Why I Love The Olympics

There are a few things I look forward to in this world. New Doctor Who episodes, the release of the Sam Adams Oktoberfest, the start of the college football season, and the Olympics. The Olympics are two weeks of pure enjoyment for the sports fan inside me. There are so many reasons it grabs my enjoyment.

First and foremost is the patriotism that flows forth during the Olympics. I can forget things I'm not thrilled with, like the horrible economy and our idiot President. For two weeks, it's all USA, USA, USA! I may not know who these people are but I'm pulling for them to beat up on opponents from places like Finland. I may have to bust out a mini American flag and wave it around from my couch.

Then, we get to the part that it's two straight weeks of great sports. Normally, if it's not football, baseball, or soccer, it can pretty much be The Jay Leno Show, because I'm not watching it. Maybe it’s the drama, but all of a sudden, I think the Nordic Combined is the best sport known to man.

I can honestly say that outside of the Olympics, I don't watch curling. Hell, I go out of my way to actively avoid it. However, just today requested a day off of work to watch the US/Russia women's curling match (2/19, 12 noon, USA Network). Plus, I need to know how heavy the curling stone is and how big this sport is in Canada.

I think one of my favorite parts is NBC. I mean, besides Chuck, I don't even think about watching NBC. I even cringe when I want to watch a Notre Dame game or a Sunday Night NFL Game, because the sports on the network must be directed by a drunken monkey. However, they know how to put on the Olympics.

The one thing that makes NBC great is Bob Costas. Yes, Bob is past his prime and can't quiet catch up to the fastball anymore but his interviews are top notch. He blows the door off the creepiness factor when he interviews attractive female athletes. When the three USA fencers swept the medals in Beijing, I think I saw one of the top TV moments of all time. I felt the need to take a shower after watching it. I can't wait for Lindsey Vonn to win a medal. It's going to be great.

Last, but not least, is the drama. NBC always amps up the sap to make you root for some Bulgarian alpine skier who's sister lost her foot in a thrasher accident but still works 60 hours a week to support his dream. It makes you want to root for the guy, even if he has no chance of bring home the gold.

To balance this out, there is always some punk who thinks they are entitled to a medal when the Olympic Gods smack them down (to my utter pleasure). In 2006, during the final run of the Women's Snowboard Cross, American Lindsey Jacobellis was coasting her way to a gold medal when on the second to last jump, she decided to showboat and pull a method grab, only to completely douche the landing and wipe out. This allowed the woman behind her to easily coast past her as Jacobellis was floundering like a fish out of water trying to get up. Jacobellis finally got and finished in second.

We all learned an important lesson, after we finished laughing. Don't screw with the God's of fate. Play the sport with pride and integrity and you can be remembered for all time as an Olympic champion. If you become egotistical and showboat, you can end up like Jacobellis and be a laughing stock. That is why the Olympics are great; they are mostly played with pride and integrity. Well, unless you're a client of BALCO, but that's a different story.