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http://www.columbussports.com/content/daily_sports_take/olympics_done_at_last.shtmlDone at Last, the World Sighs
Some reflections on the 2008 Summer Olympics
by Dave Herd
The 2008 Beijing Olympics are finally over and though we all enjoyed them there seems to be a sense of relief. Our democratic spirit was challenged the last two weeks by communist bureauracracy, police security, free speech muzzling and even murder. Most Olympic fans are counting their blessings that the next two rounds are in such civilized (read "English speaking") cities as Vancouver (2010 Winter) and London (2012 Summer). But it wasn't just the ubiquitous military presence or the apparently falsified government documentation that was the saddest story to me -- instead I take pity on the everyday shop, restaurant and hotel operators in the Chinese capital who by all reports had no more, or even less, business than usual as there was no real government plan to use the games to benefit their lot. These people had an opportunity to improve their lives through the Olympics but were seemingly deprived of the opportunity. Still, we need to take a few moments to reflect on the US glory stories (110 medals) and some disappointments that we all followed.
Michael Phelps was obviously the American hero. We were all riveted to the relay victory over the French and his .01 second come from behind victory later on the way to an unprecedented 8 gold medals (14 total, which may climb in London). A generation of kids on local swim teams or even just fooling around at the neighborhood pool now have an icon to emulate, even if he's a somewhat gawky, goofy one. And those kids can now dream of millions as well. I for one was surprised to learn that Phelps was already earning around $3 million per year before Beijing. Once learning that, I was not surprised to read that the yearly total will at least double for the forseeable future. Hey, eat a Powerbar!!!
The Redeem Team lived up to its name after our hoops disappointment in Athens. However, this was hardly unexpected given that Kobe and LeBron were playing together with a roster full of other NBA stars under the tutelage of Coach K. Still, our well paid countrymen had to overcome teams fielding stars such as Yao Ming, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol. Of course, China, Germany, Argentina, Spain and others boasted little else besides one star per team, but we'll lend some applause to our boys for the gold anyway and hope that it's not the last encore call before they all defect to European leagues for $50 million per year.
Last, let's not forget the track and field agony and joy of week two. The US men and women on the track had their own redeem teams as each won gold in the 4x400 relays after both teams dropped the baton and were disqualified in the 4x100 relays. Lashawn Merritt, Jeremy Wariner and David Neville gave us a clean medal sweep 1-2-3 in the 400m. And I have to end it with a gratuitous plug for my old stomping grounds and high school in the Cincinnati area, Wyoming. Most in Buckeyeland know it only, if at all, as the home town and high school of OSU academic All-American, hero and NFL cornerback Ahmed Plummer. That's all true, but now the Cincy suburb also boasts 110m hurdle silver medalist David Payne. I'd hoped for gold after Payne cruised to first in his semi-final heat, but he's still a star in my eyes and the annals of the Wyoming Cowboys. Congrats to David and all of the other track and field stars who gave us cause to keep watching after Michael Phelps was finished drying off.