Did everyone get their fill of the recent summer Olympics? Not the whole Olympics, but at least the part that NBC chose to televise? I think I can make it for another four years without seeing any more women’s beach volleyball. When did that become an Olympic sport, anyway? I think it probably has as much to do with the skimpiness of the “uniforms” as anything else. Watching girls play volleyball more naked than clothed probably earns them more coverage than the sport deserves. As some pundit remarked, if there’s a game your children can play in the backyard, it’s probably destined someday to become an Olympic sport. A particularly good example is rhythmic gymnastics – you remember rhythmic gymnastics. That’s where a girl gracefully plays with a ball, or a hoola-hoop, or swirls a stick around with a ribbon on the end of it. One of the silliest events the Olympics has ever held.

To be honest, I was a little disappointed at the lack of coverage of quite a few events in order to show more synchronized platform diving. I did learn that the size of the splash when the divers hit the water is a major factor in the judging. I wonder who decided the size of the splash mattered.     

I also got just a little tired of all the swimming events and I don’t really understand the extent of the coverage on all the preliminary heats leading up to the finals for a medal, but I suppose it all depends on what you like. On the other hand, it was exciting watching Michael Phelps break the record for most gold medals in the history of the modern games!

Here in Rush County I can’t imagine too many people getting too excited about the swimming events — since we still have no indoor pool here. I guess that means it’s unlikely that Rush County will ever have anyone compete in any of the Olympic swimming events. Tractor pulling events, maybe, but not swimming.

Track and field events are at the heart of the ancient and modern Olympic Games, as one would expect, although there wasn’t much coverage of the 20-kilometer or 50-kilometer walk, nor do I recall seeing much competition in events like the 3,000 meter steeplechase, or much coverage of the field events like the discus, hammer throw, pole vault, shot put, or the javelin throw. Particularly missing was any extensive coverage of the decathlon. And while I’m listing events that seem to have been overlooked, how about archery, badminton, canoeing, equestrian events, field hockey, judo, rowing, shooting, team handball, weightlifting, wrestling, and yachting. On the other hand, we saw lots of swimming and diving, volleyball, gymnastics – especially women’s gymnastics — the marathon, and more beach volleyball.

As we look ahead to new “sports” being added to the Olympic Games, I wouldn’t be surprised to someday see dodge ball, lawn darts, skate-boarding, slip and slide, ball room dancing, not to mention monkey bar competition.

On a more serious note, the traditional Olympic events — boxing, track and field, and wrestling — are really where the emphasis should be if we want to be true to what the Olympic movement has been about since the ancient games were held in Greece thousands of years ago. But I suppose it’s really more a matter of what the public wants to see rather than watching events that used to be central to the games — or to show just those events we’re likely to win. (Although track and field still remains popular.) I would just like some more variety, in light of the fact that there really are far more events than we ever see as part of prime time network coverage.

Stepping back a little, the most important thing about the Olympics is setting aside the differences between nations to come together in a spirit of friendly competition every four years. One is compelled to ask the question, “If the world can get along during the Olympics, why can’t it get along the rest of time,” which, obviously it can’t.

Actually, some of the most spectacular events of this latest Olympic Games were the opening and closing ceremonies. One must give the Chinese credit for jaw-dropping events associated with the opening and closing of the games. The British are going to have a difficult time coming close to anything as spectacular as the Chinese.

But all that notwithstanding, including my cynicism about the coverage, or lack thereof, of the different events, one has to admire the work of all the athletes who competed in Beijing. Imagine working for four years to be good enough to even make the United States Olympic Team! Four years is a long time to train to qualify for the 100 meter dash, which lasts less than ten seconds. It’s difficult to imagine the countless hours of work required just to be good enough to try out, let alone making the team, or winning a medal. That’s dedication of an order difficult to comprehend.

My only concern is that ESPN, or one of the all-sports networks, will decide to show beach volleyball 24-hours per day, instead of college football or basketball.

Although I don’t really think that’s a possibility, unless they can figure out some way to make some of the men’s and women’s uniforms even smaller then they already are.

That’s —30— for this week.

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