Olympic Obsession

Skimpy beach volleyball bikinis, Micheal Phelps, the fearsome gynastic beam, The Star Spangled Banner--must be the Summer Olympics.  Ever since faithfully watching the Magnificent Seven win gold alongside my mom and sister as a little girl I have been a fan.  I spent the next few months doing cartwheels on my bed and risky jumps off my porch railing to my parents utter distraught.  I wanted to be Dominique Moceanu dancing to Devil Went Down to Georgia--still one of my all time favorite rock out songs.  So it's safe to say I was watching again this year when the Fab 5 took the stage.  They totally blew me away, and left me with one imperative question: how the hell do people contort their bodies like that while flying through the air? I've come to the conclusion that it must be magic, that or fairy dust.

Here's the thing though, does anyone else find themselves shamelessly trying to jinx the opponents?  I was constantly hoping the Russian gymnists would trip up and found myself deviously smirking when they did, my Christian ways be damned.  Or how about when Michael Phelps lost his reign on the 200-meter Butterfly by just a few hundreths of a point?  I was mutinously glaring at le Clos of South Africa.  How dare he?!  My mom actually called me evil at one point, but let's face it, if you're not trying to undermine the competition you have no sense of team spirit. Wink! I know the Olympics are supposed to support world unity, but this girl is all about kicking ass and taking names. 

Another thing I find myself drawn to during these games are those nicely sculpted athletes.  Don't you judge me; you know you were ogling those US Relay Swim Team Men the same as me.  Ryan Lochte, yes please!  What about the women?  You can't tell me Misty May and Kerri Walsh prance around in those bikinis just to keep cool.  The Olympic committee was definitely thinking of ratings when those suits were designed and it's safe to say the male species have come out in strong support. 

Lastly, I love watching the reactions of the family members and friends watching on the side lines.  The cheering, the clapping, the cringing, and the apprehension is almost as entertaining as the sports themselves.  Phelp's mother's reaction at the Beijing Olympics is still a favorite of mine.

So here's to all the fellow Olympic fans--whether you're watching for the brutal competition, the hot athletes, the amusing audience reactions, or something else, I hope you're enjoying the games.