A week ago I was sitting in my house, on the edge of my seat, beer at my side, remote in my hand. At one time there was a Cubs game on (and as most folks know we believe we are World Series bound this year), a Bear's preseason game, and the Olympics, which was highlighting the women's marathon. I was enraptured and in heaven. My boyfriend said I might need to set the next few weeks aside for sports withdrawal, as the Olympics ended on Sunday. He's right. It's going to be a tough adjustment, because it's been a great run.
What a treat to pop on the TV in prime-time - any night of the week - and be able to enjoy such high level athletics. I've had a chance to watch sports that I'm less familiar with and begin to understand these more fully. Or watch the sports I know well and love, and feel the excitement and the nerves as we triumphed or failed in our quest for medals.
We have so much to be proud of as a country. From the run of Michael Phelps and his eight gold medals, to the Redeem Team, who have shown the kind of professionalism, resolve and stunning talent we knew they had, but failed to demonstrate in 2004. With Coach K at the helm and leadership from players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant on the floor, we have realized the potential that was always there and have gone unbeaten.
And in defeat, Tyson Gay would not make excuses for the failures that besieged him. What a rough road this Olympics was for this young man... From his failure to make the 100-meter dash final to the dropping of the baton on his anchor leg of the 4x100 meters. But he never made excuses. Never threw fits. He maintained his integrity and accepted what happened, vowing it would just make him work harder. He is a class act.
As is Allyson Felix. Having run the fastest time in the world last year in the 200-meter dash, she ran second for the silver this year behind her rival, Veronica Campbell of Jamaica, who had also beaten her at the 2004 Olympics. Since that race in Athens, she had never lost to Campbell again... until the 200 final last week.
This had to be a bitter disappointment to her and yet she held her head up, grateful for the medal she did win and showed the best of who we are to the rest of the world. She finally received her gold medal when the women's 4 x 400-meters won Saturday night. I couldn't have been happier for her.
So we walk away knowing there is work to do. What happened to us in track and field demonstrates a need for leadership. Dropping the batons in both the men's and women's 4 x 100-meters, shows that we need work to come together as a U.S. Olympic team in track and field. There is a lot of work to do there.
The sport of cross country mountain bike racing is a sport born in the U.S.A. Yet our best woman finished 7th and our best man, 29th. I think this happens because too often,
American athletes who participate in some of the lesser known sports, lack an ability to have
time to develop, because most of them are holding down full-time jobs and raising families, without the benefit of the financial support provided by other countries to their own athletes in these particular sports. And that affects our ability to compete.
The marathon is a good example. In recent years, there has been more of a spotlight on running and greater funding. We now have development happening with some of our younger phenoms, like Ryan Hall and Dathen Ritzenhein, who have the support behind them to train in a way that allows them to be more competitive. They finished 9th and 10th respectively in the men's marathon, being the first pair of Americans to run sub 2:13 in 34 years. The conditions in Beijing were terrible and their times reflected that, as they are both capable of faster finishes. But the heat made those kinds of performances nearly impossible for those who have not been acclimated to them since birth.
But they represented us well and I am proud of what they accomplished. The future is bright for both of these young men and I believe we'll see them in London in four years.
It would be great to see that kind of support and development in sports like cross country mountain bike racing, as well as others. We have the athletic ability and talent that can be developed when the opportunities are there. We have proven that again and again, as we once again win the medal count with 110 Olympic medals for these Summer Olympic games.
And finally, I believe the greatest gift the Olympics gives its spectators is the gift of motivation. Swimming centers all over the country are chock full of new swimmers, looking to learn how to swim, because of Michael Phelps' run. Beach volleyball courts will be rife with new competitors as Misty May-Trainer and Kerrie Walsh brought this challenging sport to the forefront, along with Phil Dolhausser and Todd Rogers; as both the men's and women's teams brought home gold.
Watching the Olympics reminds us there is more to life than baseball, basketball, golf, and football; the bulk of what we know as televised sports. But rather there is a world of athletic possibilities open to us, new and interesting sports to help up stay fit, athletically engaged and healthy.
It's been a fun three weeks. Can't wait til 2012. Some say that the 2016 Olympics may be right here in Chicago. Murmurs are we've moved into the No. 1 spot. And wouldn't that be an amazing opportunity to BE there next time to watch, rather than to be on my coach, remote in hand and beer at my side. That would be a dream come true!
