Tuesday, August 12, 2008
A Little Commentary
on the Beijing Olympics. I've been watching it off an on since Friday night, I try to catch the popular stuff like swimming and gymnastics, but I've seen rowing, men's water polo, beach volleyball and some of the women's road race. I'm so amazed at these atheletes, their skill level and ability. I'm so not an athelete by any means, and I just think that they're all awesome. So tonight I watched a little bit of the women's team competition in gymnastics, and again, they're all awesome and no way could I ever even begin to attempt what they do. So the commentators are talking, blah, blah, blah and they'll say something about how great Shawn Johnson is, or Chellsie Memmle and her routine on the uneven parallel bars is, and then once these fantastic atheletes, who are in tip top shape have finished their routine, it's like the stupid cheesehead commentators start trashing them immediately! Yeah, maybe they are former Olympic-level gymnasts themselves, luckily parlaying their former atheletic ability into a career blathering on and on before and during the routines and then morphing into catty high school girls the moment said routine is over. The swimming commentators do not seem to do this. And what I saw of the rowing events, those commentators didn't do it. What gives?!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
They're totally being catty. I felt SO sad for that one gymnast last night, I can't remember her name, the one who fell off the balance beam. She was one strong girl to be able to hold her head up and keep it together as everything was falling apart. I just wanted to hug her. And Bela Karolyi was totally cracking me up insisting that the Chinese team was half under-age, lol!
Last night, while I was watching, I was starting to feel sorry for Michael Phelps. I can't imagine the pressure he must be under, I know he's amazing, but I think about how he would feel if he falls short since everyone has made such a big freaking deal about everything. I"m such a bleeding heart.
I guess my feeling is, since I could never do what they do, I have no place to critique them. And those old, washed up commentators don't either! LOL You know that Mark Spitz's best Olympic times wouldn't even qualify him for the Olympics now, atheletes get better and stronger year after year, there's just no comparing somebody in 1984 to somebody in 2008.
My mom & I said the same thing about Michael Phelps, and his poor mom, she must be just about ready to pass out in the stands watching him!! LOL
I think it's because things like Gymnastics are based on technique and the athletes are SO GOOD that even if the toes are not pointed that is to be noted. The sports where the first one to the finish line is the winner is not so much about form as it is speed.
Gymnastics and figure skating are the junior highs of the Olympics. At least gymnastics involve a bit of teamwork,well, they call them a team at least.
Post a Comment