If we can get past the fact that the Olympic games are being held in one of the smoggiest most repressed nations of the world just for a minute........let's play word association.
When you hear the word Olympics...........what is the first thing you that comes to your mind? Besides......."Oh God...not two weeks of pre-empted television programming!"
When I hear "Olympics" the image that comes to my mind immediately is Mary Lou Retton taking the Gold medal in the Women's All-Around in LA in 1984. No snickering in the back row! I was 18 that summer and the images of Mary Lou hitting the Vault and landing it - stick right in my mind. I think that was the first Olympics where the United States actually had a fighting chance in gymnastics and Mary Lou did America proud that Summer. (see video on the right side of this blog in case you forgot)
Maybe its generational for some folks. Maybe you remember Wilma or Nadia or Katerina or Mark Spitz or Kerri Strug. Maybe you remember the Olympics because you actually got to see them in person! I have to admit I would like to do that myself one day. It will probably cost me dearly but to see one event would be fun.
So good or bad.........when you hear "Olympics" what comes to mind for you?
5 comments:
Mark Spitz 7 gold and the Israeli team massacre in Munich
i'll play. but it's more than just one word or image for me. clearly i'm all about how well the spectacle is produced. jim mckay... four-hour opening ceremonies with audience interaction (remember those flip cards from moscow, i think it was?)olympic fanfare or whatever that totally mesmerizing music is that plays every time they break for commercial... complete immersion in obscure sports, e.g., curling two years back...
Summer Olympic memories ~ Nadia (and her theme song played over, and over), Olga Korbut, Mary Lou, Kerri, Mark Spitz, Bart Connor (now married to Nadia). I love the Olympics...the gymnasts, swimming, diving, and now beach volley ball with Misty May and Kerri Walsh :-) But personally when I think of the Olympics I think of my lifelong friend Laura and her brother Eric who won the Silver Medal for speed skating in 1988 Calgary and his second Silver in 1994. He also carried the US flag in the opening ceremonies in 1994. Eric gave me my first kiss on a rock in the woods in back of my sister's house [those of you know me know how much older my sis ("cough" mother) is] at the ripe age of like 9. He was always my summer "boyfriend" (as I spent my summers in MA) until about 13 or so...when I started to realize what team I really played for ~ LOL. Laura and I spent many of summer and winter breaks at the hockey rink as he started out in Pee Wee Hockey ~ lol. Anyhoo, Eric and his wife (she was once a member of the U.S. National skeleton luge team) are expecting their first baby and my friend Laura is busy w/ 3 "tweens" of her own. So that is my long-winded Olympics word association.
Wow so many good impressions thus far about the Olympics!
Lori...we can only hope that all athletes are safe in Beijing and we never experience another tragedy as in Munich.
Lyn.....dear god...where would we be without the four hour opening and closing ceremonies! EEEEEK
Sue.....ahhh yes....beach volleyball. I know one person who definitely shares your sentiment for Misty and Kerri! Sooo glad...your (*cough*)mother - I mean sister - doesn't read my blog! Very funny!
One of my favorites - Kerry Strug in the 1996 Olympics nailing her vault after injuring her ankle. Can't even imagine attempting that.
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