Ten things about the Olympics so far

In no particular order. I was working, so I didn't see the opening ceremonies on Friday night. I don't think I'd have watched them anyhow, though. TV fireworks generally bore me. So in no particular order based on my limited viewing so far.....

1. I hate Bob Costas. There I said it. Why NBC continues to use him to anchor every major sporting event they carry is beyond me. Pompous, arrogant, smarmy know-it-all, and that is on a good day. He gets on my last damn nerve every time.

2. Michelle Kwan has such class to put a smile on and say that it's okay about not winning a gold medal when you know that stepping down is one of the hardest things you've probably ever had to do. And to do it soon enough to allow your teammate time to mentally prepare to fill your slot. And to not bite the head off every idiot at the press conference whose questions imply that your career, with those nine world titles, is nothing because you don't have an Olympic gold medal tucked in there.

3. Shaun White and the American snowboarders are just having such a grand time. They're fun to watch. And if I was 20 years younger, I'd be in love with Shaun and all that red hair.

4. The passion of Alpine skiers. That moment at the end of their run when they turn and see the board is when you really see the "thrill of victory, the agony of defeat." All measured in tenths and hundredths of seconds. I suppose that at the Olympic level of competition, most of the athletes are quite passionate about their sport and their performance, but so often they have a moment to compose themselves before the camera catches them. The camera is always right there waiting at the end of the downhill runs , capturing every unguarded moment of elation and disappointment. I thought grown men were going to cry a couple times at the end of their downhill runs on Sunday they were so disappointed.

5. I love to watch the athletes tear up at the medal ceremonies. Even the cockiest and the coolest seem to have a moment on the podium as they watch their nation's flag being raised and hear their national anthem where they are humbled, overwhelmed and filled with pride. Whether it's the first time an athlete is there or the last time or the something in between, you see the tears glistening in their eyes if not running down their faces.

6. I don't get the fascination with Bode Miller. Really. Big talk and an ego the size of Manhattan. Big deal. And a disappointment so far. I was pleased to see Ted Ligety come "out of nowhere" (if that is possible when you are ranked at #3 in the world for slalom!) to take the combined race. Good for him.

7. Kjetil Andre Aamodt. See previous post abut my favorite thing at the Winter Olympics. I don't care if he doesn't win a thing this go. I just like him. If I had a Norwegian Lundehund, I'd call it Kjetil. Of course, I'd probably get a second one and call it Lasse Kjus, after Kjetil's team mate. I'm crazy for those Norwegians, the big ol' sons of Vikings that they are. Whatever sport they do is fine with me. I think I must have been a Valkyrie in another life.

8. There is nothing that isn't funny about watching Matt, Katie and Al from the Today Show take a whack at various Olympic sports to demonstrate why everyone isn't at the Olympics. And the athletes are all such kind, gracious and generous instructors.

9. We own all these guns in this country and we love to shoot 'em. We give the US Ski Team $20 million dollars. So why can't we put together a decent run at the biathalon? Doesn't make any sense at all. Maybe the NRA could work on this. After they give Dick Cheney some free hunting safety lessons.

10. Curling. I have no idea about the scoring or the rules, but it is a deadly serious competition with grown men yelling at large rocks with handles. No tape delay, so you can tell when an appreciative "Goddamn" slips out of one of the Canadians' mouths. God only knows what the Swedes were saying during the match I watched as they were yelling in Swedish. My point is that part of why I like watching the Olympics is because it is an opportunity to connect with sports and sporting events that you don't hear about in America, at least not very often. I like America and wouldn't want to live anywhere else, but I do occasionally like to see the view from other places and perspectives. It helps keep me connected to the wider world of all humanity to see what's a big deal to other people in other countries. Like curling.

Yes, the Olympics are over-commercialized and often controversial with questionable long-lasting results for the host cities, but it's still fun to watch, especially when we get a glimpse of something that reminds us all of our better selves. I like to put aside the petty griping, bitching and moaning of every athlete that says "It's not fair" or makes excuses for not winning or poor performances and, instead, remember those who are gracious and joyous in victory, who show us what sportsmanship is even in defeat, and who acknowledge that, no matter what their personal talent or contribution is on any given day, they are at the games and/or on a podium because of hard work, sacrifice and a fair measure of luck and the grace of God.