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August 17, 2016
If being a complete and utter dufus were an Olympic sport, I’d probably be standing on a podium right now with a gold medal wrapped around my neck and our country’s national anthem humming in the background.
Earlier this summer, I wrote a column in this very sports section expressing my apathy for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
In the piece, I stated that I’m usually a huge patriot when it comes to athletics, but that I thought the summer’s games would be a dud because of some of the controversies surrounding both the athletes and the host country of Brazil.
I was a Debbie downer. I was a fun-sponge. I was “that guy”. I was a sports troll.
But flash forward into the present and I am beyond ready to man up and admit that my previous column was a sham!
I have Olympic fever bubbling through my body, and these may be the best Olympics I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime.
I’ve been absolutely glued to these games, and the reason for that is because of the ridiculous star power that’s been on display throughout the competition.
Of course, the headline act is Michael Phelps, and everything he’s done has been must-see TV. Phelps is a man-child – a freak of nature the likes of which we may never see again in this generation of athletics.
Think about it. Has any other athlete ever been as dominant in his/her sport as Phelps is at swimming? I’d say no. He has more gold medals than anyone else in Olympic history. He has more gold medals than several countries have gold medals in their existence.
He’s an athletic icon in every sense of the word, and I think I can speak on behalf of the entire Houma-Thibodaux community when I say that we tip our collective caps to his successes in these Olympic Games.
But what makes Phelps’ story so fun is the human side of it all. In 2012, Phelps was dominant, but he was also miserable, which led to his decision to “retire” from the sport after those Olympics concluded.
Phelps struggled with the fame, and he was heading down a bad path in life.
That’s not my opinion, that’s Phelps’. He’s been very public about his situation throughout his time in Rio.
But after re-committing himself, Phelps has learned to love what he does again, and he’s done it all with an ease and brilliance that we’ve never before seen in international competition.
It’s been a true joy and marvel to watch.
But he’s not alone.
Up and down the list of Olympic events have been storylines that have put smiles on people’s faces around the world.
How about the USA women’s gymnastics team? Aren’t those ladies incredible?
To be able to do the things those gymnasts do on a balance beam is absolutely amazing, and it may be the most under appreciated thing in the entire world of sports.
Hell, I can’t even walk on a balance beam at all, much less in front of a sold-out arena. If I tried, I’d likely vomit, then would promptly fall to the floor after two steps.
But these ladies do flips and contort their bodies in a way that is incredible. It’s been a joy watching the best gymnasts in the world do what they do.
Of course, as a basketball fan, I’m also partial to USA basketball, because it’s a chance for us to flex our muscles and show the rest of the world how much better we are at that sport than anyone else.
Team USA doesn’t have LeBron James, Steph Curry, James Harden, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook or Anthony Davis in Rio. I can make a real argument that those are the six best players in the world.
But so far, it’s not mattered, and we’ve still been able to win every game, as of Monday afternoon, at least.
We take our nation’s depth of basketball talent for granted, but what other Olympic team could lose its six best players and still crush everyone?
The answer is no one.
The Americans will win gold in hoops, barring some sort of crazy upset, and their success is a testament to how talent-rich our country is in that given sport.
But perhaps the best part about the Olympics is that they’re still not done. There’s plenty more to go.
In the coming days, track and field will get into its highest gear, and we will see many more gold medal champions be crowned.
Along the way, plenty remarkable things will take place that will remind us how awesome the games are every four years.
I lost sight of that awesomeness earlier this summer, but I’m pretty sure my Olympic spirit will never fade again.
I’ve firmly learned my lesson about being a sporting pessimist.
These games have been wonderful – maybe the best I’ve witnessed in my time as a sports fan.
Mark me down as the gold medal winner in being wrong.
My last column about this topic couldn’t have been any more off base.
These Olympics have been absolutely on point. •
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