For some reason, every time I start writing about the Beijing Olympics I have a bad case of the Crabs and can do nothing but complain. . . which is weird because I have enjoyed so much about them. And last night was some of the neatest stuff yet, courtesy of the wonderful sport of Gymnastics… whose athletes seem like an entirely different species when they’re out there prancing on balance beams or whipping around on the high bar. In fact, I had a bad dream last night which was a variation on the famous “walking onstage in front of a packed audience only to realize that you studied the wrong script and don’t know any of the right lines” or the even more nightmarish “walking down the hall of your high school and suddenly realizing that you’ve only got your underwear on.” Last night’s dream found me out on the floor of the Carthage field house, suddenly and unexpectedly competing in a gymnastics meet and having absolutely no idea what I was doing- yet trying to bluff my way through and failing miserably. (Frankly, I think I’d rather do the high school underwear thing.)
Anyway, enough horrific images from my subconscious…. Last night’s gymnastics finale showed what the Olympics are all about with medalists who absolutely exemplified what good sportsmanship is all about. I was so thrilled to see Shawn Johnson (the sweetheart from Des Moines, Iowa) finally score gold after a string of silver medals – – – and because I knew she was the gold medalist before the telecast, I could watch it without wrapping my small intestines around my throat, which is what I tend to do if I’m watching something “live.” (I get SO nervous when I’m rooting for someone that I much prefer to know the results before I watch. That goes for figure skating and tennis as well. I know, I know. I’m a wimp.) And as before, Shawn and her American teammate, Nadia Liukin, were such gracious competitors – with each other and with the other gymnasts as well in a way that seemed much more genuine than is usually the case. (I think the typical congratulatory kisses which female gymnasts give to each other have all the warmth of Ice Fishermen in the Arctic Circle.) Maybe it was the fact that the competition was drawing to a close and the nerves were beginning to ease up. Anyway, Shawn Johnson did her country and her home state proud – and I was thrilled for her.
But even more heartwarming was the silver medal performance of American Jonathan Horton on the high bar. Not only did he do a thrilling job (really going for broke) but he was just about the most endearing athlete we’ve seen yet in these games- just swept up in the joy of what he was doing, and exulting with his competitors in their excellence as well as his own. One of my favorite images (pictured above) is of Horton sharing a happy exchange with the German gymnast who won bronze- and another neat moment was when Horton made a point of crossing over to the winning Chinese gymnast and offering a handshake of congratulations that seemed entirely from the heart. It’s moments like that which make it seem like maybe this crazy world of ours will survive after all.
And of course, there has been plenty of other examples of good sportsmanship – – – including most of our swimmers who have been exemplary in that regard. I especially rejoiced in the successes of 41-year-old Dana Torres, who managed to score medals at an age when most competitive swimmers have switched to Bingo and are drinking Geritol every day. And she carried herself with such class and warmth. So did our other swimmers, including Mr. Phelps himself – who is not exactly an award-winning orator but seems like a truly decent human being who is not taking any of his blessings for granted. And how about our Men’s Basketball team? After a couple of U.S. teams distinguished by Egos that Atlas himself couldn’t lift, this team seems so much more in step with the ideals of the Olympics and have brought great glory to themselves and to us.
There have of course been some ugly moments as well in these games . . . ranging from overt ugliness such as occurred in the U.S.-Cuba baseball battle (complete with batters left and right being beaned) . . . to the more subtle ugliness of the wrestler who angrily refused his bronze medal and was summarily stripped of it. But how nice to see Goodness and Decency carrying the day for so much of these games.