I haven’t got myself involved in the Olympics this year as
much as I have in the past. I’m not sure
why, but I think it has something to do with all the hype, all the unreasonable
expectations of the athletes and the appalling medal count. I’m sure Baron de Coubertin didn’t have this
in mind when he resurrected the Games in 1896.
In fact his initial idea was to improve education by developing a focus
on exercise. He later broadened this to suggest that sport could bring peace to
the world. He said:
Let
us export our oarsmen, our runners, our fencers into other lands. That is the
true Free Trade of the future; and the day it is introduced into Europe the
cause of Peace will have received a new and strong ally.
Another reason I’m a bit off the Games is the inanity of the
commentators. On the first day I heard
someone (maybe Fast Eddie) talk about one of the Australian teams as ‘a pelaton
of potential’. Huh! Creative use of language is a good thing;
creative abuse is another thing entirely.
Yesterday, at the finish of the Men’s Rowing Eights, won by
Germany, the talented commentator talked about ‘a top-class germinate’. I thought I was watching Gardening Australia. However, the best one came in a judo
match. Close to the finish the
Australian was leading a fellow from Georgia 10 points to 1. The Georgian was striving manfully to throw
the Australian to the ground and the commentator said, ‘it doesn’t matter how
many yukos he gets, he really needs a waza-ari.’
Wonderful!
It’s going to become my new mantra for life: It doesn’t matter how many yukos I get, I’ll
always strive for a waza-ari.
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