We’ve been a little obsessed with the Olympics in the Three-Times-A-Mom household lately, and I have to say I’m somewhat relieved that most of my favorite sports are over. Even with TIVO I’ve been staying up way too late and neglecting too much housework, but how can you resist when they only come around every 4 years?! Here are a few random Olympic thoughts that have been floating around my head:
Isn’t Michael Phelps amazing?! Not only is he the greatest Olympian of all time, not only does he look a lot like my husband in form and face (though not nearly as attractive), but he seems like a genuinely nice guy. He was quick to give credit to the teammates who helped him win 25% of his medals doesn’t seem intent on tooting his own horn. Unlike…
Mark Spitz. I wasn’t around to see his golden races but his attitude for these makes me think I didn’t miss much. He seemed determined to turn every praise of Phelps back into a promotion of himself and reportedly was quite annoyed at not being invited to bestow the 8th gold himself. The person I would have liked to see put the gold around Phelp’s neck, however, is…
His mom! My favorite moment thus far in the games has been that shot of Debbie Phelps holding up 2 fingers for Silver, and then disappearing onto the floor when she realized her son won another gold. Because I’m lame I can’t find the video clip to link, but if you haven’t seen it you need to.
How gorgeous are the Chinese women who escort the athletes around the arenas and assist in the medals ceremonies? Their dresses are exquisite (again, too lame to find a photo) and I find that the more I grow to love my daughter, the more beautiful Asian features become.
Can dressage really be called a sport? And if so, shouldn’t it be the horse that gets a medal rather than the rider? It seems to me that anything in which a 64 year-old man can complete with athletes in their 20s or 30s, or a man competes equally with women (sorry girls, we really aren’t as strong) can’t really be all that athletic of an event.
Two sports I’m sorry to see go are baseball and softball. I wasn’t especially worked up about it until I found out the reasons: baseball doesn’t attract enough “stars” and softball attracts so many American stars that we’ve never lost the gold. Does that mean we should eliminate diving because the Chinese are so dominant?
I’m not normally a huge fan of Track and Field events, but this year I will be watching 2 races with interest: the woman’s 200 meter because of Allyson Felix, and the men’s decathlon because of Bryan Clay. Both are believers, and I have less than seven degrees of separation from both. Allyson attended the same High School as Danny and her father teaches at the seminary attached to our church, and Bryan’s wife is a good friend of my sister’s. So there you go – I “know” two Olympians.
Some Olympians I’m not sad to call strangers as a group are the sprinters, and the Jamaican’s have especially rubbed me the wrong way. They are remarkably talented… and remarkably lacking in humility. I know it’s wrong to judge based on those few moments we see on television, but they stand in stark contrast to so many others who seem to handle their success with grace.
How does anyone watch the games without a DVR? We watch 12 hours worth of broadcasting in 2! Just can’t imagine doing it any other way. The downside, however, is that despite our best efforts we often end up knowing the outcome before we get a chance to see it. Why is it that my MSN homepage has the option of hiding the results, but then plasters photos and headlines all over the rest of the page? I’ve gotten quite skilled at averting my eyes and rushing on over to Google or a Favorite.
Well that’s all I’ve got time for – the Olympics (and dinner!) are calling.
4 comments:
I didn't watch a whole lot of the Olympics this time - too late, too tired, too lame (me, that is, not the Olympics). My husband was a swimmer in high school and college and now our son is starting to enjoy it, too, so we really enjoyed watching Michael Phelps.
You know one thing I don't understand? Beach volleyball. Ugh. How come the men are dressed more modestly than the women?
And I love what you said about your daughter. So very sweet.
Yes, we've been having some really great times watching the Olympics on DVR! I loved watching the women's marathon in ten minutes!
I agree, I'd like to see Michael Phelps' mom award him the medal...in his case, he definitely earned it...but in so many cases, it seems the mom should be the one receiving all the props. I know my mom for example has earned 4 Eagle Scout awards. LOL. Maybe that is just a parenting style.
Anyway, so much fun to watch, and I love how it DVRs in smaller sections so I can save the event stopped at a spot Ruby would like, and watch it with her too.
Oh my, I'm tired. I've been watching way too much TV, too. I can't imagine the Olympics without a DVR. Instant replays, no commercials, never miss a thing. It's the only way. :)
Laura, so funny that you mentioned how Danny looks like Michael Phelps. We wanted to e-mail you to tell you we thought that. And, yes, we caught the Olympic fever also. We were in Tahoe for my brother's wedding part of the time and missed some good stuff - no DVR at the hotel. :)
Post a Comment