Inspiring Olympic Moments...

[umsami]

OK, I know that we haven't even seen the opening ceremonies yet in the US, but NBC posted this on Facebook and I thought I'd share.  This is what the Olympics are about to me.  The stories like this… the countries who probably will never medal in an event, but the athletes still come and do their very best...

 

http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/indian-luger-shiva-keshavan-crashes-then-makes-amazing-save

 

 

[Angie in VA]

Aw, bless him. And boy, I enjoyed NOT hearing an NBC commentator through that clip. TYVM! You are so right, it's the stories of the ones who give their hearts and souls that are the best.

 

You do NOT want to get me started about sports! Yes, pro athletes make ridiculous money (from their sports and their endorsements). Yes, there are a lot of politics and many things in sports that disgust me. But this story proves what I always tell my children: Sports bring your true character to the surface.This goes for spectators (coaches, parents, audience members) too. I must confess I don't always like what I see in myself when I'm just a spectator. Sports were desegregated in the US before the voting polls and schools were. But I digress...

 

This is my favorite Olympic story to date. He was a contender, but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. Oh, and the 1980 US Hockey Team's victories were wonderful to witness too. It's a tie for my fave. 

 

And my all-time favorite human athlete was Arthur Ashe. Here is my favorite quote from my favorite article about him:

 

After our Sportsman profile ran, we received a letter from a reader, George L. Miller Jr. of Savannah. It said: "During the late '60s, Ashe played in a grass-court tournament at the Merion Cricket Club outside Philadelphia. At that time, spectators were permitted to watch the first-round matches at courtside. I stood by the net post and could have called every shot. Ashe's opponent was cheating him blind; I had never seen such flagrant calls. I became so upset by this exhibition that I almost spoke up. After one particularly bad display, I happened to catch Ashe's eye. Almost imperceptibly, he shook his head and winked! I've never forgotten that incident."

and

Adrift, I find myself staring again at a photograph Jeanne took to accompany the Sportsman profile. Arthur is standing on expensively groomed greensward, helping Camera swing a golf club, perhaps a nine-iron, at a bright-orange golf ball. A foot behind the ball there is a divot, and a foot to one side there is another. Eighteen inches beyond, there is a third. In the clear, hilarious story of those divots is the essence of Ashe. Camera had torn up the turf here and there and then back there, while her father stayed patiently above her, knowing each wild miss was necessary for the child to learn. The effect is that the viewer becomes the child and feels the comfort, the blessing of being so gently guided, so loosely loved.

 

 

What a class act!

 

And this man's reaction to being robbed of a perfect game is a reminder of how I should look at injustice. 

 

And I said "human" athlete, because I can't talk about all-time favorites w/o mentioning this.

 

 

[umsami]

I loved the Detroit Tigers one….and I remember that guy from the 92 Olympics.  Great! :) :)

[Angie in VA]

Old thread, I know. I can't believe I forgot to mention my other favorite athlete.

 

Yes, Arthur Ashe for the class act that he was in addition to his talent, and that horse, how I love the story of that horse, but I think Bo Jackson is the greatest human athlete of our time. I respect him so much for how he played (finishing his MLB season and then going to play in the NFL) and how he refused to go to that NFL team when they messed him over for college baseball. LOVE IT. I can't imagine anyone's doing that today. He's amazing.

 

Just had to add that, b/c I left him out. Shame on me.