The Olympics: My Sacred Cow

I love the Olympics.  Every two years I become a total junkie and watch sporting events that I neither understand much about or would normally watch all because I love the competitive nationalism that is the Olympics.  I love it all from the parade of nations at the Opening Ceremonies to the final medal presentation at the very last event.  We don't own a TV, but Joey always ensures that we have one we can borrow for two weeks during the Olympics because he knows just how upset I'll be if I miss a moment of the games. 

So I didn't realize how emotionally attached I am to the Olympics until Monday morning.  There I was, hamstering away on an elliptical machine at 6:15 a.m. at the gym and unabashedly watching CNN on the big plasma TV (I'm first and foremost a news junkie) when they cut into the broadcast with breaking news from Paris.

The Olympic torch relay, of course.

I was quite transfixed as I watched protesters try to jump on the poor torch bearer and attempt to throw water over the police and Chinese security brigade that was surrounding the torch-bearer.  Indignant, I began to elliptical faster.  I began to feel very, very sorry for the gold-medalist athletes who were being honored by their country to carry the Olympic torch but were getting rotten vegetables thrown at them, among other things. 

I feel awful for the people in Tibet, really I do, and I would love to see them restored to autonomy.  But the Olympics aren't something that, in my opinion, should be hijacked for political motivations.  Diplomacy, people.  Diplomacy.  As I watched the rioting in Paris, the reporter said that the Olympic torch had been extinguished and they were completing the route by bus. It was then that I realized that I realized I had better think about something else or I would likely begin to cry.

Crying over Olympic torch relay protests?  I'm afraid it's true.  I may have moved beyond an Olympic junkie to an Olympic nerd.  So I am sitting here at 9 a.m. CST kind of nervous for the torch relay in San Francisco.  I hope no one gets hurt.

But can you even imagine how cool the opening ceremonies will be this year?  China has some awesome cultural things (those stretchy dragons with four people hidden inside that do the funky up-and-down dancing; I totally love those) and I can't wait to see how they display their country's traditions.

OK, that's enough schmaltz for one day.  You guys are going to all stop reading my blog if I'm not careful.