Rise and Shine

Good Morning everybody!

I think, after all these years, I've figured out the Olympics. It's not the athletic competition, it's not the views of other countries and it's not the crazy fans that pack the arenas. No, the good thing about the Olympic games is watching some sports you don't get to see every day.
First was swimming, which, except for the most chlorine filled, doesn't get a lot of pub except during the Olympics.
Then there is track & field, which is the best Olympic sport that gets no recognition in the U.S.
To see Jamaica's Usain Bolt blow away the competition in the 100 and 200 dashes was electrifying. So what if he's a bit cocky, when you have the kind of speed that's never been seen before you can be cocky.
Really, when you break it down, track & field is sports at its most basic. It's you against me. Who is the fastest? Who can jump the highest?
There is drama in every event, but, except for Olympic years, we here miss most of it. With few exceptions, track events aren't shown on television. They are never covered on SportsCenter and, in the day of shrinking newspapers, don't get a lot of daily print.
Contrast that to Europe, where track rivals soccer (football?) for popularity. A few years ago the U.S. hosted the world championships. Every great athlete in every event was on the track in Los Angeles. Every event was exciting. Every event was dramatic.
Of course, unless you were in Paris watching it on a 12-inch television, you would never know.
Speaking of Olympics, this is pretty funny:


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