by Peggy Shinn / August 25, 2008
The end snuck up on me. Kind of like the finish line in a long race. It’s already Sunday, August 24 in Beijing — the last day of the 2008 Olympics — and the men’s marathon is underway as I type.
Today, I overheard someone say, “I’m glad it’s almost over.” And as much as I love the Olympics, I found myself agreeing with him. We’ve been saturated with coverage, and it’s time for life to return to normal. Or at least it’s time to go to bed at a decent hour.
My best memory of the 2008 Olympics will be Michael Phelps, of course, but not because he won an unprecedented 8 gold medals. I’ll remember Phelps because his swimming races were live on TV before my eyelids fluttered shut. I wish I could say the same for some of the gymnastics, with its made-for-TV drama.
I’ll remember Jason Lezak too, and his unbelievable swims in the relays that helped Phelps win two of his golds. How many of us leaped from the couch as Lezak came from behind in the 4x100m freestyle relay, then held off Australia in the 4x100m medley relay?
Watching Corey Cogdell winning a bronze medal in trap shooting was memorable too, not because it was the first NBCOlympics.com video clip I watched, but because she — and her dad — believed she could do it. Same with wrestler Henry Cejudo.
In beach volleyball, Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh, Todd Rogers, and Phil Dalhausser dominated most of their opponents with kills, digs, and blocks. I learned that beach volleyball is more fun to watch than indoor volleyball and not because of those bikinis (which reminds me, why don’t the guys play in Speedos?). With only two players on each side of the net, the points are easier to follow.
I’ll remember how much fun badminton was to watch too. And to play on the lawn afterwards.
And I’ll remember that my husband actually said, “Wow,” while watching synchronized swimming. And how he now wants a ping-pong table in our living room after watching table tennis. Better that than a boxing ring though. Or a horse.
What are your best memories?
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