I'll say it straight out: I'm no fan of the so-called "Olympic movement." Maybe cynicism born of age is setting in but frankly, I find the entire spectacle infused with hypocrisy from top to bottom. When I was younger, I admit I enjoyed the performances of Mark Spitz, Dorothy Hamill, and the '80 U.S. hockey team. But I now find it more unwatchable than "Fear Factor." Today, I watched for a couple minutes as the tattoed U.S. basketball team, made up of overpaid NBA "stars" who know only the pathetic isolation style play of the post-Michael Jordan era, lost by 19 to Puerto Rico, which is really part of the United States anyway. A real blow to American national pride? Who cares? Last night, it was swimming, synchronized diving (what the...), table tennis, and road-cycling through the streets of Athens.
Look, here's the thing: I'm just not buying the "competing for flag and country" thing. I'd rather watch a mid-August Mets-Diamondbacks game. The nationalism thing is fake, simply part of NBC's billion-dollar wager on the games, which it doesn't even show live. And there was the opening ceremony with "Tapei," the name China insisted Taiwan adopt or the faux communist (really oligarchist) Asian mainland giant would keep its athletes and its marketing rights to a billion people at home. Ah, the cheers for the brave team from Iraq, fencing as their nation burns. And then there's the refusal of Iranian judo competitor Arash Miresmaeili to face an Israeli, arguing "Israel no country." Yeah, well neither is Puerto Rico or Tapei, my anti-Semitic friend. Get in there and take your judo chops like a man.
Sorry, the whole thing's a put-on - a multi-billion-dollar reality sports show and a stage for political posturing. It's no "movement" for international brotherhood (hell, the modern "movement" was founded and led by a notorious Spanish fascist - Bruce, Tom K. this is your cue), and I'm just as glad that New York is clearly in the also-ran circle for the 2012 games. Let the Iranian judo team stay home. Sure, I do admire some of the athletes, but I'm flipping over to the PGA Championship, where the golfers play for themselves and the paycheck. (I did hope the 2012 bid would force the city to solve the century-old cross-town public transportation problem in this town but apparently all it will help to do is to give the New York Jets a huge chunk of public tax money). The Olympics? Call me a crank. Who needs 'em.
