Olympic Flames

Every four years I go out and buy a mini American flag, cook up some popcorn, and plant myself in front of the television. Sports on 8 different channels played by people from all around the world, its truly a modern day miracle.

The buildup to the Olympics has started. An inspirational credit card commercial here, a heart-wrenching sports drink commercial there. By the time the first fireworks go off in the opening ceremony I'm salivating so hard that I have to put a bucket at my feet. Then it all starts and I remembered why every 4 years I ask the question, "Is that Olympic stuff still going on?"

I do enjoy many moments of the Olympics. Every once in a while I will catch an exciting basketball game, or a cool looking soccer goal. The other 95% of the time, I watch runners slowly trudge along on mile 125 of their 420 mile journey. As I observe nothing happening, I hear the same story over and over again about how the athlete overcame growing up in a wheel chair and eating rats to become their nation's greatest hero. Its a great story, it really is, but I can only watch it for so long before I start feeling bad about myself for wasting all the opportunities I have been giving by watching others succeed on TV while eating popcorn.

A few javelin throws and spinning dives later and I'm wondering where all the cool sports went. Why are those events I've never seen before only shown on 10 second replays aired at 3 AM? After an hour of a man lining up his crossbow I switch the channel.

Three years later, I forget everything, and get prepared for the Olympics once again.