Sports Talk: The Olympic Spirit

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published August 1, 2012.
 
If you have not noticed, I thoroughly enjoy the Olympics.

This goes back pretty far. My earliest memories of the big games were the 1994 Winter Olympics when my brothers and I got hooked on the Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding drama. They might kill me for making this public, but we were so inspired by the skating that year that we attempted our own performances in our roller skates complete with video commentary. Thank goodness that was pre-YouTube.

My first memories of the summer Olympics came in 1996. My family had a layover in Atlanta that spring, and I remember my parents pointing out that the airport construction was in preparation of the Olympics. I was so impressed that my own country had the honor of hosting the Olympic games. I adored USA’s women’s gymnastics team who brought home gold after Kerri Strug’s heroic “stick it” moment.

As I grew older and became more involved in my own athletics (I gave up skating...) I came to appreciate more of the events and learn more about the history of the Olympics; America’s triumphs and woes alike. 

Then the music became a part of my own competitive spirit year-round. Musical compositions are big in my life in general (not because I'm at all musical, because I'm not. I've never played an instrument in my life. I just have a deep passion for movie scores.) 

In my years of running for the Casey County track team my family put together a collection of strictly instrumental inspirational music that we would listen to on the way to meets and I would usually continue with once at the meet. (My brother probably switched to something cooler like Eminem or Metallica.) 

Along with many other themes were "Bugler's Dream," introduced at the 1968 Olympics and John Williams’ 1984 Olympic Fanfare (that anyone who watches the Olympics would recognize) as well as his "Olympic Spirit" written for the 1988 Olympics. 

This year I have kept our TV on nearly nonstop since the Opening Ceremonies and simply walking through the room is dangerous as I get tend to get sucked into anything from water polo to rowing. And, I admit, simply hearing the music is what grabs my attention half of the time. (In fact, I'm listening to the music and watching the TV along with having six screens with Olympic updates open on my Internet browser as I type.) I'm as much in the Olympic moment as a young girl in Kentucky can possibly be this far away from the games themselves.

You might remember last week when I said the most exciting events and Olympic news were still TBD? Well, that was at least one thing I was right about in my preview.

I noted to pay attention to Team USA’s diving because we had the chance to medal the first time since 2000. We did medal, but Kelci  Bryant and Abby Johnston, two athletes I did not key in on, beat David Boudia and Nick McCrory to the punch. Bryant and Johnston took silver in the 3m synchronized springboard. No worries, though, Boudia and McCrory also medaled, taking bronze in the 10m synchronized platform.

Not to be on a girl power streak, but seeing the joy on the face of 17-year-old Missy Franklin who won the women's 100-meter backstroke could have made anyone love the girl. Even Michael Phelps called this young lady a stud and seeing her win that gold just after competing in the 200-meter free-style semi-finals proves he knows what he is talking about. 

To go from Missy’s radiant smile on the medal stand to the cloud of disappointment that loomed over the men's gymnastic team as error after error dashed their hopes of medaling was such an emotional roller coaster even for me. If I can get this worked up over the 2 minutes I pay someone, how can the years of dedication feel?

On a final note, for possibly the best laugh so far, and a throwback to my recent column giving hats off to athlete parents, find the video of Aly Raisman’s parent's watching her bar routine. These games might be harder to get through for the parents than anyone else.

Sports Talk: Let the Games Begin! Go Team USA!

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published July 25, 2012.

It’s finally here!

The 2012 Olympic Opening Cermonies kick off Friday. Haven’t had time to keep up with the hype and qualifying? Here are some highlights on who we are pulling for on team U.S.A.

Men’s Swimming: Michael Phelps, Ryan Locht and Anthony Ervin

Phelps only needs three medals to pass the most decorated Olympian of all-time, Larisa Latynina, who claimed 18 medals through her career. Phelps sits at 16 after six golds and two silvers in 2004 and eight golds in 2008.

Meanwhile, Locht, who helped push Phelps to his stardom, is now posing as a challenge. The two will face off in both the 200- and 400-meter individual medley races to prove who is the better swimmer.

Ervin, a 2000 gold-medal swimmer, took leave of the sport for years before his 2011 return and has found his way back to the games. He will again compete in the 50-meter freestyle for Team USA, in pursuit of another gold in the event.

Men’s Track & Field: Justin Gatlin, Ashton Eaton, Galen Rupp, Tyson Gay

Gatlin returns to the Olympic stage after being banned from the 2008 due to a steroid scandal. Gatlin won the 100-meter at the U.S. trials earlier this summer. 

Eaton broke the 11-year old world decathlon record at the trials and is expected to win the event in London.

Rupp could possibly be the first American to win a medal in an event longer than 800-meters since 1968. He will compete in both the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs.

And of course you must watch Kentuckian and world-renown runner Gay. I always like to brag about the fact I naively watched the speedster tear up the track at KHSAA state track meets back in my early running career.

Women’s Track & Field: Allyson Felix, Lolo Jones, Sanya Richards-Ross

Speed-demon Felix will compete in both the 100- and 200-meter with hopes of her first Olympic gold after taking home consecutive silver medals in the 200 in the last two games.

Although Jones is not the favored 100-meter hurdlers, she has captured the attention of many and you never know what the attention could translate to on race day.

It is quite rare, but three other athletes, including Michael Johnson, have proven that it is possible to take gold in both the 200- and 400-meter sprints. Richards-Ross will aim to be the fourth person to do so.

Women’s Beach Volleyball: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings

With over ten years of partnership on the sand, May and Walsh once went on a 101-game win streak along with capturing 18 tournament wins. However, since the duo picked up gold in both Athens and Beijing, they have experienced some defeat and now have China and Brazil nipping at their heals. Nonetheless, they are 2012 favorites and will set an Olympic record if they capture their third consecutive gold.

Women’s Gymnastics – Gabby Douglas and Jordan Wieber

The United States women’s gymnastic team has not won gold since Atlanta in 1996 and this team of youngsters are the favorites. There are hopes for several gold medals including Douglas the “flying squirrel” on the uneven bars and Wieber on the balance beam.

Men’s Basketball:

Do I even need to mention names to listen for? I bet most of you can name the entire team line-up anyway. Despite injuries to Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard, I do not think anyone has lost any hope for Lebron, and Kobe to lead the team to anything but gold in London.

Women’s Soccer:

Too many experiences of winning the World Cup, only to turn around and take silver in the Olympics does not set well with our country’s competitive spirit in general, but especially with this team of ladies. Hoping to avenge their loss to Japan in the 2011 World Cup, Hope Solo and Heather O’Reilly lead their team to the battle field.

Other names/events to pay attention to:

• Judo:  Kayla Harrison; potential to be U.S.’s first Olympic champion in judo history. 
• Men’s Gymnastics: Danell Leyva and John Orozco; they are leading the charge in bringing new light to the mens’ side of the gymnastic house. 
• Wrestling: Jordan Burroughs; Reigning world champion, he is one of America’s best hopes for a wrestling medal. 
• Weightlifting: Holley Mangold; More likely to be a 2016 medal contender, she is quickly improving and could surprise many in London. 
• Women’s Swimming: Missy Franklin; She has the opportunity to be the first American female athlete to capture seven medals at one Olympiad. 
• Diving: David Boudia, Troy Dumais, Kristian Ispen; Team U.S.A. has not medaled in diving since 2000. Any or all of these three could bring a return to America’s placing in this discipline.

Other First Place Favorites:

• Taekwondo: Steven Lopez
• Archery: Brady Ellison.
• Men’s Beach Volleyball Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser
• Women’s Road Cycling: Individual Time - Kristin Armstrong
• Women’s Basketball Team

First time Olympic title hopefuls:  

• Men’s and Women’s water polo 
• Women’s volleyball

 Needless to say, it is likely the most exciting event and news to keep up with is still TBD. That’s part of the Olympic fun—the unexpected stories. The good news is with live-streaming of all events online for the first time, you should not have to miss a thing.

Now let’s just hope the stereotypical rainy England weather doesn’t ruin the fun.

Go U.S.A!

Sports Talk: Olympic Trials, Successes and Failures

As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published June 27. 

There is so, so much I could contribute to the sports world in this week’s column. I’ll go ahead and break it to you that I’m not going to recap the NBA draft. (Sorry, Wildcat fans. It is a cool historical event, though.)

I am very interested in the long-awaited end to the BCS Bowl series in college football, which is being replaced by a four-team playoff beginning in 2014; but I’ll save my college football rants for the fall.

As I sit on my couch to write this and the Olympic Trials broadcast before me and my American pride begins to glow; how can I write about anything else?

No matter the sport the TV is displaying, it has my attention. The Olympics themselves will hold their own appeal, of course, but the trials are just as compelling and sometimes more heartbreaking for me to watch.

At least in the Olympics you have a team to root for. For me, the athletes  at the trials are all incredibly amazing and dedicated athletes taking their one shot to make it to the real deal in London. I have no one to root against.

There is no doubt in my mind that even the last place finisher or lowest scorer in these trials has incredible skill and strength. Some of them compete in the trials, simply happy to be there, knowing their chances of making the team are slim to none compared to their competition.

Others come with hope for a first trip or the hope for a medal in London or a hope for a second chance at a missed opportunity in Beijing. One crucial moment can make or break that.

I find myself watching 45-year-old Tara Dorres move through the water as though she was born in it the waves, and capture win after win to make her sixth trip to the Olympic arena. Forty-five? Really??

The I turn around to see not-quite-sixteen-year-old Kyla Ross stand solo in front of thousands to face a set of uneven bars. Her should, legs, abs, and arms could put any athlete to shame. And I called myself a ‘serious’ athlete at that age??

While you want the best of the best to represent the U.S. in London, it is still heart wrenching to watch another athlete—whom has also put in training beyond anything I can imagine—just miss the cut.

Seeing Nastia Liuken plummet to the ground during her uneven bar routine sent the crowd silent as well as the announcers. Alone on the stage with such an extreme error leaves most without words; however, with the conclusion of her routine came thunderous applause for her courage.

Liuken will not be traveling to London after claiming five medals in 2008.

Hearing the gun shoot twice instantly at the start of the men’s 200-meter semi-final track and field event was a downer. One false start and Texas Christian University’s Charles Silmon was done. It’s not that Silmon was expected to qualify in the 200; but he’d earned his right to be there, and a silly mistake put him out of the competition.

The Olympics and trials, both, give us both moments of triumph and moments of heartbreak, but that is what makes them so special. It’s not pee-wee anymore. Not everyone gets to be there and of those that make it, not all of them can bring home a medal.

I am proud of and excited for all of those athletes who will be representing our stars and stripes later this month. Congrats and I’m looking forward to cheering on Team U.S.A. Happy Independence Day!