I am not a sports watcher by any stretch of imagination, but the Winter Olympics has me ensnared.
Do I root for my home team? Yes for the most part.
But I tend to also root for the underdogs, the people with amazing stories.
I find these athletes unbelievable. What they can accomplish with what looks like such ease.
Figure skating? Blows my mind. Ski jumps? I can’t imagine flinging myself down a steep hill and then jumping. I’d be that one person screaming the whole way down.
Cross country Nordic track - it looks exhausting.
Luge, bobsledding, skeleton races look like fun until you realize they’re going 90 miles an hour and people have been killed doing this “fun” sport.
And Curling. I can watch Curling all day. Maybe because it’s the only sport I think I could do with some practice. It seems to be shuffle board with big slippery rocks.
I watch the snowboarding with awe. These people who do these amazing tricks with the potential of serious injury are literally just kids.
As a parent I’d be terrified to have my child want to do something like that.
So, I root for everyone. I feel bad for the athlete who falls, when they come in last in a race, when things go pear shaped. Because I know they got to these games because they are amazing and that day was their worst one in front of a watching world. Because reality is that even on their worst day, they do what none of us can do.
Maybe the Olympics make the world a bit more connected, less angry. Competitive, yes but I’ve seen true sportsmanship which is encouraging.
A person who lost a race and still congratulates the winner. With a smile and a hug most times. Are they disappointed? No doubt, but they have the grace to say “nice job.”
So, yes, Go Team USA!
And, Go Other country’s teams. I’m watching and rooting for you as well!
Ps. I might be weird, but I really like hearing other country national anthems. Some are just so beautiful.
