Olympics

The Winter Olympics are always so bitter sweet for me.  First, I was badly damaged at 16 in 1971 at the 1972 downhill tryouts and yeah I really thought I had a chance - of course I was stupid back then and it was only sheer male bravado which propelled me to even attempt that downhill run.  Scarey part is, if it had not of been for the actions of the guy I was up against (back in those days downhill was run as a two man competition) - I probably would have at least completed the course!  My how life would have been oh so different!  And then, my first adopted daughter turned out to be extremely athletic.  I put all of the kids into skating classes that first winter (they needed some form of exercise in the winter!) and she was a natural!  By age 11 she was already doing all of the triple jumps and blowing everyone away in competition, she has boxes of trophies and gold medals to show for it.  But, that was all she got was gold medals, never anything else!  As I said, she was a natural.  Then at 12, she just walked away.

I have often, since that day she refused to skate ever again, bemoaned the money sunk into her skating career.  I know I am financially stupid, always have been, but even at the time I was questioning the vast sums it takes to put your little girl on the ice.  No we are not talking parental vanity, she really was talented, but it is not a sport for the faint of heart.  I even at one point was looking into how does the US girls finance their skating and had a chance to meet Ashley Wagner's father, since he had just gotten his daughter into the US program.  He gave me some good ideas on how to start the process of applying.  Kudos to him!

And as daughter and I sat and watched Ashley, her same age, whom she would have been up against for a team slot if she skated for the Americans or against in competition had she of skated for Switzerland.  She was always better than Ashley, that would be others opinions though.  She looked at me and quietly said, "I am sorry, I could have kicked her butt...."

So, it was fun to watch the skating and be amazed by Russia's new talent, but daughter could not have beat her without significantly more expensive training!  Yulia (Julia to the rest of the world!) at 15, is amazing.  And, it was fun to see the return of Evgeni to the men's competition.  I was amazed to hear Scott Hamilton state that Evgeni was probably the best male skater of all time.  I think Scott needs to go back and watch his own performances at Sarajevo and take that into consideration - he was unbeatable.

In past years there was always much ado about Evgeni's long time girl friend, a Russian model, and nothing this time about his life, loves or anything!  Makes you wonder what happened.  Be sad if she walked away, he was a smitten kitten.

And thinking of girl friends, anyone other than me get a snort over how Putin brought some eye candy as his escort?  Had her as part of the Olympic Flame Relay (Alina Kabaeva took gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics in gymnastics) and for the opening ceremonies?  I assume the guy on the other side of her was her brother due to facial features and the fact that she was telling him how to behave.  And then she was gone for the next two days of photos of Putin.  Makes you wonder whom talked to who and is there someone Putin will listen to?  (No knock of Putin here, I have spoken with him three times on adoption related topics, so I do have respect for the man.  He is quite an interesting man.)

But, the opening ceremonies were awesome and interesting to watch and oh so much better than what was done in Salt Lake City (which I mark as a low point in Olympic openings - though Alberville was equally a facepalm...).

So, a thoughtful, enjoyable weekend of viewing the goings on in sports, the pain of coverage being so American centric (there is nothing worse than seeing that someone almost metaled and have no reason as to why, because they were covering the losing American!  My best example will always remain complete ignorance of Biathlon even existing as a sport until only a few Olympics ago!  Really?  If I had known in 1971 guess what I would have gone out for rather than downhill!  Amazing.

Well, my rant for the day - have a good one ...