Olympic Disappointment

Like most other people in the world, or at least I assume so, I have been obsessed with the Olympics. For the past week, it is pretty much all I talk about and all I have thought about. I think that my productivity at work has probably gone down about 75% because we have a t.v. in the office and we have the Olympics on all day. If I am not watching the games, then I am looking up and reading everything I can find online. The summer Olympics are by far my favorite. Have you been watching it non stop too? 

Watching the in depth stories, seeing them in commercials, watching them shed tears of joy makes my heart melt. The purity of their excitement after winning the race makes me smile, and seeing the raw emotion of their disappointment sends me to the verge of tears. 

But a friend referenced an article on ESPN that P looked up online this weekend and shared with me. Call me naive, but I like to picture the athletes as good, wholesome, and moral men and women. I pictured the athletes as people so dedicated to their craft and so devoted to their sports that they would let nothing distract them, and they would spur each other onward. 

Well, I am stupid, and that idealism came crashing down this weekend. I read this article.

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/story/_/id/8133052/athletes-spill-details-dirty-secrets-olympic-village-espn-magazine

Disgusted, disappointed, and any respect I had for some of these athletes is gone. My bubble has been burst. 

Did you see this article? What do you think about all of this? 

Haiti, so cool!

The Haiti national soccer team is staying 5 minutes from my house!! For the last several days and for about one more week the Haitian National Soccer team is staying at the camp that P used to work for. He has gotten to see them practice, play a game, and meet some of the team and coaches. When the earthquake hit, the team was at practice, and the building next to the field which held their offices, and workout rooms was destroyed with team members in it. Their soccer field became a tent city, so they had no where to practice. They lost so much during the earthquake. They lost friends, family, teammates, clothing, shoes, and so much more. We had the opportunity to give to the team, and as a group, were able to provide shoes for them.

I know that in the big scheme of things, after the tragedy, sports seem pretty minimal, pretty unimportant. But, if sport can help the people forget what they are living through, even for an hour, if it can bring relief, something to cheer for, something to spur them on, that is awesome!!

I am going to watch them practice today or tomorrow, so I will defiantly be posting some pics.