Sunday, August 24, 2008

Pure comedy

If ever you want to be entertained, and I mean really entertained, you'd do well to find yourself at the bar of a restaurant full of old curmudgeonly locals, that's showing not just any, old, regular Olympic sport, but rhythmic gymnastics.

The comments that came from these gentleman as they nursed their microbrews were priceless. Half of them didn't even know what we were looking at. One mentioned (to his credit) how closely rhythmic gymnastics resembled the Cirque du Soleil. The bartender exclaimed that the hoop competition was the most amazing and exciting thing he had seen since the Games started. I believe he was genuinely impressed.

But the best comment came from a guy who was sitting amongst several college kids behind us. All were fairly athletic looking and were also totally unimpressed by the events on the big screens.

"Baseball gets the axe and you can still win an Olympic medal for this crap. What is happening in the world?"

So upset, he was. And to be honest, as much as I love dance and artistry and all the frivolity of rhythmic gymnastics, I kind of agree. Shoot me.

P.S. I am SOOO sad that the Olympics are over. Watching the NBC closing wrap-up at 11-ish, I teared up a little. Laugh if you must, but I've loved watching every minute of the Games. And I've watched plenty of minutes, trust me. I'd just be cool with the competitions going on for like another, say, month or so. ;)

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