I've never really been into the Olympics before. Until this year. I'm not sure if it was because there was nothing else to watch on TV, or if I just really liked this year's athletes, or if I got hooked by all the drama of wanting to see if Michael Phelps really could beat Spitz's record...
Whatever it is, I'm hooked on the Olympics. I'm in serious withdrawal for the couple hours a day when my local television stations don't have coverage. Thankfully, my husband DVR'd a few hours and I can watch some of the middle-of-the-night coverage of soccer and wrestling, and even baseball, which I NEVER watch.
I've been fired up over the women's gymnastics, engaging in debates with perfect strangers about the age issue of the Chinese competitors (are they or aren't they 16...are those baby teeth or just late coming adult teeth? Hmm...).
And I've been staying up WAY too late every night to see if Phelps gains another gold. I was REALLY mad at myself for falling asleep before he raced last night. Missed it. Dang. First thing I did this morning was turn on NBC to see if he won or not.
I tell you, it's an obsession. I'm logging onto the NBC Olympic website several times a day to watch the medal count, I'm cheering on the Women's Beach Volleyball team and biting my nails in that match against Belgium (that was one good first set, I tell you!) and cheering for my USA teams. Heck, when the USA isn't competing, I'm even cheering for other countries when there are close matches. I love those underdog races, and I want everyone to win, even though I know not everyone can.
The funny thing is, we're not sports fanatics in this house at all. Except for the SuperBowl, you'll rarely find sports on TV here. My husband, thankfully, is not a big sports nut so I don't have to suffer through a lot of football or basketball games. My kids play sports, but that's different -- when you're cheering your kid from the sidelines, it's different than watching some guy you aren't related to whose being paid a gazillion dollars to toss a ball around a field.
But the Olympics, that's some serious drama. We're even thinking of traveling to the Olympics in four years, and with Chicago in the running down the road, we're rooting for that city to be a host, since we live in the Midwest and could easily go to that year's events.
Tell me -- which is your favorite Olympic sport? Have you ever gone to the games? And have you been watching this year's Olympics?
BTW, I know I haven't posted many recipes lately (we've had TONS of practices for soccer and music) but I have a few to get up there and just bought all kinds of cool ingredients for this coming week. I'm intending to try pecan encrusted pork chops, nacho chicken, bruschetta chicken and asiago potatoes. That's the plan, if the kids don't keep me out of the house too much -- and therefore at the ever-healthy Wendy's and Micky D's for dinner ;-)
Shirley
Hi Shirley!
ReplyDeleteI've always loved the Olympics, and am usually more partial to the winter games than summer, yet have been watching a lot more of this year's events. Yes, there's all the drama and controversy in the pool and in the gymnastics arena, but it's more than that. There are a lot of firsts and inspirational stories coming out of these games. Watching Michael Phelps win his 8th gold was awesome, but you can't forget Natalie Coughlin or Dara Torres, either.
Then there's the US women placing 1 & 2 for the first itme ever in the gymnastics all-around, the men winning team bronze when they weren't even considered contenders, and Dara Torres and the German gymnist not only competing at their age, but winning medals in fields usually dominated by young girls.
I think the 13 hour time difference that allows us Midwesterners to enjoy more live coverage than previous years helps too - though those late nights staying up to watch the swimming and gymnastics finals have been brutal.
And much like you, though it would be cool to see South America play Olympic host for the first time ever, I'm also crossing fingers for Chicago. At 3-1/2 hours away, it's the closest I'm likely to get to the games).
I may also be a bit biased towards the Olympics since my sister and BIL owe their being together to the Atlanta games - a true fairy tale ending there! ;)