The Olympics have always been an important athletic stage for me. I love them. Summer or winter, it really doesn't matter.
Records are broken, and incredible feats of athletic prowess are demonstrated each and every day, in each and every event.
Sadly, in our World today, that is not enough.
It's about GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE.
And, for the love of all that is holy, don't let an athlete who is EXPECTED to win, for whatever reason, come up short in the final endeavor.
It's all about the WIN...and those medals.
Well, as a devoted fan of the Olympics, and of ALL the athletes who compete in them with integrity, grace, strength, and raw ability, I feel that a little reminder is in order...
THEY ARE THERE !!
While we sit at home, on our couches and in our easy chairs...
While we watch from the excitement of a sports bar, sucking down a cold one and noshing on our favorite bar food...
While we discuss and criticize and downgrade from the comfort of a broadcast stage...
THEY ARE THERE !!
We count the MEDALS...
What countries WIN what...
Ours is better than yours...
And when our athletes DON'T win, or place, we lose interest and stop the cheers...
THEY ARE THERE !!
And Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian of all time...because of HIS MEDALS...
And the NAMES of the WINNERS will go down in Olympic history, and they will be put to "print" over and over again...
We don't want to forget the WINNERS...
THEY ARE THERE !!
Yes, THEY ARE ALL THERE...
Every athlete, no matter the sport, from the able-bodied Olympics to the Paralympics...every ATHLETE is there, competing with determination, and the desire to do their very best, and to WIN.
But what we have failed to do, and always fail to do...whether it is in this Summer Olympics of 2012, or ANY Olympics...or World competition...or NCAA tournament...or a local meet or match...we, as the self-proclaimed lovers of SPORT, have failed repeatedly to acknowledge this simple fact...
EVERY ATHLETE who is in the OLYMPICS is ALREADY A WINNER !!
EVERY ATHLETE who gets out in that field, or on that court, or into that pool, or onto those bars...every one of those ATHLETES has overcome unimaginable odds just to BE THERE.
And when they compete with integrity and grace...when they inspire US to be more...and when they give every ounce of who they are for their SPORT...
THEY ARE WINNERS.
So, I believe that we, as lovers of the Game, should KNOW the names of EVERY ATHLETE who is competing in London this Summer of 2012.
Every ATHLETE taking part in the Summer Olympics 2012 in London, England show have their NAME in PRINT, and they should be lauded on a daily basis simply because...
I will be making every effort to find out those names, and will joyfully share them when
I do, because...
THEY ARE THERE !!
I, for one, love it when the Michael Phelps and Fab Five of the World give us their very, very best, winning the right to hear their national anthem played and see their flags raised in tribute.
They add a fire and excitement to the Games.
But I also love to watch ALL of the athletes put their hearts and souls into the sport they love to be so much a part of...yes, ALL of them.
So, as I sit on my couch and cheer on the US in these Summer Olympics, except in Track and Field...the 400m...when I will be cheering for Oscar Pistorius, I will make sure that I do not get lost in the winning of the medals.
I will make sure that I acknowledge, even if only in the Spirit of the Games, the winning EFFORTS of every boy and girl...man and woman...able-bodied and physically challenged (the Summer 2012 Paralympics start soon)...ATHLETE who competes.
Don't get me wrong.
Medals are awesome !
But sometime, just being there and striving to do one's best...no, ALL THE TIME, really...
THAT is the true VICTORY.
Peace...;)
