Less Than a Week to Go

With less than a week to go until the Opening Ceremonies, it is time to start looking forward to the 2012 Olympic story lines.  I will try to give you one per day for the next week.  However, I have a real life, and a job, and a family, so my time may limited.  Please keep in mind, I have a swimming and track bias, and I have not yet selected my summer olympics obscure sport, so, that bias may come out.  We also need to look at a little general update, and check in with our local sports.

Today's story line is Lolo Jones.  Lolo was the favorite in the women's 100 meter hurdles in 2008, and with one hurdle to go, she had a clear lead.  Lolo hit the final hurdle, lost all momentum and ended up 7th.  Or 8th.  Not sure which.  Either way, out of the medals, and, let's be honest, we're Americans, if your not first second or third, you're last.  Unless you are a male swimmer.  For our male swimmers, if you're not first, you're last.  But, back to Lolo.  After a very disappointing finish in Beijing, Lolo has continued to run, but says that the hardest thing for her to do is remain a virgin and save herself for marriage.  Lolo finished third in Olympic Trials, so she will be attending her second Olympic Games.  From what we have heard about the Olympic Village, well, yeah, staying a virgin during the next three weeks would seem fairly impossible.  Lolo also had a difficult childhood, living in relative poverty and moving around a lot.  Needless to say, the back story, virginity, results in Beijing and chance at redemption will make Lolo a media darling for NBC and their 77 affiliate networks showing the Olympics this year.  We wish Lolo the best, but fear she will fail to make the Finals.  Regardless, look for Lolo in London.  And cheer her on, in the hurdles, and the whole virginity thing.  Honestly, I think the toughest thing for her to do will be resisting Ryan Lochte in a beret...and nothing else.  I'm not even sure I could resist that.

In other sports, it has occurred to me that Europe is the place to be.  Euro 2012 just finished, the Tour de France is in full swing (actually winding down), the British Open is in full swing (get it..swing), and London starts in one week.  Here in America, all we have is about 70 more baseball games for every team.  These truly are the dog days of summer.  Unless you are in Europe.

In the Tour, Bradley Wiggins goes into today's time trial with a 2+ minute lead.  Wiggins could pull a Michael Rasmussen, circa 2005, and crash twice (once into a ditch), change bikes twice and change tires multiple times, and still win this race.  Here's hoping he doesn't try the Rasmussen route, but that is the only way for any drama.  American Tejay VanGarderen has taken over defending champion Cadel Evans as top rider from BMC and is looking for a top 5 finish and the white jersey as best young rider.  Other than Tejay, Americans should have just stayed at home.

In the Open Championship, Tiger Woods finished round 2 in third place, four strokes back.  There are those who want to see him start winning majors again to put golf back on the map.  (Apparently Luke Donald and Lee Westwood can't carry the sport. Phil Mickelson is done, and all the solid young Americans - except Bubba - are interchangeable.  Seriously, what is the difference between Keegan Bradley, Bill Haas, Hunter Mahan, Webb Simpson, etc.)  I'm not rooting for Tiger, he turns golf media into morons, and it will just get worse if he wins another major and we have to start hearing the whole "Tiger or the field" question.  I wish someone gave me even odds on that for the last 15 years.  I'd be able to buy lunch at Five Guys.  For you ladies out there, Adam Scott is in second after Round 2.  Adam Scott winning this followed by the 7 days of Ryan Lochte reality television that will be the 2012 Olympics is enough to turn suburban, married bedrooms into the Olympic Village.

In local swimming, the quest for a blue ribbon continues.  The Armfield Farm boys 8&Under relay finished first for the first time in two years.  So that blue ribbon was in their hands, except for the whole early take-off thing.  I guess the excitement got to Eldest.  So, we have at least another 10 months before we can get our first blue ribbon.  Eldest's worst meet of the season did result in a second place in the butterfly, as well the first team victory of the summer.  Middle swam and survived backstroke.  How those little kids can just stay on their backs is amazing to me.  Middle now wants to try butterfly in the rescheduled B-Meet Monday night.  Stay tuned for more on the evolution of the next Ryan Lochte.  (There will never be another Michael Phelps.)  Still waiting on a Delaware update from my local reporters.  I guess this blog doesn't produce enough revenue for timely reports.

That's it from cold, dreary Chantilly.  Things to look forward to:

1.  More Olympic story lines.
2.  More local updates of the Monday B Meet.
3.  Predictions.
4.  Opening Ceremonies.