Sweet
The Thrill of Victory 
A few nights ago I was lying in bed watching NBC’s coverage of the Olympics. At about the 200 meter mark of the mens 4X100 freestyle relay, I sat up and turned up the volume. My wife joked and asked if I thought that would help team USA swim faster. Alas, it did not but in a nutshell that moment is what I love the most about sports in general and the Olympics in particular. Now don’t get me wrong, one of my favorite things about the Olympics is learning the names of obscure athletes in obscure events and then spending two weeks name dropping and acting like a pretentious jerk (I do this with the Kentucky Derby as well), but even greater than that is the pureness of competition.
I have mentioned before that I will race you at any given moment for any given task or situation. Pretty much anything gets more interesting and more fun when there is a chance to emerge victorious. I love the Olympics not because I am a fan of swimming or shot putting, but because I am a fan of watching athletes that have dedicated their life to something put it all on the line against each other or against the clock. In fact, sometimes when I am eating Oreos, I imagine there is a little green digital line moving between the box and my mouth that represents world record pace, just makes it more fun that way.
I love that moment when the end of the race nears and someone begins to break from the pack and surge to the finish. To me, there is no greater drama than that regardless of what kind of event it is. Peppering in the fact that my rooting interest is an act of patriotism only adds to the enjoyment. In short, that is why I love the Olympics. The pageantry is OK and while Mary Poppins will always be on my top 5 list of fictional characters, the opening ceremonies don’t do much for me. I love the Olympics because sport and competition have a way of making me rise up out of my seat and share in the drama that can only be provided by a level of competition measured in hundredths of a second. Watching an athlete’s life of work and dedication boil down to one definitive moment of triumph is totally sweet.
Weak
The Agony of Defeat
cartoon by Clay Bennett
As much as I love competition and the Olympics in general, there is a part of it that frustrates me. That part is events that are not raced or scored but rather judged. I am not suggesting that the judging isn’t top-notch and impartial but I cannot seem to develop the same type of rooting interest when I cannot discern a winner from a loser. For instance, last night I watched synchronized diving for a bit (side note, I see that there isn’t a ton of package that needs covering but something about a plumber’s crack doesn’t seem very Olympian to me, could we not get like an inch more fabric on those Speedos?). I was blown away by the twisty rolls and the spinny turns (sorry if my vernacular gets to technical for you) these guys were doing in perfect sync but sometimes even before they hit the water the commentator was telling me how horrible it was and pointing out a leg separation or a bit too much twist and not enough roll.
While events like diving and gymnastics are entertaining and I can be in awe of the physical display being put on, I just can’t get as invested as if I were rooting for someone to get to the water first or jump the highest. I hate that moment when the dive or apparatus is complete and everyone just waits around while the judges give their most educated opinion on how good something was. Maybe if I had invested the time to understand figure skating or the parallel bars better, I would be able to embrace the judging component better but for me it is just easier to recognize a winner by the person that got to the finish first, lifted the heaviest thing, or threw something the farthest.
Regardless of my novice understanding of those events, the XXX Olympics is nothing like that thing I almost watched on pay per view in that Hilton in Dallas a while back. While the opening ceremonies lacked a Mr. Belvedere reference and had no shiny pickup trucks like when they were down here in the glorious south, I will always tune in and follow along. The Olympics are great but seeing someone’s dream and life of work and dedication go down the tube because of slight knee separation on the second flying rolly turn is totally weak.
Simon C. Holland 
August 2nd, 2012 at 4:36 pm
I always thought the “judged” events were unfair. Who are these guys to give someone a 10, or a 6, or whatever? it’s all so subjective. It’s like doing an Art Olympics. Someone will give Picasso a 10 and a 3 to van Gogh. How is that fair???
August 1st, 2012 at 7:29 am
I love the Olympics for the same reasons, but love Gymnastics! Perhaps because in my youth I was in dance and Gymnastics. I know the effort, the hard work and so love to watch them at the very height of their career.
August 1st, 2012 at 10:51 am
Without a doubt they are amazing athletes, I love watching them too.
August 1st, 2012 at 3:40 am
Yet another excellent read. I am a HUGE Olympics fan and love your take on the whole games!
August 1st, 2012 at 10:50 am
Wow, what kind words. I appreciate you reading and agree, the Olympics are awesome.
August 1st, 2012 at 2:37 am
Well done, both the sweet and the weak! I enjoyed them both very much. 🙂
August 1st, 2012 at 10:50 am
Thanks Penny, I appreciate you stopping by.
August 1st, 2012 at 11:00 am
My pleasure. I love to read and when it is well written and interesting, well it does become easy to say nice things. 🙂
August 1st, 2012 at 11:04 am
You are too kind, thanks so much.
August 1st, 2012 at 12:57 pm
🙂
August 1st, 2012 at 1:09 am
I read your post and I loved it. I was in the middle of sympathy when South Korean fencer lost the game against Germany in the fencing event. Have you heard of that controversial match? Such a drama.
Anyway visit me back at
http://www.lettersformike.wordpress.com
August 1st, 2012 at 10:53 am
Yes, it was heartbreaking for her to have to stand there all that time. Thanks for stopping by to read.
July 31st, 2012 at 10:14 pm
I was just talking about this weakness with some folks. Coincidence. I think what those judged athletes do is incredible. However, I agree that it the only judgement that should be needed to determine who is the best of the best might come down to a photo finish…or something of that nature. What Japan was able to do just makes those events seem less “Olympic like”. Enjoyed the blog.
August 1st, 2012 at 10:49 am
Thanks so much for reading, glad to know someone is on the same page.
July 31st, 2012 at 8:14 pm
Why did you put “not what you think”? You KO’d a totally awesome hook!
=)
July 31st, 2012 at 8:51 pm
I actually thought of you when I didn’t leave it that way and love that you called me out on it. I thought the joke was too obvious but you are probably right.
August 1st, 2012 at 10:46 am
XXX Olympics brings so many possibilities to mind!
August 1st, 2012 at 10:55 am
I may need to set up an anonymous blog to write that post haha.
July 31st, 2012 at 8:00 pm
I do like gymnastics and diving too, because I like to see if my assessment matches that of the judges. Of course, it never does, but it’s fun for a few seconds to think I know what I’m looking at.
July 31st, 2012 at 3:10 pm
What a coinkydink that we both posted something about Olympic booties hanging out? Unfortunately I did not get to see the men’s synchronized divers’ plumber’s cracks, probably because I was on another channel ogling the water polo team’s Chippendale’s get up. I agree that Olympic competition is awesome (i.e. Missy Franklin epitomizes American spirit of competition) but commercialism, attention-getting uniforms, and corrupt judging can really be a drag.
July 31st, 2012 at 3:18 pm
Yeah, Franklin is fun to root for. I love the Olympics, probably partly because they are only every 4 years but they are great. Also besides some of the questionable uniforms, really good family stuff too.
July 31st, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Almost watched on pay per view? Mmmhhmm. I love watching dudes get all excited about sports, I don’t know why. It makes me think like….I’m so happy they can feel!
July 31st, 2012 at 2:39 pm
hahaha, look we can be sensitive creatures with feelings and everything. It is weird though that sometimes it takes a pool full of dudes in spandex to really tap into that emotion for us.
July 31st, 2012 at 7:35 pm
By the by, I don’t watch the Olympics because I just laughed manically when I heard that we have 500 swimming medals and the next country after that is Australia with way less. The laugh frightened me.