we see in the last few days of the games?
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh beat everyone in beach volleyball, just as they have for 107 straight matches now. You'd think they would take it in stride, maybe being a little jaded themselves. But when they defeated the Chinese team to clinch the gold medal, you would have thought it was the very first time they won a tournament. Completely ecstatic, they could hardly contain themselves even through the medal ceremony, fidgeting, grinning and bouncing like little girls. Could it be that this win was different for them? After going something like 415-16, what's one more win? Could it be that winning in the Olympics, under the colors of the United States of America is something special? I'd like to think so.
But Kobe Bryant was probably the most pleasant surprise of the games, and he probably said it best. During an interview with Chris Collinsworth, Bryant admitted that he felt that playing in the Olympics for the U.S.A. was "the ultimate." After Bryant went on to say that he felt "our country is the best," Collinsworth asked if he thought that maybe in this day and age it wasn't "cool" to say those sorts of things. I watched the interview, and Kobe didn't even have to think about his answer. Without missing a beat, he replied, "No, it's a cool thing for me to say. I feel great about it, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I mean, this is a tremendous honor."
If only Barack Obama could find it in himself to be that proud of his country, and to brag unashamedly that he believes it to be the best in the world. It appears that for now, I will find my hope in America's young Olympic athletes. They are all winners in my book. They train for years, in heat or cold, rain or shine, just to get to this day. They proudly don the red, white, and blue, and take the field with the letters "USA" on their chests. They are gracious in victory and defeat, and they tear up if they get to hear the "Star-Spangled Banner" from the victors' podium. So do I. Because I know that as long as our country can produce such champions, there is hope. Real hope.