Almost There

Less than one week until Olympic competition begins and just over one week until the Opening Ceremonies.  I guess it is time for another update.  (For those of you wondering, before I created this fantastic blog, my updates were sent by email to a select few people.  If you are not one of those select few people, you missed out.  Now, however, I am sharing myself with anyone and everyone.)  Much has happened since our last update, so let's get right to it.

US Team uniforms have created multiple controversies.  Apparently, Congress doesn't realize we are in a war in Afghanistan, there is a global economic crisis, there is a national economic crisis and there are probably 12,000 things for them to do.  Certain members of Congress (and I don't care enough to look up who they are) are up in arms over the fact that the US Olympic uniforms were made in China.  Apparently, they believe the uniforms should be made right here in the Good Ole USA.  Because 600 Olympic uniforms are going to bring back US manufacturing in the textile industry.  I don't necessarily disagree with them on this one, I just think that Olympic uniforms, steroids in baseball, bounties in football and the basic nutrition of a 7 time Tour de France winner should not be on the docket of our legislative body at this time.  Or ever.  At least they agree with me on the Tour de France guy and bounties in football.  Well, they do on the Tour de France guy.  As far as bounties in football, I think even Congress is afraid of the NFL.

Speaking of the Tour de France, time for our Tour de France update.  The race has finished all mountain stages.  We've only had two doping incidents, although one involved Frank Schleck, the elder Schleck brother.  Things were going pretty well for the Schlecks earlier this year.  Andy was handed the 2010 Tour title due to Alberto Contador's doping issues and they were the kings of a strong team that had merged with RadioShack, run by Johan Bruyneel, who had only overseen 10 Tour victories.  Then Andy broke his pelvis, Johan found himself accused of running a doping scheme and backed out, Frank didn't want to be "the guy," Frank crashed and now Frank has tested positive for something no one has ever heard of that might, just might, be used as a masking agent.  So, it's been pretty much downhill for the Schlecks recently.  I long for the days when the Schlecks rode together on a team I didn't like and we could talk about "the Schleck Brothers" as if they were an evil duo in some black and white movie.  Good times.

The only ones having good times in the Tour this year are Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky.  Although one wonders if teammate Christopher Froome is having fun as he does all the work for Wiggins and is never allowed to just go out and try to win himself.  Something many, including the great Bernard Hinault, think he could do.  Others not having fun are the 40 or so riders who got flat tires during a sabotage of the race, when someone threw carpet tacks on the road.  Maybe those were the same people who sabotaged Frank's urine sample.  Defending champion Cadel Evans has found himself at the tail end of things, being dropped on consecutive days.  Safe to say he's not having fun.  And Mark Cavendish, who wins everything, has only won one stage this year.  Funny how a career accomplishment for almost any other rider is a disappointment for the Manx Missile.  Oh well, there is always the Olympics.  (How crazy is it that a bunch of these guys will go straight from a 3 week torture race to the Olympics in just a couple days?)

And...we come back to the Olympics.  See how that works?  Full circle.  Oh, the other uniform controversy involves the hats.  Team USA will be bearing berets again this year.  Some people are upset, because a beret is a French hat.  I don't think this has anything to do with patriotism, just hatred of the French.  Of course, the berets sold like ice cream to a 5 year old when we wore them in 2002.  So maybe this has something to do with marketing and selling stuff.  Nah, the Olympics are about competition, not money.  Ryan Lochte just looks damn fine in a beret.

I think that beret just may come in handy for my wife's favorite swimmer.  The Olympic village is a regular cornucopia of sex.   Vegas rules apply - what happens in the Village stays in the Village.  Including the estimated 100,000 condoms distributed to Olympic athletes.  See here for more.  What effect do you think adding pole dancing to the Olympics would have?  Sadly, I am not kidding.

In local sports, Middle's debut in the backstroke was delayed by a thunderstorm.  He gets another chance on Saturday.  So we will see if he actually gets in and does it.  Meanwhile, Eldest will be going after his first blue ribbon this weekend.  Update to follow.  Youngest just wants to eat dinner at the meet.  Something the weather gods very rudely prevented last night.  I promise to get a Delaware update soon.

Things to look forward to:

1.  My predictions, coming soon.
2.  More Tour updates.  These even bore me as Bradley Wiggins has methodically taken and held the lead.  But I will at least tell you who won.
3.  More local sports updates.
4.  The opening of Olympic competition on Wednesday July 25 - including the Olympic debut of Alex Morgan.
5.  My pick for my favorite obscure Olympic sport.
6.  Daily Olympic updates, or thereabouts.