This is my first year really watching the Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta, Georgia, USA Olympics when the following was my reality:
- I lived with Break Boy, His Lovely Wife, and two of our friends
- I was taking French, Chinese, Spanish, and German during my 4.0 GPA semester of college
- I was ALWAYS doing homework and ALWAYS stressed out
- I was working a very stressful-to-me job as a computer geek who talked to people on the phone (I hate the phone, with a fiery passion)
- I smoked clove cigarettes at random intervals to bring my stress level back down
- I almost burned the apartment down by cooking baked Tostitos in the toaster oven
- Some guy let off a backpack full of bombs in a crowd of people at the Olympic town square
What does this have to do with the Olympics? Aside from that last item, nothing. You know me, I’m random.
My favorite sport to watch that year was women’s gymnastics. I was soooooooooooooo excited to watch the girls perform in every event. I was terrified for but extremely proud of Kerri Strug for doing her final vault on a completely destroyed ankle, allowing us to win the gold:
(That video footage always makes me cry.) If I had to choose a defining moment of my US patriotism it’d be that.
But last night, as I watched the Olympics from the green recliner, I realized I was impatient about the women’s gymnastics performance. I wanted everyone to hurry up and “get it over with”. I lacked confidence in the team. Lacked interest. Lacked pride. As soon as I saw Alicia Sacramone fall off the balance beam I stood up, turned my back to the TV, and went to bed. I knew then that whatever happened was not going to be like the magic that happened in 1996, and I didn’t care to see more foibles. I was done rooting for Team USA. That makes me feel bad, like I’ve lost some sort of innocence I once used to possess. Maybe I’m just old and jaded now. 
I’m with you. I was always super into the gymnastics, until this year. It’s just blah now. I watched part of the men’s, and maybe five minutes of the women’s. I have been watching swimming though
I love watching that video. It still makes me cry too.
I don’t know what happened to team USA, but those Chinese girls (little, tiny NOT 16-year-old girls) are like robots. Which makes me sad.
I’m with you. It was clearly done when she fell off the beam. Then when she fell on the floor exercise I just felt sorry for her. She needed to go to bed.
I like watching the diving.
I haven’t watched this much Olympics since then, either. I think part of it is that I am just home now, whereas years before, I was always out, partying like a rock star (pre-kid, of course).
I like the women’s beach volleyball and swimming and gymnastics. It’s amazing what those guys can do on those rings. It seems impossible.
As a kid, I used to like watching the diving in the summer & pairs figure skating in the winter but I haven’t actually watched a full Olympics in ages. As I get older (& bitchier), I start to think of it as stupid & useless & overly political. I don’t really care who the best swimmer in the world is. I don’t think talent on the rings is going to save the world one day. Isn’t there something more important we could spend our time and money on? *shrugs*
I agree. and the video got me all teary-eyed, too. I miss that kind of team. I remember each and every one of those little girls.
Never really cared about sports.. or “Patriotism”, for that matter. I only belong to what I define myself to be a part of.
Did you use Rosetta Stone or what?
I was always a Mary Lou Retton fan. She was hot.
I am the same way…I usually love gymnastics, mens and womens, but this year - it’s all about the swimming, diving, even water polo. I am loving the water sports.
Empanada, and all the ads where Shawn Johnson is being compared to Mary Lou Retton? That just annoys the snot out of me. What intrigues me is the new commercial for Claritin that has the grown-up version of Shannon Miller in it. She looks sooooo different now!
Finn, the robot girls make me sad too. I get super excited when they show ANY facial expression after they finish a routine.
Willie, that’s exactly it! She looked like she needed sleep! I’m thinking she didn’t get any because of all the pressure on her to perform perfectly. That alllllllways backfires.
Sybil, we’ve been watching a lot of swimming, particularly watching Michael Phelps win his medals. I’m sure he feels the same, but it annoys me every time there is mention of his extended torso. They’re basically calling him a freak without using the word. Nice way to treat the Olympian with the most medals of all time.
Shellbelle, considering all my strength is in my lower body except when I am SEVERELY PISSED OFF
I have such respect for the rings and horse events.
Sour, the one thing I used to enjoy about the Olympics was that it symbolized a time for our cultures to come together and co-exist, but now it seems we’re all so competitive about what country wins the bid and then the political stuff really does take over and then random psychos lash out and do bad stuff (to be fair the Olympics has been used to do bad stuff for a while, which is sad). I dunno, disenchanted. I’d love to watch some women’s tennis right about now.
Steph, I remember them all too, but only when prompted. It’s Kerri that I always remember without anyone having to remind me.
Creature, I’m not big on patriotism either, but I do feel something that I can only imagine is patriotism when I watch that video.
Wah, nope, just naturally good at absorbing languages. Spanish and German were four days a week, Chinese was five, French was only three but that’s because it was my major so I was in an advanced class by that time. I was actually trying to figure out what I wanted my minor to be after switching my first senior year from pre-vet to French and being required to have a minor other than animal science (pre-vet). I chose Asian Studies. I am a bit of a nut about Chinese language, but lack of practice leaves me feeling like I could communicate with maybe an 18 month old and that’s about it.
Avi, I’ve always thought you had very bizarre taste in women. You have not let me down this time.
Sparky, yah, the swimming and diving are always on here. When it gets to gymnastics we stop paying attention.