I can't even.

[ceebee_eebee]

The Olympics is going to be over on Sunday, which shall usher in another deep depression for me. I should be ready for it by now as it shows up every two years, but you know how it is. You never really get used to it. And my loving brother (I'm not kidding, I absolutely adore him in every way) just spent an hour berating me about how I could enjoy race walking and synchronized swimming but not have any interest in Penn State v. Michigan. Well...it's simple. I don't give a flying fuck about popular team sports. I don't care about anyone planning to make a million dollars and drive a hummer and have their face splashed all over magazine covers while fucking supermodels. I care about the dude from Togo who won the bronze in a sport that most people have no idea even exists, or the chick from South Africa who swam the women's open water race with one leg, or the Croatian chick who spent her entire life practicing taekwando and came through to win a medal, or Elvan Abeylegesse from Turkey who won a silver medal in the women's 5000m, or Abhinav Bindra who won India's first ever gold medal despite the fact that they've been participating in the Olympics since 1900, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.....

Women and men and boys and girls who spend hour after painful hour training for a sport that the majority of the world could care less about for nothing more than the love of the sport and the dream of one day being the best. I am choking up just typing this. I LOVE THE OLYMPICS MORE THAN ANY OTHER SPORTING EVENT EVER. Because at its foundation it is the purest, most beautiful, most globally magnificent sporting event ever devised. Excuse me while I go watch some kayaking...

Comments

[vann.livejournal.com]

I've never understood why people (in my opinion) waste multi hours watching the Olympics, or what could be possibly interesting about it, but I think this post gives me a little idea of what some people might enjoy about it. It's still definitely not for me, but I can see how it appeals to you, and I like being able to understand the other side of things like that. So thank you.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

You're quite welcome. On a completely unrelated topic, your icon looks like Clinton Kelly from What Not to Wear as a surprisingly happy Borg.

[janissa11.livejournal.com]

Every time I sit down to watch a segment of the O's I think of you. Know that?

*hugs*

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Awww, babe. You know I am just waiting for our fandoms to collide once more. I miss you!

[happydalek.livejournal.com]

So there *are* people like you out there! I don't think I've ever read a better declaration of why the Olympics is so laudable. I never really considered the human element of it like that. Put that way...it's kinda romantic. For the love of the sport. It's the same kind of mentality that underscores us sci-fi/fantasy geeks. Doing something we love, because we want to, regardless of what people think about it, or us. Indeed, thank you for putting it in this light.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

It's the same kind of mentality that underscores us sci-fi/fantasy geeks.

YES!!! I never thought about it that way! Maybe that's part of what I love so much.

[airie-fairy.livejournal.com]

Word, pretty much. Though I also have a fondness for the World Cup. Only conventional team sport I can actually watch/play. I think it's because of the heightened sense of community it brings that regular sports seasons don't really have.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

I think it's because of the heightened sense of community it brings that regular sports seasons don't really have.

Totally. The global nature of it is a massive part of the appeal. And the fact that (aside from corporate sponsorship of a few select champions) there is no real financial gain involved. Just the glory of achieving something for yourself and your country that you've been working at your whole life.

Speaking of the World Cup, did you catch the vid of Mongolians partying in Ulan Bator after they won their first gold medal. INSANITY. Total World Cup level insanity.

[prettyquotable.livejournal.com]

YES! I totally agree with all of this. I LOVE the Olympics and get fiercely patriotic every time it rolls around and I'm just so sad it's nearly over. :(

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

I so agree — I don't watch everything, I TiVo and zip through things (like soccer and baseball) that don't interest me, but yeah, I find myself watching things I would never watch in another context. Like equestrian events, kayaking, track and field, and volleyball; I do draw the line at beach volleyball simply because I can't help feeling the women's "uniforms" are exploitative. Yes, I'm a spoilsport that way.

But I love the arty sports like diving and gymnastics, and so help me, I even find myself watching synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics — I think they're silly. And yet I get my back up when people criticize them for "not being sports" because I think there's an inherent sexism in the criticism. I never said I was completely rational.

The Olympics are those individual stories, though. Even with the team sports - I found myself watching the men's volleyball because of Hugh McCutcheon's family story. And that woman from South Africa was so inspiring!

[madush69.livejournal.com]

The beach volleyball chicks are excellent athletes though.

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

That's absolutely true, and I did watch a little bit of their final and the interview afterward — nothing against them at all! I just know that if I'm jumping around and rolling in the sand, the last thing I want to be wearing is a bikini. I'll admit to thinking the same thing about some of the track and field outfits. Even though the bodies are beautiful, they just look uncomfortable to me.

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Even though the bodies are beautiful, they just look uncomfortable to me.

I know, but they wouldn't wear them if they didn't help the athletes win. It's all about competitive edge and hundreths of a second. The beach volleyball players have said over and over again that the bikinis are perfect because it's SO hot out there. I'll have to take their word on that. Plus, their asses are MAGNIFICENT. Considering the guys play shirtless in most other beach volleyball tournaments, I don't understand why they wear those stupid baggy tank tops in the Os. TAKE YOUR DAMN SHIRTS OFF. However, my newest summer sport love is the kayaking and canoeing. Holy HELL were those some amazing races. And the ARMS on those guys.

But then...I'm shallow. I prefer the winter olympic sports, but the summer is all about the hot, hot bodies in peak athletic condition. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. :-)

[nina-ds.livejournal.com]

I know — if they're going to exploit the volleyball players, let's have some equal opportunity!

I will admit, watching the men's indoor volleyball final, I was rooting for the USA (bless Hugh McCutcheon), but there were some very fine specimens on the Brazilian team, I must say, including a dishy redhead.