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It only took a selfish President to steal all the credit and announce pompously [in a campaign ad] that two countries were finally free from terrorist regimes and implicitly hints at asking to vote Republican if you like to see more free nations. Even the stupendous success of the Iraqi national soccer team was attributed to the benefits of war against terror. According to the Drudge Report, Bush might be expected to attend the soccer final if Iraq makes it. Iraqis are enraged and making their protest clear, and rightly so. Iraqis sure are angry but I bet even Americans have every reason to be angry too. We didn’t see the President at any of his countrymen’s events, even the mighty Phelps en route to his historic medals did not deserve a presence. So why the Iraqis? Is Iraq some sort of a personal success (heck, it isn’t even that). I am an unrelated Indian but I am angry too.
The gymnastics all-round event saw the poor Koreans lose out on a possible gold too. After the Winter Olympics fiasco of Anton Uhno’s gold (again at the expense of poor Koreans), Paul Hamm’s gold was definitely tainted by a slight error in judgment on part of the judges. Koreans are incensed and are demanding their rightful gold medal. Hamm could be the bigger man and hand in his gold, instantly winning the hearts of billions all over the world. But after winning America’s first ever all-round individual gold in gymnastics, I don’t think he is going to let go that easily, even if he doesn’t really deserve it. Americans took the figure skating issue personally couple of years back and managed to wriggle a joint gold for their Canadian cousins after a French judge messed up. Don’t know about Hamm, but I am not sure if I would like to hold on to a medal if everyone thought I didn’t deserve it. Americans can do the right thing and give the world one less reason to hate them.
But among all this unpleasantness, the sight of Greek weightlifter, Pyrros Dimas being given the farewell of a lifetime by his cheering countrymen was enough to compensate for any arrogance. The sight of 14,000 fans applauding for a full four minutes and holding up the medal ceremony warmed the cockles of your heart. True champions are never forgotten, even if you stand on the bronze pedestal. Remember that, you doping cheaters. Truly, form is temporary but class is permanent.
by Patrix | on Monday, August 23rd, 2004 at 11:05 pm | 
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August 24th, 2004 at 7:20 am reply
*wake me up when the olympics are done will ya?*
August 24th, 2004 at 9:17 am reply
i think you are pushing it a bit by staying on this subject…….are you brainwashed by the tv station or what????
August 24th, 2004 at 10:04 am reply
toinksu, can I curl up with you in bed? *wink*
August 24th, 2004 at 10:57 am reply
Toinks - sooja raajkumari…sooja.
M - pushing what a bit? If this was Jivha’s blog, he would be saying ultimately this is my blog…and we wonder why we don’t win anything, we are too bored to even watch the Olympics.
Alpha - now u want a hug from Toinksu? what next..asking her to do the dishes?
August 24th, 2004 at 4:39 pm reply
maybe a great olympics topic to discuss………paul hamm refusing to give up his gold despite pressure from all sides to do the right thing……..
August 24th, 2004 at 4:43 pm reply
patrix, I know you are itching to do what jivha does..esp with fans like us. I remember you did that to me once. *boohoo*
No one from India is there to cheer for..but ofcourse we are bored!
But in the end, seriously, write what you are most passionate abt.
And that said, when is the last olympics post?
August 24th, 2004 at 5:19 pm reply
M - yup.But didn’t you notice that I already wrote about that in this post??? *r u reading or directly jumping to the comments*
Alpha - I swear! one more lecture on what I should be writing and I am making this blog private (not to be confused with quitting)…and last olympic post..ermm..I am enjoying writing about it so much, i might just make it a Olympic-dedicated blog…countdown to Beijing 2008 now.
August 24th, 2004 at 6:45 pm reply
Well said man..well said!!!
August 24th, 2004 at 7:33 pm reply
Queer - Thanks for the support..but what was that “well said” for exactly?
August 24th, 2004 at 8:43 pm reply
unfortunately i read every fifth line sometimes even tenth………thats about the time i get for non work issues……..or perhaps i have ADD………who knows…..and nope i have no real time for comments either…….its just helpful that i type faster than i think.
August 24th, 2004 at 9:48 pm reply
M - whoa! I will make sure to squeeze everything in either in the fifth or the tenth line..that way I will make sure you read everything :)
August 25th, 2004 at 6:00 pm reply
that was for the last para:)
August 25th, 2004 at 7:07 pm reply
Queer - thanks.
August 3rd, 2005 at 5:22 pm reply
I just read your take on the Athens Olympics. What is wrong with Bush being proud of liberating 50 million people? I think the Iraqi Soccer Team appreciated not having to worry about being tortured by Uday Hussein. Uday Hussein used to beat the Iraqi soccer team if they played bad and had killed athletes for a bad performance. Do you think not having to worry about Uday might have helped their performance in the Olympics? I do, you jerk.