The Olympic Post...everybody's doing it

Ah, the Olympics.

Every four years I am, along with my sister, inspired to get back in the pool. I love watching the swimming. While I was in high school our coach made sure we watched the Olympics. In fact, he would record it and use it as a teaching tool.

My mind was blown by the awesomeness that was the opening ceremonies. I think my favorite part was the printing tiles thing. The representations of the wind and water dropping into a calm pool. Then, much to my amazement, the little boxes came to their full height, the tops flipped open, and there were people in there. My jaw dropped. There were people in there? NO WAY!

I really like watching the Parade of Nations as well. All these athletes are here to be the best in the world. I really liked seeing those countries with fewer that 20 athletes. Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ivory Coast. I like the fact that eventhough they know deep down that they probably won't get a medal, they probably won't set any world records, they probably won't even be televised but they are representing their country.

The tears usually cloud my vision not just for the United States but for everyone that is literally at the top of their game. I'm flipping between women's vollyball and women's weight lifting. I didn't even know there was women's weight lifting. There's an athlete from Turkey named Sibel Ozkan that is 20 years old and wants to be a teacher. When she did her last clean and jerk and knew she won the silver, she ran off the competition area and jumped into the arms of her coach (tear, she did what she wanted). China's Chen Xiexia won the gold and set a new Olympic recrod of 257.5 pounds. The hometown crowd was going crazy. I also found myself chanting USA, USA, USA, while watching the very close vollyball match between the US and Japan. I don't even like vollyball but the United States is playing and I want to see these women kick some Olympic ass.

For two weeks every fourth summer and ever fourth winter every American is dialed in and in agreement on one thing: the ability of our athletes to be the best in the world. How proud we all are when we see those men, women, and sometimes teenagers on the top of the medals stand crying and holding their hand over their heart while singing along with the Star Spangled Banner being played for all the world to hear. It doesn't matter what race, political affiliation, sexual preferance, hair color, income level, or relgious choice, we will be heard cheering on our swimmers, gymnasts, vollyball players, pentathletes, archers, boxers, track and fieldians, baseball players, and all other athletes so we can say to the world that we're pretty damn proud to be Americans.