Olympic Fever

One of the tenets of the IOC is equality and making sure women are getting a fair chance to participate in sports .  But there are still countries in the world that ban women from being on Olympic teams.  If you’re an American, that hardly seems realistic, but for the women of Saudi Arabia, Brunei, and the UAE, it’s a reality .  Other Muslim countries only allow women to participate in sports that do not require immodest dress.

Is this fair?  Should these countries be allowed to field men’s teams, if they are going to discriminate against women like that?  And what if they don’t consider it discrimination?  How do religion and sport coexist in today’s world?

The IOC has a new feature called “Olympic Personal Trainer” on their website (it’s on the left side of the home page ).  I originally thought you could use this feature in your own athletic training, but it appears to be a series of questions asked to several Olympians/former Olympians.  Still, this is an interesting feature because the questions talk to all athletes–how do you work on concentration, how do you set goals, how do you learn from failure, that sort of thing.  It’s worth a look!

The other week I was in the bookstore, and I looked to see if there was a Beijing 2008 Olympics book available yet.  It wasn’t, and I was disappointed.

However, it looks like my store just didn’t have it in stock, because it is available.  David Wallechinsky’s The Complete Book  of the Olympics: 2008 Edition is the book you’ll need to have by your side as you watch the Games.  I have several editions of these, and I drag them all over the place while the Games are on.

Wallechinsky’s book is my favorite because you’ve got the entire Olympic history right in front of you.  It’s a godsend when you need to look up that obscure fact right now.  The history’s concise, up-to-date, and you get some really great fun facts in the book as well.  I’m so thrilled another one has been published!

Sportscaster Jim McKay passed away on Saturday, and funeral services will be held today .  McKay was a legend in the field and broadcast twelve Olympic Games, most notably the 1972 Games in Munich, which were marred by kidnapping of several Israeli athletes.

ESPN has a wonderful story about McKay.  He was also the host of ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” show that included the line, “The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat,” which is one of the most widely known lines in sports broadcasting.

I admired McKay because he was always calm and collected while he was on the air.  He loved his work, and he came across as the consummate professional.  He will be missed.

Welcome to the Today blog for all things Olympics! I’ll be trolling the web and finding the news on all things Olympian. And I’m not just talking Beijing 2008, Baby, I’m talking Olympic sports, Olympic athletes, Vancouver 2010, London 2012, Sochi 2014, and the 2016 race.

I love the Olympics because it strives to pursue an ideal world and an ideal sportsman/sportswoman–and to me, that’s not just about being a great athlete. It’s taking losses gracefully, it’s dedication, it’s joy of sport, it’s using your body to its fullest potential. Every two years we see the best of the best joyfully pursue their dreams. These athletes represent their countries, and for a couple of weeks, the world can get along and enjoy a sporting competition.

The Games bring hope. They bring hope of a better, more peaceful world. They bring hope that we can all strive to be our best. They bring hope in excellence. Every two years we see this excellence on display, and it causes a fever inside of me that I can never shake.

I look forward to bringing you my own excellence as I follow this movement. I look forward to reading your comments and enjoying the Olympics with you. Olympic Fever? Bring it!