[-V-]

OK, we get it already! Michael Phelps can propel himself in water faster than everyone else. His 8 gold medals this week is more than anyone in Olympic history. Terrific. If they added another eight more different lengths of pool races, he'd have 16 golds by next week. And if they added 32 varieties of tiddley wink competitions, the best tiddley winker would surpass Phelps as the "greatest Olympian".

I have to admit that, generally speaking, I enjoy watching the Olympics. It reminds me of truly golden moments I shared with my father and the rest of the family while growing up. Something to cheer for together. And today, I can't help but appreciate the artistic splendor of the female form as it spins through the air off an Olympic diving board or as it is captured by the women's beach volleyball camera crew that never misses an opportunity to cash in on a rear shot. Besides, life shouldn't only be about work, and like music and the other arts, human beings need more than just food and sex for stimulation.

But the reality is that the Olympics are indulgent activities performed, for the most part, by rich kids who have the unfortunate luxury to devote most of their childhoods to fulfilling their parent's dreams or a country's aspirations. To work and strive, every 4 years, to jump an inch higher, do something a second faster or more effectively manipulate some kind of ball, among other things. And all the while we have announcers like Bob Costas perpetuating the illusion of grandeur, telling us how excited we should be. How historic and memorable it all is. And then we forget it all until 4 years from now when we're reminded, again, about how excited we should be that one group of guys can row, row, row their boat faster than the other guys.

The sad truth is that for every 5 guys that win the gold for rowing hardest and fastest, a thousand others, despite much training and effort, only rowed their boat "gently down the stream" to futility and anonymity. Is that something to cheer about? And what determines who I cheer for, anyway. The color of the flag on their uniform? I'm past the days of rooting for John Wayne and the cowboys against the indians.

That flag on the volleyball players bikini and her ability to spike the ball are no more representative of what my country is about than her ass is. And anyone who thinks differently might as well live in China where they believe a decadent opening ceremony display will be indicative of their standing in the world and "saving face" is a national priority.

I'm not impressed by their ability to make hundreds of their people perform synchronized displays like assembly line machines. I will be impressed when they stop using tanks to suppress the political expression of their citizens. Or if they had let the little girl who prepared for months to sing the opening song, sing it live instead of using her voice track behind a "cuter" girl with straighter teeth who they substituted at the last minute.

And I'll be more impressed with the world community as a whole, when we start giving out gold medals for academic achievement and community service instead of gold stars, and pass out the gold stars for the people who can throw a spear the furthest. That's my Olympic dream.

[bigtex]

And I'll be more impressed with the world community as a whole, when we start giving out gold medals for academic achievement and community service instead of gold stars, and pass out the gold stars for the people who can throw a spear the furthest. That's my Olympic dream.

so V, i am guessing that you were not the athletic type in school. you were the smart kid that got bullied by the jocks. right?

how can you sit there and diminish the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that all of these athletes put into there sport. your right some of the Olympians are "rich kids",but the majority of them came from middle to lower class families. They spent countless hours perfecting their sport. all of them, even the ones that did not earn medals, deserve the appreciation and celebration that they got!!!

[-V-]

so V, i am guessing that you were not the athletic type in school. you were the smart kid that got bullied by the jocks. right?

no, I ran the relay and was a terrific wrestler, but thank you for assuming I was a smart kid. But, keeping with your premise, you must have been the "dumb jock". At least, it would seem so if that is all you have to contribute regarding my thoughtful post -- "bigTex".

In language you can relate to, "Dude I'd take you to school in a game of basketball, one on one".

I watch every game of the Phoenix Suns and I did watch a lot of the Olympics but I am not proud of wasting that kind of time watching activities that amount to little more than national and international "pissing contests".

Participating in athletic activities is something I do and everyone should do on a regular basis. Making it an all consuming part of one's life in pursuit of a hunk of metal to satisfy one's ego is more pitiful than admirable.

[bigtex]

Participating in athletic activities is something I do and everyone should do on a regular basis. Making it an all consuming part of one's life in pursuit of a hunk of metal to satisfy one's ego is more pitiful than admirable.

but if you are extremely good at swimming, running, or wrestling, then why not make a living out of it. because all of the athletes get paid good money if the win.

i am a christian. and as a christian i believe that God has given every single one of us a special gift. whether it be in athletics, academics, etc..... i think it would be even more "pitiful" if you didn't strife to be the best at whatever you gift is. and if you are a runner, swimmer, or wrestler, then the Olympics are your grand event. i don't think that they are trying to "satisfy one's ego" when they are in the Olympics. i believe they are trying to realize a dream and also trying to represent their country the best that they can. i know that i would be proud to represent the U.S.A. but that is just me!!

[-V-]

for every athlete that makes good money at it there are a million who don't. And it's OK that they don't as long as they keep their priorities in order. Athletics should be for exercise and pure enjoyment rather than the pursuit of gold.

Athletes don't represent my country. Sadly, these days, even politicians don't represent my country. And even sadder, American soldiers don't represent my country, they simply represent the politicians who gave them the wrong marching orders.

My country is founded on the Constitution. Every soldier, politician, and citizen who fights to uphold the values and principles of our Constitution represents my country and represents me. Some fat bastard in a red, white, and blue leotard throwing a discus in no way represents who I am or what I believe.