Farewell, Olympics
As I type this, I'm watching the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Olympics. What on earth am I going to do, now that the Olympics are over and I no longer have a good reason to stay up late? (Answer: Probably get hooked on all nine billion versions of "CSI" that are busily taking over TV.)The Olympics certainly haven't been without their controversies, especially with the drama surrounding the men's gymnastics judging. But I've watched as much of it as I could, considering my work/life schedule and the fact that I don't have cable.
I couldn't stay up until stupid o'clock to see people throw a javelin, but I did see Michael Phelps take medal after medal. I never saw equestrian stuff, but I did see Toby "Crash" Stephenson celebrate a successful jump by strumming an air guitar while the crowd cheered. There were sad parts, when athletes suffered defeat on an international stage. There were triumphant parts, when athletes overcame all odds and emerged as champions. Names of Americans I barely knew were etched in my memory: Michael Phelps, Paul Hamm, Carly Patterson, Jeremy Warner, Natalie Coughlin. And, through it all, Dave Barry's daily columns added levity to an event that managed not to be overshadowed by the "terrorism" buzzword.
As many are saying, Greece did a spectacular job as host of the Olympics. Now I want to see Athens.
Posted by Layla at 11:00 PM, August 29, 2004
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