My Olympic .02

Every four years, the Summer Olympics come around. It usually enamors Americans to no end.  This year was no different. Womens Gymnastics is one of those sports that draws in even the most traditional sports types like myself.

First of all, it's got more drama than a Tanya Harding reality show.  This girl should be here and that girl deserves this and that team always gets favor from the judges, blah blah blah.  So entering this Olympiad, the US "team" brought in 5 girls: Disgruntled World Champion (Jordan), Talented but Flighty (Gabby), Vault Queen (McKayla), My Parents Care More than Me (Aly), and the other one who never saw the floor (Kyla).  After the team competition, where they won, I was like, "impressive, Disgruntled was amazing, Talented is talented, Vault Queen was incredible....they acted like a true team, win or lose this was a great team of women..."

For the most part, these "women" were great representatives for our country.  Athletic, hard working, and full of energy.  Except that fateful night.  Vault Queen, McKayla Maroney, the reigning world champion in the vault had 2 vaults to win an Olympic Gold.  Apparently I missed the "If you are a world champion, you automatically deserve the Gold" memo.  Because this girl fell on her second vault and won the Silver Medal.  Usually this is not a big deal - Americans finish second all the time.  As a good American, we shake our head, shake our opponents hand and hopefully come back better the next time.  Apparently McKayla missed that memo.  She acted like a complete brat.  She didn't congratulate the girl who (clearly) beat her and then proceeded to pout while on the podium.  Thanks a lot Vault Queen, you just acted like that spoiled Russian princess Aliya Mustafina who shrugged off her coach/second father repeatedly after she repeatedly failed last week.

Other Olympic Commentary:

1. Oscar Pistorius - Double amputee and makes it to 400M final.  Incredible.  More incredible was the guy who won wanted to trade his bib for Oscar's.  Enough said, best Olympic story in my memory.

2. 100 Meters - If this isn't the prime time event of the whole Summer Olympics...I don't know what is. Usain Bolt is indescribable.  His buddy Johan Blake is incredible.  The other Americans Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay are Olympic medalists and both ran it in 9.8 or less.  I was witness to something incredible that night.

3. Gymnastic Coaches: the hugging and touching gets a little uncomfortable...like I'd like to know if they were moving into my neighborhood kind of uncomfortable.

4. Men's Hoops: I'm glad we are poised to win another Gold, but the notion that this team is better than the Dream Team is simply laughable.

5. Andy Murray: What a cool moment...watching him beat Fed (who just beat him at Wimbeldon) at Wimbledon for the Gold.  Those 2 got very few player points and zero dollars for that match.  Kudos to both for their time and great tennis.

Dot Dot Dot: Sanya Richards Ross, that woman won Gold and was the most gracious winner I've ever seen. The women's sand volleyballers who keep hugging after every point - yeah baby. Despite a couple winnable races, Michael Phelps was incredible.  Ryan Lochte, not so much. The Dutch High Bar Gold Medal guy is the most athletic creature I've ever seen - CHECK THIS OUT. Kobe Bryant needs to watch this a couple times.