What I like about the Olympics; or, Week one hightlights

I adore sports, and there’s just nothing better than the Olympics. Between the intense competition in Beijing and the freakish heat wave here in Portland (104? seriously?) there’s been a lot of television at my house. Here are some of my favorite parts so far, in a not-so-short list form.

1. Every single bit of the opening ceremonies entirely, but mostly:
   
1. All the footprint fireworks walking towards Beijing, even if they were simulated. Shall we just call it conceptual art?
2. That amazing drum ceremony with two thousand and eight simultaneous drummers
3. The incredible part with two thousand and eight people performing simultaneous tai chi in formation
4. When the waving boxes opened and we found out that the entire thing had been controlled by people, not computers
2. Every single bit of the athletes marching in to the opening ceremonies. When I was a kid I’d always watch it, and I realize now it was an incredible lesson in geography – I’d follow along with my globe and spot the countries as they walked in, happy, shining, and so proud. It was always also a great lesson in humanity. It still is. Some favorite parts:
1. Watching Yao Ming march in as the flag bearer for China, hand-in-hand with Lin Hao, the young boy who not only survived the recent terrible earthquake, but after climbing out of the rubble he went back and helped save two of his classmates, saying that he was a leader of the class, he was a hall monitor, and that’s what he should do. (wiping away a tear) And never mind the fact that Yao Ming is one of my favorite NBA players. I don’t even like basketball. But not only is he an amazing player, he has such grace, humor, and sensibility – not a showboat, but a hard worker, a hard player. (I saw he and Tracy McGrady play on the Rockets at a game against the Blazers a couple of years ago – both players are just things of grace. I’m from Indiana and even if I don’t like the NBA, I have this inherent appreciation for beautiful basketball. They have it.) And watching Yao Ming holding this kid’s hand, carrying him so he could see better, grinning at each other – that’s not something you’ll see Kobe Bryant do. It was beautiful.
2. The American flag bearer, who was a lost boy from Sudan who’d never even heard of the Olympics, and now he carries our flag into the largest arena in the world. (Tear)
3. The American sweep of women’s sabre, two of the women teammates from Portland. You go! I can only imagine the number of girls out there now tugging at their mom’s shirts and asking for fencing lessons. And for the number of you who read this blog who read romance novels, I’m sure you may also feel the romantic swashbuckling tugging at the heart at the very thought of swordplay. Avast!
4. How about the women of not-teenaged ages competing and kicking ass? I’m talking about Dara Torres, geez, and the 33-year-old German woman gymnast, Oksana Chusovitina: not only competing but competitive in a world of 16-year-olds (unless you're Chinese), and shooting for the gold in the vault.
5. Michael Phelps. Wow. History in the making and still so much fun to watch.
6. The Georgian woman and Russian woman, after winning silver and bronze in the women’s air pistol, embracing and having a positive word to each other despite the vicious armed conflict suddenly under engagement in their respective countries.
7. Watching the American Redeem Team play real, unselfish ball. Damn, what a good game. Coach K may arguably be the best coach in basketball, period, and he knows how to field a whole team.
1. And on top of that, the white-on-white names on the USA jerseys – so true I can’t read them so I’m watching people by hairstyles, headbands, anything, but I like the emphasis on the team, not the player.
8. Those Visa commercials? Tear. Seriously.
9. Lightweight double skulls men’s heats: watching what the commentators explained were the coaches biking along at the side of the water and mentioning there’d been spectacular bike crashes in the past at rowing competitions. That’s something I’d like to see.
10. W.’s interview with Bob Costas? Probably the smartest I’ve heard him speak in eight years of presidency. Doesn't mean I have to like him, but still.
    
11. Watching the Chinese girl on the uneven bars doing a mind-boggling double-release move. Completely ignore that she fell about three moves later: for a moment, she flew. (And still scored high enough to qualify. And I’m not even talking about the age thing: that’s a discussion for other places. Although, really, there’s no way half of that team meets the age requirements. And regardless, they kick ass.)
12. And how about the US men’s gymnast, Sasha Artemev, who was one of the alternates called in due to the Hamm brothers’ injuries, who killed on the horse during prelims? I have never seen anything so intricate and amazing on that apparatus. I was gasping; I might have stopped breathing for a second.
13. What an amazing 4x100 free relay on the men’s side! After France trash-talking the American team, American captain Jason Lezak takes the win away from the French by .08 seconds. Someone get that man some freedom fries.
14. One-two Liukin-Johnson. Power, grace, and beauty. Thank you, ladies, for some gorgeous gymnastics from a gal who never even got to a round-off back-handspring despite years of lessons.

So this is only week one. I'm limited by my lack of cable so the events I've been able to watch are somewhat select. What have you been watching? What's making you gasp for breath, sports-wise?