The Olympics

The Olympics and have now come and gone. Like the World Cup, it only last a few weeks and only comes every four years. It is so much fun but it's like a good afternoon nap, it's so much fun that it just flies right by.
I have decided that most of the "haters" of the Olympics are pretty much the same people that don't like the Major League Baseball All-Star game. They take their detest of corporate marketing and the money made off the thing that they forget to enjoy the game. Yeah, the Olympics are one big commercial for NBC, Nike, Gatorade and everyone else but that doesn't always take away the innocence. I don't think people as they were cheering on Michael Phelps while he's swimming, "Geez, what a great race, I'm totally going to go get that Visa credit card he endorses." No, they are just cheering because it is a game, nothing more. People get excited for games, not a low APR. Let the big business make their money, because that's what they do and let the rest of us just enjoy the show without having to hear people complain about the lack of purity.
Of course, there are some things that are definitely not pure. People like Becky Hammond playing for Russia and Chris Kaman playing for Germany is downright treason. They weren't good enough to make the American basketball team, well too bad. We've all at one time not been good enough for something. That is absolutely no excuse to go play for another country. It's the Olympics; you take pride in playing for your own country. Both of them handled their rejection like whiny little kids and found an excuse to make up for their won inadequacy.
Ok, back to Michael Phelps, who became the greatest Olympian right before our eyes. He entered eight races, won eight gold medals and broke eight world or Olympic records. Sheer brilliance. He put his body through one of the most taxing 10 days in sports and came out of the water laughing in the face of the expectations and pressures.
And their that was that lady swimmer, Dara Torres. She is 41 years-old, had a child two years ago, competed in her fifth Olympics and won three silver medals. Like I said earlier about her: no excuses, get off the couch and go run a mile or two.
The American men's basketball proved themselves worthy to call themselves the "Redeem Team." They didn't play like a bunch of "I" guys like four years ago and instead came together to show the rest of the world that yes, we really are the best. No questions.
That Usain Bolt guy of Jamaica broke the world record in the 100M and 200M and didn't even run hard. He had such long legs he could coast the last 20M, pound his chest and still out stride everyone. Like Phelps, it wasn't just winning, it was dominating.
Now to get political. Going into the games, China knew this was their chance to show the world they were ready to be a world player. They accomplished that, at least on the business side. Everything was well organized with no mishaps. They proved that they have the organization, discipline and knowledge to be a part of the world market.
But they have yet to realize that will not be seen an equal power until they start playing by the rules. The strengths of the free markets of the western world are built on free societies. You can't have an advanced, progressive nation that is coming up with the latest ideas if they don't have personal freedoms. Countries that are on the cutting edge give their people basic human rights. And it will eventually start to knock on their door. You give people a choice of computers and eventually they will want a choice of government. The Chinese aren't communists, they trying to make money like everyone else but they remain an authoritarian government and that will always hold them back. They can be a technological and economically advanced as anyone but until they start to upheld environmental standards and allowing freedom of speech and religion, they will always be seen as a lesser being; on old bully of centuries past. And they continued to show during the Olympics. The little girl lip-syncing during the opening ceremony because the real singer wasn't pretty enough and the women's gymnasts lying about their age. That is not acceptable in the 21st century were we've realized treating others as equals and following the rules is a requirement for being respected.
Of course, maybe the Olympics will help them realize where they have to go. The Olympics have done a lot of good for sports and good for the world during it’s time. We just have to make sure we don’t get some anti-corporate about it to let the pure part of it work it’s magic.