The Olympics!

As many of you know, the 2014 Winter Olympics have started.  You may also be aware that this month is Black History month.  While the month is generally devoted to accomplishments by Americans (and I will share one with you after I talk about all things Olympics,) I wanted to start off our Olympic coverage on my blog with a story about a Kenyan man who overcame his body's own ailments to win a gold medal in 1968 in Mexico City. His name is Kip Keino.


I happened to read on "Today I Found Out" that during this race he was actually suffering from gallstones (though they didn't know that at the time).  Not only did he win the gold medal for the race, but he also had to run 2 miles just to make it in time to register and dress for the race because there was so much traffic the bus he was riding would have otherwise been too late.  And did you see that amazing lead he had at the end there?

Since his racing days, Kip has settled down in Kenya, took in over 100 orphaned children, had seven children with his wife, served as president of the National Olympic Committee Kenya, and has been inducted into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.

So let's move forward to the present and this year's Winter Olympics.  By now, most of you have heard the news about the conditions there, seen pictures, and gotten a pretty good sense that security isn't all that great in Russia.  When I was talking with my dad earlier today on the phone, I mentioned that were I a Russian, I think I would, frankly, be pretty embarrassed by how poorly my country has represented itself to the world.  That said, it stands to reason that Russia is going through a rather difficult period--still trying to figure out how to transition from a communist society to a more capitalistic one.  And maybe that is some of what we're seeing in these stories.  Of course, it could also be that things were simply mismanaged and the people in power would rather enjoy spending time with a tiger than actually ensuring that the Winter Olympics goes off without a hitch.

Now, granted, these are just the hotels in which the journalists are staying, and the Olympic Village itself seems to not have any problems, but if the stories I have read are any indication, this is definitely a nightmare.

That said, ...what else could possibly go wrong to give me such a negative impression.  Let's try this for a start:

Well, ...maybe nothing is ever really perfect, though I'll definitely be looking for problems for the rest of the Olympics because of this.

That said, the Olympics is about bringing together people from all over the world to represent their nation in friendly competition.  It is meant to inspire athletic greatness and showcase the best athletes countries have to offer.  Maria Sharapova led the group that got to carry the torch to the cauldron which ended with Irina Rodnina and Vladislav Tretyak lighting the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremonies.

To bring us back around to Black History month, I wanted to share something really special with all of you from Levar Burton who used to play Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation.  I hope you all enjoy the story--and the story.


Enjoy the music, the joy of new discoveries, and remember that in spite of our differences, happiness is born not from what we have, but from what we share.  Have a good weekend, everyone!