Random Olympic Stuff

Random 1:  So if you've read my recent blogs you know I enjoy watching the Olympics, but I'm starting to think I'm becoming too emotional to be watching these games.  I will admit that I cry easily, but this is ridiculous.  I was getting watery-eyed watching the gymnastics the other night.  And today when I heard about a rower from Niger (I THINK; I may have the country wrong and I apologize if I do) who didn't really stand a chance to win, but he went out and did his best and the ginormous crowd kept cheering him on right 'til the end.   It was so nice to see (and course I started to get a little teary-eyed AGAIN).  And don't even get me started on the runner from South Africa (tears again!). 

Random 2:  I'm starting to feel the same way about some of the diving commentators as I do about the gymnastics commentators. 

Random 3:  I get that a gold is better, it means you're number 1 (and in some cases pays better--did you know the medal winners get $ rewards?  I had no idea, I guess you learn something new every day), but honestly, is it really that bad to win a silver or bronze?  It's one of the few cases in sports where being second and third gets you something.  If you come in "second" in the World Series, Super Bowl, etc, you don't get a nice medal.  So I say congrats of course to the gold medal winners, but also to the silver and bronze winners too!  I think you rock. 

Random 4: Do you ever wonder about why some events get more coverage than others?  Like do gymnastics and swimming get so much coverage because people like them and enjoy watching them or do people like them and enjoy watching them because they get so much coverage and are the only things on at the time?  It's one of those what came first the chicken or the egg scenarios.  It's interesting to me that some sports are so much more popular in other countries than here and vice versa. i.e. I read recently that handball is really popular in Iceland. 

Random 5:  I almost feel bad for the lesser known sports.  Did you hear about that badminton (sp?)scandal?  Poor badminton gets so little attention and then they finally get some and it's not the good kind.  And what about judo?  I know nothing about judo, but I just heard an American lady got her first gold.  And I guess some shooter (probably not the proper lingo), which I didn't even know was an Olympic sport got her 5th gold medal in her life at this Olympics.