We’re a few days into the Olympics and I just started watching. I was crazy for the 2008 Summer games and am just now getting into the excitement of Winter Olympic events. But honestly, I don’t quite know why.
Last night I watched Alpine Skiing, Snowboard X, and Figure Skating. It’s weird because I don’t know the first thing about any of these sports. I snowboard about once a year, but don’t know what’s involved in a downhill five person race and neither does Bob Costas or Cris Collinsworth. Yet, every two years the whole world spends two weeks watching and acting like we all do. I’m sure you know that sports fan that spends the day recapping the previous night’s events.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy seeing these sports that I don’t see on a regular basis mixed in with the ones that I do. I particularly enjoyed both the “Redeem Team” in basketball in the summer games and Michael Phelps’ 8 gold medal run in various swimming events.
I think the reason we all get into the Olympics really has nothing to do with the actual sports that are involved. How many people really like the sport of the biathalon? Not me. We watch for the stories. The 1/100th of a second that sets you apart from Gold or Silver and the life stories each of the athlete’s bring to the host country.
Are you watching the Olympics? Why or why not?
The same reason we watch the WBC or any other international competition- we get to see something we don't otherwise ever see, and despite the overtones of global harmony it is a great place for nationalism. We love seeing America win.
You seem to gloss over the importance of these athletes' stories, though. These are people who don't get million dollar contracts, they don't even get living expenses taken care of between games. Many of them struggle to get by between Olympics. They are the few athletes left who, at the pinacle of their craft, still play their sport for the love of the game. They might do it for the glory and the joy of standing up on the podium, but they give up a great deal for that opportunity. Whether you like the sport or not, you feel good watching the people compete. It isn't like mainstream sports, where we have to make excuses for our athletes just to make them palatable to the viewer.
I like the WBC for the game and the story. I certainly don't watch Snowboard X for the game. It's the story the athletes bring into it and the nationalism you mentioned.
Zach – I was thinking about this last night, myself. I think I watch out of National pride. I want us, the USA, to be the best at everything whether it's curling, biathalon, or just as a nation ourselves. My vote goes to National Pride as to why we watch!
Why does The Bruz watch the Winter Olympics? Surprisingly, I'm going to differ a little from STG. Bodie Miller's an American, right? But from what little I know of his "story", he's not high on my "OMG, Miller's gonna ski next, don't answer that phone" list. I watch, when I watch, because its all that's on. And I think Al Trautwig (sp?) is an awesome announcer, ever since his days as the MISL Game of the Week announcer on the USA Network back in the halcyon days of Yourrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Baltimorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre Blassssssssssssst! That said, I do wish Bob Beattie was still doing the call on the Downhill Races! Funny thing is, as I write this, my fam is all watching American Idol…
I have to agree with STG on watching for national pride when I do watch. Mostly I watch because I was really into it when I was young but as I've gotten older it doesn't mean as much. I hate to say it but back when the cold war was ongoing, I'd watch because I wanted us to kick the crap out of the USSR. It was more of an "us vs. them" conflict but now its not as intense. Things are more interesting when there is a villain and hero.
Pole – We are agreeing too much today.
Yes, when the cold war was going on, the olympics were a stage where good versus evil did play out, and unlike some of the other stuff we watch were most of the build-up all week comes from a hype machine (see NFL), these bad feelings were real. We may be the only ones on this forum who remember the 1980 hockey team, but that game was more than just the U.S. winning a hockey game. It was democracy slapping around the big, bad commies.
Haven't watched more than 2 minutes.
And if I see that Sean White kid one more time I'm booking a flight to Vancouver to cut his hair and rough him up a bit.