The Olympics are Here

Its that time again: once every four years I essentially put my life on hold for two weeks and sit, glued to the TV to watch as much of the Olympics as I possibly can. (Technically, its once every two years -- once for the summer and once for the winter, but you know what I mean)

Is there any sporting even more spectacular than the Olympics? I mean, I like the World Series and the Superbowl, and the World Cup enough. But as exciting as they are to watch, they just don't have the magic that the Olympics do.

Its the whole thing, from the opening ceremonies, the multitude of events, the upsets, the surprises, the triumphs, and right on through to the closing ceremonies. I don't think there is any other sporting event that embodies the spirit of friendly competition as perfectly as the Olympics. Its hard to find any sporting event that isn't completely tainted with commercialism. And while I'm quite aware (and growing tired) of the endless plugs by Coke, McDonalds, Subway, P&G, and others, it doesn't seem to infiltrate the events quite as much. Or the athletes.

It's funny: I remember watching the Olympic when I was young, looking up to the athletes as my idols. They were these amazing god-like creatures whom strived to emulate. Later I loved to just watch them in action. And now find myself thinking "Oh, they are so young!" and "What a good looking kid!" Does that make me old? And is it okay to still be inspired?

In these cold wintery days, when I feel my motivation slipping away when faced with the choice of going out into the cold or staying in where its warm and cozy, there's nothing like a skier bouncing down a mogul field and flying off a jump to convince me that going to the gym is a better choice than a few rounds of pushups at home. Or that a brisk jog around the neighborhood is more REAL than a DVD. (Just as long as it doesn't cut into my prime event watching time)

Yeah, for the next couple weeks, I'm going to be inspired, watching to my heart's content and waiting for those magic Olympic moments. There's nothing better.