work, perform, win/quit, sue, kill.... welcome to the olympics

[moongirlk]

I just had the best time watching Sarah Hughes surprise even herself 
to win the Gold medal!  By the end of her program I was on my feet in 
my livingroom bouncing up and down and cheering like an idiot - it 
was, literally, the most beautiful program I've ever seen in women's 
singles skating, in large part because of her obvious joy throughout 
the program.  I immediately called my mom to say "yippee that was 
fun!", and then I held my breath through the rest of it trying to 
decide what I wanted to see happen.  Then after it was all over I 
called my sister and said "Yippee" again (we're all fanatics).  That 
kind of thing is the whole reason I watch the olympics.  Like 
watching Simon Aman win the ski jumping competitions - to see someone 
emerge as the best in the world is really an amazing thing, and extra 
fun when even they don't expect it.  

So anyway, I'm all on a high, and then they start reporting on the 
Russians threatening to pull out and boycott not only the rest of 
this Olympics but the next Olympics as well.  Bummer.  For the 
Russian atheletes.  Who else do they think they'll hurt by refusing 
to allow them to participate?  

Then they report that the Koreans are threatening to leave, and to 
sue the ref (or judge or whatever they call those guys) who 
disqualified their short-track skater.  

And THEN they report that the FBI is having to investigate *death 
threats* against Apollo Ohno because of it.  As if he made the call?  
As if a *race* is worth killing over?  I think Ohno's shown himself 
to be a good sportsman, too.  How must it feel to know people want 
you dead because of something so stupid?  So contest the ruling, 
fine, but sue the ref?  Kill the other skater?  Whatever.

Some people know how to take all the fun out of things.

kimberly
Too thrilled for Sarah Hughes to care about fools who can't contest a 
ruling without throwing a tantrum.