We're Winning the Olympics!

Yesterday, upon seeing the updated medal count, Eldest yelled, "Yaaa!  We're winning the Olympics!"


I think he is smart enough to know that a country doesn't win the Olympics.  I say I think, because in 1984, at the same age, I asked my mother if we won the Olympics.  The apple doesn't fall very far from the tree, and sometimes it knocks someone on the head and makes them ask a silly question.


We are, of course, winning the Olympics.  That's why we do this, right?  To win.  Not to get political, but we don't need Donald Trump to make America great again, or to become winners.  We need Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, Simone Biles, Simone Manuel and Ryan Murphy.  Really what we need is more people to name their daughter Simone.  We may not want to limit that to daughters either.  Apparently, if you are named Simone, you are destined to win.  Yesterday, you won Olympic gold.  Tomorrow, you win the world.  Does anyone doubt that either Simone is a winner?  Does anyone doubt that either Simone will make America great again?  Does anyone else wish either Simone was running for President?


We are, of course, winning the Olympics.  We have the most gold medals.  We have the most silver medals.  We are third in bronze medals.  We have the most total medals.  We won the first gold medal.  Our women are killing it.  Our Men's Indoor Volleyball team finally got the message and won.  We win on sand, on land and in the water.  We are even going to win on top of the water.  With Simone Biles, you can say we won in the air.  We win as teenagers, in our 20s, in our 30s and even in our 40s.  We win so much, you would think Charlie Sheen is our head Olympics Coach.


We are, of course, winning the Olympics.  We get a daily dose of Rebecca Lowe.  We get periodic stories from Kier Simmons.  We get picturesque views of Rio.  We are watching the greatest swimmer and most decorated Olympian ever.  We will get to watch the greatest sprinter ever in track and field.  You could make an argument that Simone is the greatest gymnast ever.  The greatest tennis player ever kind of let us down, by getting knocked out early in both singles and doubles, but she is another greatest ever in this Olympics.  We have two women's swimmers making a run at greatest woman swimmer ever, in Ledecky and Hosszu.  Hosszu has pulled off one of the greatest individual performances ever.  We get Kerri Walsh-Jennings doing unprecedented things.  Kayla Harrison won back to back gold medals.  And we can watch anything we want, because coverage is ridiculous.  We, as spectators, are winning these Olympics.


We are, of course, winning the Olympics.  Could you ask for crazier stories?  The diving pool is GREEN!  The weather is terrible Wednesday, gorgeous Thursday, terrible Friday.  The Russian team almost got banned as a whole!  A 19 year old American swimmer became the face of the anti-doping campaign while a 24 year old Russian swimmer became the face of evil.  A judo medalist got attacked on the beach.  Brazilians scream "ZIKA!" at random events for reasons no one can explain.  If you are looking for a distraction from life or from the presidential campaign or from the never-ending baseball season or from Rich Williams, you couldn't ask for anything better.


We are, of course, winning the Olympics.  It is hard not to.  Every 4 years, the world gets together to compete.  There is a lot not to like about the Olympic movement.  Money is too important.  Nationalism can sometimes go too far.  Brazilians yell ZIKA!  A terrible drug story lingers, just waiting to destroy a great achievement, as has happened several times.  Economic disaster for the host country is a real possibility.  Rules can be ridiculous.  If you can get past all that and enjoy the competition, the athletes, the moments of great sportsmanship, you win.  You win because of the athletes who have no chance of winning a medal, but earned the right to be there.  You win because of the athletes who accomplish something they never thought possible.  You win because of the athletes who fail to accomplish what they expected.  In his epic speech after winning the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the Espy Awards in 1993, Jim Valvano said to laugh, think and cry every day.  For the 17 days of these, and every, Olympics, that's not hard.  Without even trying, you could laugh, cry and think several times a day.


We are, of course, winning the Olympics.


Today's Olympic Story Line - Ryan Lochte.  I said I would occasionally cover a well known story.  Lochte finished 5th in the 200 IM last night.  This is likely his last Olympic swim.  In the post-race interview, he said he needed a mental and physical break, but won't rule out attempting to qualify for Tokyo in 2012.  This morning, he said basically the same thing, but implied he would almost definitely make a run at Tokyo in 2020.


Lochte is the second most decorated male swimmer in Olympic history.  He has won 12 Olympic medals, 6 of them gold.  Those numbers tie him for 18th all time in gold medals won and 8th all time in total medals won.  Last night, Rowdy Gaines said that, if not for Phelps, Lochte would be known as the greatest swimmer ever.  I think some people would make a strong argument for Mark Spitz.  But Lochte would at least be in the discussion.  Regardless, Lochte has been a joy both in the water and out of the water, from his brief reality TV show, to his accomplishments, to his crazy shoes, to his interviews and that smile, to his dyed hair.   He wins the Olympics every year, because he competes and he has fun.  I doubt he will be able to do it again in 4 years, even if he tries.  But I hope he tries.  Lochte helps the rest of us win the Olympics, too.

Reflections on What Has Happened (Focus for this will be on US sports and medals, but we will touch on other stuff as time permits) -

1.  Too.  Much.  Rowing.  Who decided that every rowing race needed to be shown this year?

2.  The Dalhousser/Lucena v. Nicolai/Lupo beach volleyball match yesterday was a classic.  The Americans won 24-22 in the third set, after 8 match points.

3.  US Men's Volleyball team is taking the motto, "It's OK to lose, just don't lose to Brazil," literally.  After a great win yesterday, hopefully, they will decide to beat some other teams as well.

4.  Kayla Harrison - Repeat gold medalist.  Sounds good to me.  She has not lost her swagger entering the arena over the last 4 years either.  I still don't understand judo, though.

5.  Iris Wang was clutch in her opening Badminton match.

6.  US Women's Field Hockey keeps rolling.  3-0 win over India.

7.  Was there gymnastics yesterday?

8.  I saw some air rifle shooting yesterday.  I thought Judo was confusing.

9.  Women's Water Polo.  Still just good.

Predictions Sum Up -

1.  Phelps wins.  Lochte bronze behind Hagino.  Yup and WRONG!  That was not the close race everyone was expecting, unless you were watching the race behind Phelps.
2.  Murphy joins Piersol, Krayzelburg, Carey and Naber as a double backstroke winner.  Yup.
3.  Simone Manuel, silver.  WRONG!   GOLD!!!!!!!!!
4.  US Men pull it together to beat Brazil in volleyball.  Yup.

Predictions -

1.  Ledecky wins.  World Record.
2.  Adrian goes double bronze.  Ervin gets silver.  Flo wins gold.
3.  Phelps.  Gold.  No reason to believe he can't or won't do it.
4.  Walsh-Jennings/Ross don't lose a set.  Again.  (We are just going to pretend Wednesday didn't happen.)

   What to Watch for:

1.  My love of the women.  Really it is coming.
2.  Does this Blog violate US Trademark laws?
3.  You Are Beautiful, Part 2.
4.  Medal rounds for team sports are starting.
5.  Lots of track cycling.
6.  Usain Bolt.
7.  Men's Skeet shooting.