Archive for the ‘olympics’ tag
New Medal Count
I would like to see a medal count for the Beijing Olympics based on the country in which the athlete trains. I know this could make a significant difference in swimming and track.
Numbers Game
China has over 1.3 billion citizens. Why am I seeing open seats at Olympic events?
The tragedy of gymnastics
Olympic gymnastics, it seems, is a tragic event. It is one of those judged competitions where the focus is not on personal achievement, but on how much each competitor screws up. This is quite contrary to my favorite sports, like baseball where the runs count up, or swimming where it is a head-to-head race. We are waiting with bated breath to see the next fall, missed dismount, or step out of bands, any of which could be termed “a tragedy of epic proportions” by the rather ridiculous commentators. Now with the advent of new scoring, it is not even possible to have a “perfect 10″ performance. Alas, gymnastics is a tragic sport! And this emphasis on the falling sky keeps me from enjoying it greatly.
The Good Old Days
Anyone remember the good old days of the Dream Team in 1992? I think basketball might be for me the most anticipated event in these 2008 Olympics, simply because I want to see the US returned to its former glory. All indications are that there is a very strong chance of that happening.
Like I have said before, there is no better form of patriotism than sports.
The best kinds of Patriotism
The 4th of July is my favorite secular holiday. It is a great expression of nationalism. We Americans, to celebrate our very existence, set off large, colorful explosions in the night sky, accompanied by lesser but more numerous spectacles on the ground. It is a harmless, fun expression of patriotism.
The Olympics are another of my favorite forms of nationalism. Nations come together in battle, not with tanks, aircraft carriers, artillery, and bombs, but with runners, swimmers, figure skaters, and alpine snipers. Harmless contests, I am unaware of any wars fought due to the results of an Olypmic games.
Snuff it out
Pro-Tibet protesters extinguished the Olympic torch thrice in France today.
Typically I celebrate the Olympics because it is the best sort of nationalism. Sports-related patriotism is the best because it is self-conscious of its arbitrariness. Of course all nationalism is arbitrary, but at least at the Olympics it can be exercised in peace and relative camaraderie between nations.
I only say that because typically I would be quite annoyed with someone disrupting the torch relay. But for whatever reason I am egging the protesters on in my heart.
