On Shawn, Nastia, Jonathan, Michael, et al.

Every time the Olympics come around, I always say that I don’t have any interest in watching them. Not because I hate it, just because I’m so involved in other things, it’s secondary, and I shrug it off.

Then I catch an event that features one of our new medalist, and I’m blown away. I’m awed. I’m hooked. And I find myself drawn to a TV whenever an pivotal event is coming on. The sheer physicality and strength that these people have, to be able to compete with their equals from around the world, and truly be recognized for being the best of the best, who wouldn’t be drawn to it?

Take for example Michael Phelps going for his record gold medal. Many people find him polarizing… he’s either a hero and a god, or he’s jut an overexposed celeb that is overshadowing others who deserve to be recognized. I’m on the fence in this regard, only because while I agree that the press has made these games the Michael Phelps show, it was the 4 x 100m Men’s Free race that the US team won (and he was part of) that got me hooked on watching. The sheer amazment the group I was with had as Jason Lezak, who was almost a full length behind the French in that final lap, came up and won not only in a world record time, but by a mere 10th of a second and a finger!

But back to Phelps. I was at a party on Saturday night, and suddenly someone suggested we go down and watch Phelps final race. 10 people descended around a fuzzy TV screen to watch a historical moment. I didn’t know half of these people before the party, nor will I probably see them again except for another similar gathering, but for one moment we were all together, all completely different people, but gathered in awe at this man’s achievement.

I happened to catch Jonathan Horton in his gold medal winning High Bar gymnastic performance just two nights ago, and again I was amazed. I bitch about the pain in my arm from doing a few push ups, and then I look at this kid- yeah he’s in his early 20’s, but he’s a kid compared to me- and I feel a little inferior. Who can’t for a moment? But that’s also the beauty of these games… theses people train their entire lives to do this, not to make the rest of us feel fat or unhealthy, but to awe, to inspire, to do for us what we cannot.

The girls are just as amazing. Props to the Williams sister for taking gold in doubles tennis. Congrats to  Misti- May Treanor and Kerri Walsh for not only 108 consecutive beach volleyball victories, but for that gold they sealed with win 108. As I write this, our women’s soccer team won their third gold in 4 games, defeating Brazil.

And then we have that duo we call Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin. Between the two of them, they (with the rest of the women’s gymnastics team) flipped, jumped, swung and for the most part defied gravity to win 8 medals, including top two for balance beam and the all around individual exercises. Regardless if those Chinese girls were way to young to compete (whether or not they were, they still looked like 12 year olds tramped out with too much makeup), our girls overcame and each took a gold home for the team. The sheer excitement in Shawn’s face when she just knew she sealed the gold on the balance beam, while detractors could say it was youthful hubris, was really pride knowing she worked her ass off and she was the best. It was incredible.

And so now these names are now added to the growing lexicon of US Olympians, to join Mary Lou Retton, Kerri Strung, Mark Spitz, Bruce Jenner, Brandy Chastain and so many others, who went for the gold and brought it back, to inspire us when frankly there is so little to inspire us with, and now be featured in Nike and Wheaties adds for the next few months.

But the cool thing is that we’re not the only ones to be inspired in such a way. Take India, who for the first time in history, have two medalist… Abhinav Bindra, a gold medalist in shooting, and a bronze in wrestling from Sushil Kumar. 1 billion people, and their first medals in the history of the games. Or how about Rohullah Nikpai from Afghanistan, who won a bronze in taekwando. This is Afghanistan’s first medal ever. And this guy is going to get a house for it! I read people in Kabul were conserving their electricity just so they could listen to the match. That’s insane.

But that’s just what the Olympics can do. It’s inspiring. It’s heroic. It’s everything the Greeks designed it to be. I need to remember that everytime it comes on. Sometimes we all need a little inspiration.

United win the Double!!

Man United 1, Chelsea 1: United wins in Penalty Kicks 6 to 5

I really don’t need to say much more except that we partied hard after the win!!!

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Update: Alan posted some pics of our victorious boys here.

Glory glory Man United!!

And the soccer season comes to a fitting end…

Manchester United finished their regular season today with a 2-0 victory over Wigan Athletic. Going into the match, they were tied at first in the Premier League with Chelsea, with United holding advantage in goals scored. Victory certainly helped them maintain the lead. Chelsea looked like they had their match in the bag, but conceded a goal in the last 30 seconds of the match and ended with a 1-1 draw. With that draw, Chelsea dropped to second place, and United was securely at the top of the Premiership. Champions once again!!

Alan and I all took in the match with Erin and some of our United pals at Ginger’s Ale House this morning. As you can see, the victory definitely had the group of us celebrating.

Man United have one more match, this time in Europe’s Champions League, where they will go head to head with… Chelsea. Here’s to hoping come May 21, United will win the double!

Random recap of the weekend gone by

It’s been a long weekend, and there’s a lot in my head, so this is going to be very hodge podge. Be thankful I don’t go stream of consciousness on you.

Let’s start with weather. I so much dislike this time of year for the inconsistencies in mother nature’s whims. The spring winds and showers… blah. Where are the 65° days and the sunshine? The past week was full of rain, thunderstorms (yes that’s springlike, but not at 40°) and even a hint of snow. Friday I saw hail… granted while I was in PA, but it was hail. I’m so looking forward to Florida in June, and now see in part why Alan and Erin feel the need to escape to Raliegh by summer’s end. Apologies, but the extended Chicago winter blahs are hitting me hard. Next thing you know I’ll be gripping that it’s not fall yet.

I mentioned PA. I have just returned from little Washington where I spent time visiting my family for my Grandfather’s memorial service. Yes, the one that passed in January. A pleasant weekend altogether. It was great seeing my extended family. Friday was my sister’s oldest son’s 8th birthday, where we enjoyed dinner, played the Wii (I bowled and played tennis with Cam and Braydon, while Rick tried golfing with some great success), and Rick and I almost stole my sister’s new puppy Coco away to bring home to join Jose and Claudia. My nephews crack me up the most, especially as kept Rick and I on our toes all weekend long. The funniest part: as Rick and I explored and did some outdoors photos at my brother’s new property on Saturday morning, his two boys Gavin and Colton, who were restricted from venturing past the garage door so they would not get muddy, would yell to us ‘Uncle Jon, Uncle Wick, come back here! Where are you going?’ That and Saturday night, Colton turned to Rick, with his parents sitting right there, and asked, ‘Can you walk me to the bathroom please?’ I love that they love him so much, shows that they consider him so much a part of the family.

Which brings me to my father’s discomfort with our relationship. He introduced Rick to some extended family as my ‘friend’; seriously dad, dead people know we are a couple, just get over it. I almost felt embarrassed for him at this point. The annoyance came later, when during a slide show of my grandfather’s life, a family tree was displayed. All of my relatives and siblings were listed with their spouses and children, except for me. Maybe it’s selfish and simple to be peeved about such an innocuous slight which I probably was the only to notice, but it hurts. To me, I equate it to, say, excluding my cousin because he was adopted. You wouldn’t do that. I need to get over it, and accept his lack of acceptance, but I don’t do well with letting sleeping dogs lie.

Saturday night, we joined my girlfriends from high school for a few drinks. It was a great way to let off steam after so much intense family time, and we had fun catching up. I get the impression that a trip to Chicago is imminent for them, and Rick offered our place to stay next visit. I don’t think he realizes what trouble he has invited upon himself with the five of us all in the same place. He’ll learn.

Monday afternoon, I lunched with Alan, and we discussed the upcoming end of the Premiership and Champions league soccer season. Our team Manchester United stand at the precipice of winning both, with 4 matches standing between them and the Premiership, while also having to face Barcelona in Champions League semifinals. Chelsea is right on their heels on both fronts, with a CL semis match up with Liverpool ahead of them. For the Premiership, being the glass half full type, I was hoping for a loss or draw to their Monday match up with Wigan. Alan, wary as he is, put his marbles behind Chelsea’s chances at success and the potential for United to tumble, but I felt strong that Wigan would pull a 1-1 draw and diminish Chelsea’s title hopes. Sorry Alan, I gotta say I win this one, as Chelsea indeed drew 1-1 to Wigan in Monday’s match up, and are now 5 points back behind United. Let’s just hope I’m right and United also win against Blackburn this weekend so they can pull a 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge next weekend. In between, I’m also hoping for United to have Champions League success over Barca. A busy couple of weeks coming up.

Finally, I am looking forward to starting my new job next week. I’m getting a bit eager to get back into the swing of things and to tackle a new adventure. In the meantime, I’m getting antsy, so thankfully Frank called and wants to meet out tonight. Maybe some time away from the house will do me good.