I blogged a few weeks ago about how unenthusiastic i was about the Olympics games about to start. I would like to apologize. I watched more Olympic coverage this time around than iever had and I got to admit that I was enthralled. I learned two things about the Olympics that I should have already known. Number 1, the world really has some extraordinary athletes in all genres. Even the person who came in last place has a story to tell and one would be foolish to ignore the sacrifices made by all to compete for their country. Number 2, Dont mess with Anerican Women in sports. Our womens sports team and individual athletes are the story of this Olympics. They not only won the majority of the medals for team USA, they had unprecedenting performances that should have them as the talk of the world instead Bolt, Phelps, and the "dream team".
The U.S. womens Olympians won 58.5 of our 104 medals. They won 29 gold. They were led by Missy Franklin who won 5 medals. She is only 17. They had a 15 year old named Ladeckey who won a medal. Serena won 2 golds. She absolutely crushed Sharapova and Azarenka en route to her Gold in singles Tennis. Sharapova and Azarenka were ranked 1 and 2 in the world in tennis. Serena then won the doubles with her sister Venus in impressive fashion. The womens' soccer team avenged last years loss to Japan in a spectacular fashion by a 2-1 score. Hope Solo made saves that erased all doubt that she is teh best goalie in the world, and remember the controversy when she whined after she was not in goal after an American team loss? No one will ever talk smack about her again. I have been in L.A. for 16 years and I have heard every story about Allyson Felix that one person can take. She has been lauded, critcized, and scrutinized from every angle possible. I did not realize how young/old she was until this olympic. For her to win three gold medals in the 200, 100 relay,and 400 relay, that has to put her in some select company. She wants to be an elementary school teacher. I need to find out where so my daughter can be taught by her. She is something special. We had a 17 year old boxer win a gold who was female to Keri and Misty winning gold in beach Volleyball against another american team. Rebecca Soni, Sonya Richard Ross, blazing on the track and in the pool. The exciting Carmelita Jeter winning multiple medals in track and field. We had a woman win the long jump for the first time since Jackie Joyner Kersee. We had a woman finish second in the high jump who just started competing on the collegiate scene. Our volleyball team won silver. One of our rowing teams won gold. We have a medal in Judo. All of these achievements by women who are all soooo young.
The two biggest successes however were by the "Fab Five" womens gymnastic team and the "DreamTeam" womens basketball team. I capitalize the womens'"DreamTeam" because they have won 5 consecutive gold medals.They have crushed every oponent in their way. They dont have the fan fare that the mens team get but they are every bit as important as the men. Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore can play with anyone. The scary thing about our womens team is that they did not even have all of the best players on the team. Brittany Griner will be on the team in Rio and wait to you see the scores of those games. Candace Parker is still getting her game back after the birth of her kids. They may never lose again in my lifetime. The gymnastic story is even bigger. Usually most Olympic teams bring back a player or athlete who has been there before and can show their teammates how to handle the pressure of the moments or events. To come to this Olympiad with five new faces and win the team gold is insane. To have the individual all around gold medalist is even crazier considering she is only 16 and wasn't the person anyone expected to medal. I think that is the one thing I will take from the Olympics. Gabby Douglass may not have won on the nights of the individual events, but she led this team to gold when she wasn't projected to be the one.
I have to get a gig so I can work in Rio in 2016. I need to be able to watch greatness up close and personal. Our womens teams should all take a bow for they represented this country with class and dignity. Yes i know about the Lolo Jones controversy and the hair comments about Gabby, but that wont overshadow anything that these ladies have accomplished. I am happy to have a daughter who can look up to some of these ladies in the future. they made and make us all proud to be an American. We may never see another Bolt or Phepls again, but our womens teams will keep raising the bar higher and higher for newer generations to keep the momentum we have created to go on for generation after generations.. A big shoutout to the coaches...
No comments:
Post a Comment