Heh. I really liked Heather Havrilevsky's take on the Bolt 100 controvery:
*********
But Costas is so hot to stir things up that he can't help overstating the entire affair. Like the square football announcers who tsk-tsk endlessly about "showboating" in the end zone like it's the end of modern civilization as we know it, Costas has been trilling about "class" and "classiness" among athletes for decades now, as if it's the pinnacle of human achievement to reach a seemingly impossible goal, and then celebrate by acting like you're waiting for the F-train. What kind of bizarre WASPy mentality suggests that raw emotions should be saved for the most appropriate time and place, and then expressed in the most proper, so-called classy way?
Bolt enjoys joking around with his competitors. One of his shoes was untied when he ran the 100-meter race. His technique is described as sloppy and amateurish. He polished off a bunch of Chicken McNuggets right before the race. He's that kind of a guy. He's 21 years old, for Chrissakes! He became the fastest man on earth by a long shot, breaking his own record, while every other contender huffed and puffed along several feet behind him. How would anyone dare to claim that he owed it to the fans to run even faster, or that he disrespected them by celebrating a little early? What in the world is Costas, space alien from Planet Honky, talking about? Why should Bolt care about class, of all provincial, bourgeois values? What the hell is class, anyway, but some arbitrary code that soulless, high-capitalist professional robots live by?
You know what I like to see in the world's greatest athletes? Exuberance, and joy, and tears. I'd like to see them rip their clothes off and run around the Bird's Nest naked. I'd like to see a guy who's fast enough to beat his competitors then walk slowly across the finish line while grabbing his package. There's your world record right there, motherfrackers. Take that, masters of the corporate-sponsored Olympic universe. I'm just too goddamn fast to heed your mortal concerns.
The Bolt thing is so eye-rolly at this point. The one track commentator cannot shutthefuckup about it. Like, as he was CALLING THE TWO HUNDRED he kept talking about the 100. MOVE ON. I'm sorry you're taking this so personally. Maybe you should get some thereapy.
Personally I think it was unbridled joy, but even if it was the height of showboating jerkdom what good are you doing by talking about it
constantly
?
My "just came out of the closet to me lesbian who can't tell her family because they will disown her" student is a state ranked diver.
Aww! Poor baby! But at least she knows about herself. And if she's going to get a scholarship, at least she won't be depending so much on her family (who you never know, might surprise her) for college. Which is important, because it's nice to know that you aren't so dependent if they find out and want to toss you out on your ear [edit: and if the do, there are scholarships for that, too!]. Keep your chin up babydyke! Your elders (OMG, when did I become an elder?) are rootin' for ya. College is soon, and it's an awesome world out there...
Louganis took a lot of shit for being gay in the diving world. It makes my heart all happy that babydyke diver is in a very different time now.
Bolt just makes me think broomstick.
Incidentally, Harry Potter is on ABC Family. So I suppose my consciousness has its finger on the button of counter programming. Or something.
Finally got around to watching the gymnastics gala. Such fun! The Chinese tumbling and trampoline team was amazing, as were the martial arts tumblers. Still don't get rhythmic gymnastics, especially when they choose Céline Dion songs--yuck!
I was just coming to post about the Gala! the acrobats were freaking insane. i felt like i was watching something from the Cirque du Soleil. i'm glad i decided to *ahem* this because NBC only thought we needed to see about 5 minutes of it.
in related news, i think Usain Bolt is a cocky ass and i wouldn't be sad to not have to watch him showboat again. there's a fine line between exuberance and showboating. he's nowhere near the line.
I may need to *ahehm* that. If anyone feels like telling me how I might, profile addy is good.
I don't have a problem with showboating at all.
As Heather notes, whose idea is it that you go about playing sports impassionately.
If it were up to Costas, basketball would be pasty white 5'9" dudes doing set-shots from the perimeter.
Dunking used to be
illegal.
Because it was showboating.
Gadget Girl, I'm glad that she has your support. And that's an awesome story.
Everyone's so naked and fit in the diving world, I'm kind of surprised that they're not all gay.
I'm still bitter that I didn't get to see all of the gymnastics gala. Is it just me, or has Olympics enthusiasm in general waned now that gymnastics and swimming are over?
My boy cat has fallen in love with Diet Coke. He's become obsessed. His eyes dilate when he spots the can. And when I found him this morning, he'd somehow snagged one of the empty cans out of the recycling and slept next to it. Should I be concerned?
