Olympics

I can’t remember when the Olympics started registering on my radar. Again with the MK and TV thing, but I don’t remember really being that aware of them when I was growing up. I obviously KNEW they existed but I don’t remember watching them really until after Troy and I were married.

I have to admit, I’m a bigger fan of the winter games. I like the ice-skating especially, but I seem to be more drawn to the winter sports than summer ones. I can hardly stand to watch the diving, since that diver years (decades even?) ago hit his head on the diving board. I get too stressed out.

This year it has been fun because Meaghan and Nicolas, but especially Meg, have been very interested in watching the games. In true TCK (third culture kid) fashion, Meg roots for both Spain and the US (and recently commented that we should root for “my” countries, Canada and Ecuador as well.) I’ve been working this week, so haven’t gotten to watch too much, but Meg has been giving me updates. I HAVE seen some basketball (with the gi-normous Chinese player on the men’s team) cycling, (Spain won a gold!) swimming and right now we are watching tennis. Spain’s player Rafa Nadal is playing. He’s smokin’ (as a tennis player, not in cuteness.)

Clearly, I have well-informed, articulate opinions on the Olympics.

I DO love Cool Runnings, does that count?

I prefer the winter Olympics. I realize that’s politically incorrect, seeing as the summer Olympics are now in full swing, but it’s the truth.

My favorite sport is ice hockey and I have fond memories of the 1980 U.S. team whooping the Russians. That was one day I really was proud to be an American.

Now that I’ve gotten the shameless patriotism out of my system…Currently, I am watching the tennis match between Rafa Nadal and someone whom I only have referred to as “some Italian schmuck”. It’s not that I have anything against the Italian’s; it’s just that Nadal just won Wimbeldon, and he IS a Spaniard, and we ARE living in Spain, so I pretty much have to refer to ANYONE Nadal plays as “a schmuck.”

Anyhoo…I also enjoy watching basketball and volleyball, so there are two points in favor of the summer Olympics, but let’s face it: bobsledding is one heckuva crazy sport, as is skiing and ski jumping and…Yeah, the winter Olympics pretty much kick the big dimpled butt of the summer Olympics.

It has been fun seeing our kids get into the Olympics this year. This is the first year on record I can honestly remember them noticing the Olympics so it has been fun seeing them cheer for various teams. Interesting: they always cheer for Spain and for America when they play, but I have yet to see what they’ll do when the two play against each other. Time will tell.