Praise for the Underdog

08.23.2004 - 8:01 pm

While working out this morning, and watching the am NBC coverage of the Olympics, I was quite dismayed to hear about two athletes stripped of their gold due to substances in their drug tests. Now, I'm not dismayed that they were stripped of the honor. I'm dismayed the the attention is going towards these individuals (I won't even give them the benefit of being listed here. Go google it if you're so interested) Wouldn't it be much nicer to hear some story of an athlete that overcame the odds and actually made it to the Olympics. I watched the opening ceremony and was impressed by how many countries would send just one athlete. Let's hear more about these people. I wonder if they had to fight to get where they were, I wonder if it was just natural and a dream they clung to all of their lives. Who the hell cares that so-and-so peed on a stick and lost. They deserve to be stripped and do NOT deserve our recognition or consideration.

I'm also finding it hard to watch NBC and only see American heavy events. Nick and I switched over to the Canadian cable channel the other night. I got to see sports I never really knew about. And saw numerous other countries (besides Canada) get gold medals and hear their national anthems.

Aren't the games supposed to be about fostering good will and doing the best possible. In these times of fear and uncertainty, wouldn't it be nice to just focus in on the positive aspects of the Olympics. (Yes, I'm an idealist. Deal with it.) I'd just like to get more of a flavor for the event than what NBC tells me what I should see. And maybe it's no different abroad, I haven't spent much time outside the US so I wouldn't know. Regardless, I think all should adopt this.

And that's my 2 cents for the day.

last - next