Greetings from Spockgirl Musings, where logic rules, but the frailties of
human nature, genetic inadequacies and hormonal imbalances wreak havoc.



Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The spirit of sports and then some...


At my regularly scheduled twice weekly sporting activity, which I have been playing at since about 1987 or so, we end our games... every time... with handshakes, a "good game", "thank you" and sometimes a smile. (And I lose more often than I win.) That's just what we do. The thing about being Canadian is that we are good sports, we are apologetic and we fight fair. Although because of this, I often wonder how our collective competitive spirit is fostered with such a generally laid back attitude.

Where am I going with this? The Olympics are on. I have a t.v., but I don't have cable or satellite, so there is no watching of sports or the news. This is the way it has been for ten years now. So I check CBC coverage online just to see how it is going over there. The thing I used to like best about the Olympics is that the stories of Canadian athletes were usually surprises, or coming from behind or out of nowhere, or heartfelt stories about personal bests. When those personal bests ended up being a surprise medal, it was even better. Watching a Canadian earn a medal was like Christmas. Where am I going with this? I wasn't sure when I started with the original idea, but then tonight... I saw the beginning of a headline "8 Olympic Badminton players..." That was all they showed... so I was wondering what the heck it could be... Well... pretty sad.

Speaking of sad...

Many years ago something horrible happened at the Olympics. I was only a little kid at the time, and my memory from back then is scarce, to say the least. All I knew is that several athletes from Israel had been killed and it was absolutely awful. About the only thing I specifically remember from that time period was... oddly enough... sports day in kindergarten. Anyways... this year marks the 40th anniversary of that tragedy at the Olympic Games in Munich and you would figure that some words would be spoken to honour the memory of those killed. I guess not. Please tell me that this was reported incorrectly. Please tell me there was at least a moment of silence at the opening ceremonies.

Of course though, the sad thing is that if I didn't have access to the internet, none of this would have entered my daily consciousness. However, it did, so here it be.

4 comments:

DaveO said...

No, it wasn't misreported, and America joined the world in defecating on the memory of the athletes, coaches, and officials murdered. We've Progressed so far, and are most pleasing to our new friends the Palestinians and Iranians.

Spockgirl said...

Not that I have seen it first-hand, but I don't understand the hate-on some people have for Israel. When the shit hits the fan... they will be our only firm ally in the Middle East... maybe Jordan too. Heck, I'm not all that familiar with such things. Oh... but of course, this won't be until loooooong after I'm gone.

I have to laugh when any political figure in the Middle East (or China or North Korea... heck almost everywhere nowadays) uses the word "friend". But.. I don't pay attention much.

DaveO said...

LOL

"Friend" has come to mean "s/he who accepts a stab in the back"

Still chuckling that Canada is now the economic powerhouse of North America. Enjoy the illegals heading your way :D

Spockgirl said...

Um... You mean people don't just come here because it's a great country? (Draft dodgers... cough, cough.)