The games in Beijing are over, but won’t soon be forgotten

SCOTT JACOBS

Why do we love the Olympics?

Because the athletes can run faster? Jump higher? Throw harder? Swim smarter?

Why do we watch?

Because no matter where you’re from, the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat tastes all the same. Because when you break it down, for two weeks athletes become people, stories, tales of what you can do when you can dream, and then work hard enough for it to come true.

Why do we care?

Because there’s a sense of pride when you watch the games. Not caring about certain sports per say, but about the letters adorning the chests of our country’s athletes. It’s not about who gets the most endorsement dollars, or who gets the most logos tattooed to their arm. No, the Olympics is about pride and believing.

It’s about achieving the unthinkable (Michael Phelps’ 8 gold medals). It’s about becoming a national darling overnight (Shawn Johnson) with a smile that exemplifies the beauty and grace of the Olympics. It’s about solidifying yourself as the best in the world (Rafeal Nadal) when your greatest rival gets taken out early.

It’s about pure jubilation even when you win something that everyone expects you to win (Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh). It’s about taking a hit, and coming back stronger then ever (Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers) to claim your spot as the best pair there is. It takes two to tango, but twelve to claim a spot at the top of the basketball mountain (U.S.A. hoops). It’s about looking your critics in the eye and daring them to doubt you now (Dwyane Wade).

It’s about running so fast you can slow down at the finish and still break a world record (Usain Bolt). It’s about a Bolt and three other guys turning a world class relay into a run away (Jamaica). It’s about age never getting in your way, and refusing to accept just being there as the accomplishment (Dara Torres).

It’s about the little guy. It’s about the women’s rowing team that claimed gold (U.S.A.). It’s about the random sports that you didn’t even know existed (trampoline) and the ones you’ve never ever watched (synchronized swimming). It’s about the sports they don’t show on TV (shooting) and the lengths that countries will go to make their athletes the best in the world.

It’s about dedication and training and ignoring the bullies that now want to shake your hand. It’s about beating the team that owned a sport, in the final year that it will be in the Olympics.

It’s about the controversy, and the angst, and the foreign commentators who sound so passionate, yet you can’t understand them. It’s about the athletes who go back to high school as national icons. It’s about one hundredth of a second, and standing on the podium as your flag is raised to the rafters.

It’s about being there, and overcoming the odds to merely medal at all.

It’s about hugging, and crying, and letting out all the emotions that built up over all those years of fighting to get to the top. It’s about running around with your country’s flag draped around your shoulders and dancing around like a kid in a candy store. It’s about rooting for your opponent in the spirit of competition, and smiling when they succeed.

It’s about breaking down barriers, regardless of belief. It’s about sport, and fair play. It’s about the only language that matters. The language of competition.

Crying sounds the same in any language. Hugging is the same in any country.

For two weeks the games brought out the best the world has to offer and China delivered a games no one will soon forget.

That’s what it’s about.

It’s about the athletes. It’s about their commitment. It’s about saying you were there.

This 29th Olympiad was indeed a smashing success.

And that, is all anyone could ask for.

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