AWED BY THE AWESOME ?
There are people who casually claim “they never vote.”
There are people who boast “they never read.”
And, there are people who say “they never watch the
Olympics."
Frankly, I cannot imagine my life without including
all three. Rating the Olympics as equivalent to “voting” and “reading” as life
essentials may sound like a stretch.
Here’s my take! I am in absolute awe of these extreme athletes; not only
do they spend a minimum of 10,000 hours in practice, but their ability to perform
under immense pressure at the highest levels of expertise producing
performances of impeccable execution is beyond my comprehension. Rarely do we
have the opportunity to witness this level of excellence, particularly in
multiple sports genres. To watch years of hard work culminate in a five minute
competitive performance is incredibly inspiring. Determination, Tenacity, Perseverance,
Endurance, Commitment, Courage, Dedication, Discipline, Sportsmanship and Heart
– the most cherished character traits of American ideals - are showcased by the
athletes who compete and make it to the Olympic Games. In my opinion, everyone
should watch the Olympics and hear the back stories of these outstanding
athletes, in order to appreciate the work and sacrifices required to
excel.
My whine about the Olympics? Why do the announcers constantly criticize and
emphasize the negatives throughout the performances? And, why is the emphasis
solely on the Gold, while the Silver and Bronze are treated like second
bananas? Participating in the Olympic
Games is a major victory, achieved only by the best of the best. Only a handful
of athletes qualify in a sport to represent each country at the Olympics, after
rounds of eliminating competitions and years of grueling training. Yet, while I would like to enjoy the elite
figure skaters perform their jaw dropping programs, I am forced to listen to
Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski give a running negative critique of every
movement. When did the world get so
hyper-critical and forget to include the deserved praise implicit by these
athletes’ presence on the Olympic stage?
The judges are appointed to ultimately judge on technicalities, but the
commentators and spectators should be supporting these magnificent athletes. As
the married figure skating pair remarked the other night, “mistakes are irrelevant”
in relation to their years of accomplishments and the unique honor of competing
at the Olympics. While understanding the need to elucidate the technical
elements required in each sport, the over emphasis on the negatives over the
positives is, sadly, endemic of today’s culture. It is much too easy to passively sit on a
couch or behind a screen, harshly judging others actively involved in striving
to succeed.
Watching Shaun White on the snowboarding half pipe
at 31 years old succeeding, falling, and coming back with a record breaking score
motivated me to keep dreaming and risking failures in my own life, regardless
of the judgments of others. That is what
living is all about!
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