I have a confession. I love the Olympics...I love the Olympics solely for two reasons. Oh, I watch all the sports, especially the oddball ones. I especially liked the badminton, volleyball, ping pong(table tennis if you must), and even handball. But ever since I was a kid I have loved women's figure skating in the winter, and women's gymnastics in the summer. There, I have said it.
It wasn't a big deal when I was a kid. But as I grew older, I felt the need to keep it quiet. Now that I am over fifty, I feel dirty and disgusting for even writing it. I don't quite agree with the following from a blog named "Stolen Lunch Money" (I would link it, which I usually do when stealing copy, but this site is a bit crude, even for my tastes).......anyway here is his quote.....
"It’s an Olympic year. A summer Olympic year. In the winter, you shit on figure skating and watch it anyway. In the summer, you’re gonna be watching women’s gymnastics, and thinking things you shouldn’t. That’s because you’re normal."
Now, I only bring this up because, unlike my fellow blogger, I actually marvel at the power and the artistry of these teenagers at the incredible athletic feats they deliver. And, outside of the slight "man crush" I occasionally experience (this year is Shawn Johnson), I can keep it in perspective, after all, I / we are watching little girls.
And that is just it. We are watching little girls parading around in skimpy outfits, and this just isn't right. And in doing so, they pander to the worst carnal lust temptations of man, and ultimately, shouldn't they shed some sort of responsibility in this crazy "Nightline" world we live in today? And gymnastics are not the worst. Check out the women's volleyball teams some time, especially the beach volleyball girls. OK, they are skanks with stretch marks on top of their stretch marks, but what is the Olympic committee thinking? What are they selling, athletics, or sex?
Really, couldn't they be wearing leotards, or sweats and appeal to the masses for all the right reasons, instead of the reasons tormenting whoever blogs under "Stolen Lunch Money?" And do they really have to wear so much makeup? OK the girls from China and the Slavic countries need all they can put on, with a texture sprayer if necessary. But, women's gymnastics is a wholesome sport that doesn't need the glitz and glamour.
3 comments:
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I likewise stay up till about 1 a.m. watching as well. I think Natzia might get the gold in the one event where that "16-year old" Chinese gymnast "beat" her. A hacker today got some info on the Chinese gymnast really being 14, which everyone knows.
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http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=40854510
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Nastia landed everything. With gymnastics and diving, the landing is so important, and Nastia came through.
Very surprizing because Shawn was favored to win multiple golds, like in the world championships. I guess she is the Hillary of American gymnastics right now. I never was a good judge of who to fall in love with....
I think there is a very interesting back story on Johnson. I love the idea of her very middle class family mortgaging their Iowa home three times to make it possible for her. She describes herself as a daredevil with a smile, and I get the impression she can be a real handfull. Not the innocent "it" girl she is portayed as.
If she had won as many golds as Nastia, the press would have hailed her as the best ever, but it was Nastia and her press hasn't equalled other champs. I think it is because she lacks Shawn's charisma, and unfortunately...because she is a native Russian, and a bit cold.
I am so sad to see gymnastics over with. I can't get into track and field as much. I do enjoy any water sport except polo. I have been going into work around 330am, and the Olympics are on then too. Everytime except what is most convenient to us.
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