A Few Opening Thoughts

OK, who caught the spectacular opening ceremonies of the Olympics in Vancouver the other night? Was that sweet or what?!? The whales and the dancers and the snow and the mountains and the look on Shaun White’s face when the snowboarders and skiers came flying out of the ceiling...Absolutely priceless.

I love the Olympics. Especially the Winter Games, because figure skating is, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful things on the planet. People like Tara Lipinski, Katerina Witt and Michelle Kwan are my heroes.

And one of my favorite parts of any Olympic Games are the opening ceremonies. I get goose bumps remembering the “Fire and Ice” themed ceremonies of Winter Games ’02; and the fantastically choreographed spectacular of Beijing two years ago was unforgettable. And Saturday night…well, let it simply be said that the display put on by our northern neighbor was breathtaking to say the least.

I mean, admit it—who didn’t gasp the first time the floor showed its true nature? Remember? When the ice flows broke apart? Wow.

And who didn’t start tapping their feet to the beat with all the tap dancers and fiddlers?

And who didn’t sigh in envy when that boy flew above the audience during the prairie segment? Come on, my friend—you know you were thinking it: Man, I wish that was me…LOL

And granted, there were a few bits that were…less than wonderful; such as the weird, nonsensical and just-plain-disturbing “Hallelujah” song. Ick.

Or that horrifying moment when you realized that the fourth pillar of the Olympic Cauldron wasn’t going to rise? Don’t tell me you didn’t gasp and cover your face thinking It was perfect! Oh, those poor mechanics! After all, you know who’s gonna get the blame for that…Still, I thought it was amazing—and it’s the mishaps like that, I think, that really make things memorable. I mean, no one is going to forget these opening ceremonies—this will be something to tell our kids about years from now:

“Yeah…you think this is cool. I remember the 2010 Winter Olympics, when we first saw this kind of technology. It was amazing.”

And…on a more somber note, let’s not forget the Georgian luge athlete, who tragically lost his life in an accident that morning. I’ll admit that my eyes stung a bit when the Georgian team marched in—I can’t imagine what they’re going though. We’ll keep them—and his family, even more—in our prayers.

Then…thought number two, real quick:

Isn’t it funny how we can watch something like the Olympics, something that defines multinationality, and be so utterly proud to be an American? I mean—it’s ridiculous, we had nothing to do with these athletes becoming who and what they are. But still, something in you says “Yeah—this is our team.”

Anyway…enjoy the Games, folks.

Go USA!!!

~Trav