Over the next couple weeks, in addition to other Olympics content, we'll be posting a series of columns from our co-founders about why we love the Olympics. At the start of the Games, Jeremy weighs in.
Every two years, the Olympics become a grindstone for anyone with an axe that needs to be sharpened. The IOC is awful, the games are corrupt, the athletes are on something (even if it’s a misunderstanding), fear of terrorism! But that’s not why we watch the Games.
We watch because the Olympics are amazing.
One of my fellow co-founders introduced some great points, but I’m going to get personal.
I watch because young people from around the world have dedicated their entire life to being the best. Take a look at our events list. Aside from basketball and an increasing number of soccer fans, there is no mass perennial interest in fencing or ping pong or trampoline. But, for a few weeks, the Olympics is THE MOST IMPORTANT competition in the world. This is good.
I watch because it’s a chance to be united with fellow Americans. I live in New York, and there are so many things going on aside from sport. But, bars were overflowing during the USA v. Canada gold medal hockey game during the Winter Olympics. Places were packed during the U.S. Women’s National Team’s run to the finals of the World Cup (Thank you, Abby Wambach. And Hi, Alex Morgan!). Landon Donovan FTW! Those reactions are the kind of unity I’m talking about. The Olympics bring this out.
I watch because the best thing I’ve ever seen in person is my country win a gold medal. I was in Vancouver and saw Hannah Kearney take Gold for the USA. No Super Bowl or comedian or concert could ever beat that feeling, and those are the three things that I care about daily. But when the Olympics roll around, it’s all about pride, and it’s all about basking in human accomplishment.
I watch the Olympics because it’s about pride. It’s about power. It’s about a bad-ass mother who don't take no crap off of nobody!
We watch because we love the Olympics.