The O

Those of you who know me know that I enjoy women's basketball and Eagles football. I guess it's not a stretch to find out that I actually like almost every single sport known to man. Just to maintain domestic harmony, I don't subject Janet to my sports desires on a regular basis… Except every two years, at Olympics time.

 Right now I'm in seventh heaven… Every sport you can think of is available during a two-week period and Janet humors me during the O. You can watch all sorts of sports both common and unusual; table tennis, water polo, beach volleyball, equestrian, team handball, swimming, gymnastics, soccer, basketball etc. And with the advent of free cable television channels, I can find a sport I want to watch 24 hours a day. One of my pet peeves has finally been addressed; women's sports are being given equal television coverage!

 For a week leading up to the start of the Olympics, I was practically jumping out of my skin with excitement. On Friday, the day of the Opening Ceremonies, I told my health aide to watch for it that night. She acted excited, and then got a concerned expression on her face. She turned to me and asked “Those eye countries aren't going to be in it, are they?" I expressed confusion… I had no idea what she was talking about. She then said," You know, the ones we're fighting." I then figured out that she meant Iran and Iraq. I chose not to tell her that we hadn't been at war with Iran, that we were finished fighting with Iraq and we were now fighting in Afghanistan. For once, I chose to avoid the politics and the recent history lesson. In my current frame of mind, it was more important to me to tell her about the O, clearly she didn't get it.

I explained that the Olympics are not supposed to be about wars or politics; they are supposed to be above all that. They are a tribute to good sportsmanship and national pride overcoming world politics and squabbles between nations. I tried to explain how Muslims and Jews, North and South Koreans, Iraqis and Americans and Muslim men and Muslim women all of whom have disagreements for different reasons but march together peaceably during the Opening Ceremonies. Any differences they have are resolved civilly at the different athletic venues.

 I knew my argument had fallen on deaf ears when, after I thought I made my point, she then proceeded to say, “So I guess they are allowing those countries in, anyway." Sighe

 I managed to get over my annoyance and enjoyed the opening. I hate to admit it, but when I hear some of the Olympians stories, when I watch my favorites win and I see the medal ceremonies I get teary-eyed. They don't have to be American (although it helps); like the South African amputee sprinter or the British teenage diver, they or their families just need to overcome some sort of obstacle to get there. The Games turn me into a bit of a sentimental sap but I seem to like it that way.

 Unfortunately, every night NBC has the local late-night news after their prime time Olympic coverage. Every night, my cocoon of sentimental warm fuzzy feelings is burst by stories of murder, rape and robbery. Welcome back to reality. I wish the Olympic spirit would pervade our everyday lives although I know some people will say I'm being too simplistic and unrealistic.