Monday, August 11, 2008

Red, White and Blue

I just love watching the Olympics. For the seventeen days that the games are on on tv they are my "go to" thing to watch. My favorite events to watch are swimming, track & field, and gymnastics. But I also find myself watching sports I never even think about. This afternoon I was watching the USA women's water polo team take on China and I caught myself glued to the screen. For water polo!

Me and the Olympics go way back. The first games I remember watching were the 1984 games in LA. I looked on in awe as Mary Lou Retton in her American flag leotard won gymnastic gold. I also remember the 1992 Shannon Miller craze (especially here in Oklahoma). I even remember her little poof of bangs bouncing around as she tumbled across the floor. Oh and remember in 1996 when Kerri Strug landed her vault on one leg?! I guess gymnastics really is my favorite sport to watch since all of my memories seem to revolve around it. I think I always secretly wished I was as strong and flexible and talented as those amazing athletes! I can dream.

Even more than gymnastics, the thing that really gets me is hearing our national anthem being played and watching the winning Olympians on the medal stand. I think I watch the ceremony with a goofy grin on my face and a slight tear in my eye. I'm just patriotic like that. Anyone else have favorite Olympic memories from past or present?

O're the land of the free and the home of the brave......

3 comments:

Jacquelyn said...

i wasn't even ALIVE in 1984. hahahaha. :)

my favorite moment is that one when the runner got hurt and his dad came out of the stands and helped him to the finish line. i think i teared up just as i typed that!

oh the the relay sunday was AMAZING. did you ever "play" olympics with your friends? i still do. lets make hannah and leah play olympics and you and i can just watch the real ones all day thursday! :)

Jenn said...

Cooper is really into watching them - when the US competes, he'll say "I'm so nervous, I can't watch!" It is too funny! We were at the Edmond Library today and saw the statue of Shannon Miller - then we went to Sport Clips to get their hair cut and there was a picture of her on the wall! And while they got their hair cut, we watched men's water polo - not sure that I was glued to it like you were though!But the Olympics is everywhere!

Emily said...

Thank you two for your comments! I ALWAYS appreciate them. And why is the word "tv" in yellow? I'm still trying to figure these things out.