Winter Olympics XX (Part 11)

Alright, couple of things here. First, I can’t wait for Vancouver 2010! I can see now in my mind’s eye three American women on the podium in women’s figure skating. With our ladies going 2, 6 & 7 last night, and given that they are all young enough to say that they haven’t peaked yet, why shouldn’t we sweep the medals in four years? Mandi and I are already making plans to attend.

Second, what are we to think about Shani Davis? I just saw him in an interview this morning on the Today Show on NBC and I have to admit that he said all the right things. He talked about camaraderie and ‘team’ and excused his brusque attitude toward the media with an explanation of how much he wanted to celebrate with his family first. There were no pot shots at At Chad Hedrick (who is not exactly a pillar of purity in this whole affair). Gone were the insults and attitude. He looked like a kid with a new toy, holding his medals in his lap, and even brought out 'Flat Stanley' for some children who had rooted for him. He was almost normal in repose.

Is it possible that we have simply misunderstood him all this time? Could it be that the street-kid from Chicago was just acting different than the thousands of other athletes at the game because he’s just a hood at heart? Is it okay to be a hood at heart? Ultimately, I think the answer to these questions must be no. I think that in spite of one good interview, he’s still ultimately a selfish, me-first, prima donna, who is maybe a little misunderstood, certainly committed to family, but completely ignorant of what it mean to be a team player and how important it is to set aside personal glory for team gold.

And while I’m ranting about team gold, would everybody just shut up about the whole “First-African-American-to-Win-Individual-Gold” thing. Hi, my name is Vonetta Flowers. I won a GOLD MEDAL in two-man bobsleigh in Salt Lake City. Remember me? Personally, I think that drawing attention to race in the Olympics ought to be illegal. Who gives a flying pooh whether Shani Davis is black, white, or pink with blue polka-dots?!!! Dude, get over it already. He’s an AMERICAN, and the last time I checked, ‘all men were created equal.’ So rather than celebrate his race, which only serves to further drive a wedge in between the plethora of races in America, why don’t we just LET IT GO?! He’s an Olympic gold medalist. Honor that. Honor the fact that he, like every other athlete at the games, worked his tail off to get there. Why is the color of his tail an issue? Its pathetic, really.

And kudos to Shani for not being an a-double-squiggle about THAT whole thing. He might be the only one with a mic in the cita di Turin who hasn’t made a big deal about the fact. Maybe he understands, like most thinking people do, that his accomplishment was never about race. He wasn’t racing for black America, but for himself. He wasn’t trying to become the next Jackie Robinson, he just wanted to win Olympic gold, and he did. If you want a black hero Olympic hero, call on Vonetta. She was the real trailblazer. Just don’t expect her to be sitting next to the phone when you do call, because she too understands that the Olympics aren’t about race, but about all of humanity united in sport. "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." (Olympic creed)

Citius, altius, fortius.