I hope everyone was able to see the men’s 4x100 swim relay on Sunday. If not, you missed a classic example of why I love the Olympics. Any last second effort to take the gold is sweet. But when that last second surge also means beating the French and steeling their world record at the same time, well, I almost wept.
Now if you missed the match-up and the back-story, I now what you are thinking. “Wait a minute, the French were actually in contention for something at the Olympics?” I know! I was surprised as you were! The average person does not even know the French have an Olympic team. But they do! They are just usually more dominant in lesser known events like: snail eating, wine tasting, cheese-smelling (& smelling-like-cheese). They also hold several speed records in the events that involve surrendering, and they are the reigning “Ungrateful-that-you-saved us-from-the-Germans-twice” competition.
I have to tell you, when I heard the French had been talking trash about “Smashing” the Americans, I thought “Well good for France, manning up a little, talking a little jive and then getting whooped, rather than just getting whooped and saying nothing.” But then I heard that the French were actually the favorites to win the relay. This was shocking to me. And of course a long, sarcastic list of things I would expect them to be the favorites in came to mind. (But I won’t list them here, “Favored to show no heart in the finals” or here “Most likely to give in to terrorist demands”).
Regardless of what the commentators had to say, I just could not see the U.S. losing in anything, to the French. I didn’t care if the French were allowed to use jet-skis in the relay! Apparently my new hero Jason Lezak felt the same way as he ran down France’s #1 swimmer (whose name I have already forgotten), from behind, against all odds. And that is what I love about the Olympics and being an American; the fact that an unknown swimmer from the U.S., can out swim France’s finest just because he feels like it. That’s American know-how baby! Jason Lesak, my hat is off to you. And if you ever visit Cedar City Utah, dinner is on me.
And to all my French, former-readers; I bid you adieu and bon voyage, until the next time we are saving you from a foreign invader.
Shea, I have to sit and wonder where you come up with this stuff, and then it dawns on me that you are a professional psychic,that is your job to be presumtuous and curious about people and their behaviors. I enjoy it buddy, I actually do count this time reading your blog as some of my intellectual interaction for the week; it keeps my mind working. Its ironic how I ponder on the same things, but I dont have the ability to articulate it like you do; keep it up man.
ReplyDeleteShea, Hey this is Nicole Francom (Use to be Johnson). Haven led me to your blog, and I couldn't be more grateful. You are so dang funny. Yesterday when I started reading I decided that my time would be better spent (instead of taking care of my family) reading your blog, too funny. Thanks for your take on life. By the way it was fun watching the French lose.
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