#10-It only happens once every four years
You can watch sports everyday (especially guys who love ESPN), but you don't. You may catch the occasional basketball game or tennis match on TV but for the most part sports are on the periphery of our lives....then the Olympics hit. Athletes from all around the world prepare their whole life for this event that happens just once every 1,460 days. So for two weeks we are transfixed on these bundle of games that seeks to crown a world champion in various sports.....Most of the athletes that go to the Olympics will not even come close or have a chance to medal....but to be there...the be invited to go up against the BEST in the entire world....WOW! How can you not watch and get swept into the spirit of "One World, Once Dream"
#9 Olympics Theme music makes me cry.
You know the song.....the song NBC plays everytime to introduce the Olympics....I heart that theme music! Music has a way of evoking your spirit and stirring emotional like no other entity ans this theme music is right on the top of the list. I hear it and my heart flutters a little bit and I get automatically excited. By the way this is a real song: Commissioned by the 1984 Olympic Committee John Williams was asked to write a masterpiece that would be formally associated with the Olympics. What he gave birth to was “Olympic Fanfare and Theme"...if you need your soul awakened by this wonderful melody click here: http://homepage.mac.com/jharrell/Olympic%20Fanfare%20and%20Theme.mp3
I don't know about you but when I hear this i get emotional and anxious about what is about to happen and the giddiness of the Olympics spirit is palpable!
#8 Opening Ceremony...in CHINA
Ok....no one does it like the Chinese.....really. With a budget of over $100 million and 15,000 performers and not one repeat...it was nothing short of fantastic! Simply stunning to watch, full of "how did they do that" moments and well worth the 4 hour production. No host country before or after will be able to compete...I feel bad for London 2012....how do you top that? how do you top the opening sequence of 2,008 drummers beating ancient golden drums in unison? I could go on and on.....but if you saw it...you know what I mean....it was great and got me in the mind set of GO CHINA!!!!
#7 M.Phelps
What can be said about this man that has not been said already? I watched every single event he swam and I yelled and cheered at the tv urging him on! Swim Mike!!! Swim!! His unwavering commitment to be the best in his sport, to bring his sport the notoriety it deserves, his quest to not only smash record but send them to a place where no one else could reach them....his never ending schedule, not resting with just ok....never giving up to the end.....I love me some Phelps!!! Half man, half dolphin....I love him! Can we take a second on speak in what was probably his best and most magical win?: Phelps' victory in the 100-meter butterfly was perhaps his most stunning of the Games. Trailing early, Phelps came back from seventh place to out-touch Serbia's Milorad Cavic by 0.01 seconds and tie Mark Spitz's record with seven gold medals in a single Olympics. Did you see it??? It was AWESOME!!! and sooooo close.....with the naked eye you could not really tell who won! Even his mother thought he got second....take a look at how close:
If I was Cavic I would kick myself really hard for letting this slip through my fingers literally...he got lazy and coasted to the wall....while Mr. Phelps took and extra stroke...my volleyball coach in high school always said, "Finish Strong!".....never truer words were spoken! Kudos to Mike and everything he has accomplished. He has inspired me to do so much better.....set goals...achieve them.....finish strong!#6 Gymnastics
What a cool sport!!! These young ladies are amazing ...yea so what if the Chinese team is like 12 years old.....they are some talented middle schoolers!! LOL....but seriously to be a gymnast you have to commit your entire body to the sport...they make it look soooo easy...you know it is one of the biggest highlights of the game.
#5 The Olympics makes me workout harder
I watch the games and then I go to the gym and push myself just a little but more....I think, "if these Olympians can push themselves....so can I even if it is just a little bit....run a little longer, perhaps faster...lift a little more....push the weight.....so an extra set on my triceps....the spirit of the Olympics lives with me in the gym!! Maybe...secretly I am in training for the games....in some distance time....my event? Hummmm.....
#4 Usain Bolt
Call him arrogant if you want , but my God! This man can run! Not only can he run.....he makes that other runners look like little boys....craziness!!! This Jamaican sensation is unreal...shattering the 100meter dash and he didn't even go full speed to the end!! What is that??? Is her SuperMan? Half cheetah.....whatever it is, it is talent and here is the joke...he's only 22....he has time to be bigger and better and to mature as an athlete....like fine wine.....what will Mr. Bolt bring to London....i will stay tuned to watch every second of it!
#3 You can watch anytime of the day!!
Gotta love time zones!!! You can't sleep? Not a problem! Turn on the TV and there has to be some Olympic event going on!! it could be equestrian or team handball or synchronized swimming.....it is always on which keeps you invested in what is going on. At work I would keep visiting the website to see if our medal count had changed....i knew that somewhere a match was being played and I wanted to know the results....28 sports, over 10,500 athletes participating, and 20,000 media outlets broadcasting it around the world! Like 7-11....they are always on and the action is always hot!
#2 The whole world watches
It's like American Idol or Desperate Housewives that only American watch....no...The ENTIRE WORLD watches the Olympics....because almost everyone is represented. All across the world in bars, gyms, homes, and clubs families and friends gather around tv's a root on whomever in what ever sport. What other event brings the world together? War maybe? I will take the Men's 10m platform diving any day!
#1 I think down deep I want to be an Olympian!
Don't we all? Let's start training today....We may not make it to the big stage, but we can try to go for the GOLD in out own lives....in our relationships, career, wants, and dream. We can embody the un-relenting drive and spirit to be the best. Let the inspiration of the Olympics propel you to your own victories....see you on the medal stand!
Get at me....
1 comment:
Wow--that blog was inspiring all by itself!
Yes--I was all over Michael Phelps! I surprised myself by jumping up and down on my couch and screaming, as if my cheers could somehow push him on. But if you think about it, everybody in the world was cheering him on, all at the same time (as you noted). When the universe is pulling for you, what can stop you???
I feel ashamed that I didn't see the opening ceremony--is it on youtube somewhere?
...and I love that theme music too...
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