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LANCE STORM COMMENTS ON THE OLYMPICS

The following is courtesy of StormWrestling.com:

The Olympics

August 29, 2004

Is it just me, or have the Olympic Games lost their lustre? I used to be a big fan of the Olympics. I remember sitting in my University Dorm watching as Ben Johnson went from being a Canadian Hero to a Canadian Zero in less than a day. I watched the Barcelona games while on the road in Beirut and Tierre, Lebanon; I was in Sydney, Australia just a week after the games there and even worked the Olympics into a promo on the show. I‘ve always enjoyed watching the games, but I’m afraid the same can’t be said this year. I’m fed up, sick and tired, and just plain given up on the Olympic Spirit.

The Olympics have always had their share of controversy, but this year it just seems to be over the top. The drug scandals seem to grow each year, and the judging and scoring screw-ups have just taken all of the credibility out of the games. Gymnastics have been the worst. I like watching gymnastics so I’ve tried to catch as much of it as I can. This year we’ve seen out right scoring errors, judges actually changing their scores after the fact as a result of a booing crowd, and a long line of protests. If that isn’t bad enough the commentators have further sabotaged the sport by second guessing scores and actually saying scores were too low or too high, then explaining that the scoring is subjective which can account for the difference in opinion.

I’m sorry but if it is subjective and interpretive as to what a score can be, how is this a sport, and how can this be considered a fair contest? If winning a Gold Metal is subjective how can that winner claim to be the best in the world? He is just the best in some people’s opinion. Whoop-dee-do! I think the problem started a long time ago and has just grown out of control. We have too damn many events in the Olympics anymore. We need to get back to the roots of the games: Faster, Stronger Higher. We need to get rid of anything that is considered a game, or requires a judge.

I know this will eliminate a lot of events but tough cookies! Do we really need, pistol and riffle shooting in the Olympics? It’s a skill not a sport. There is a Canadian women competing in her 5th Olympics in one of these events. Name a sport that one person can stay on top of for almost 20-years. If that isn’t bad enough, what about Synchronized Swimming? Please! How is this a sport? It’s like figure skating (which I like by the way) or Ball Room dancing. It may take athletic ability, it may be difficult to perform, but it is more art than sport. It is subjective, and I’m sorry anything that requires hair, make-up, and a nice smile during your performance in order to score well is completely stupid. Does anyone care if Justin Gatlin smiled while winning Gold in the 100 Meters? Of course not we want to know that he ran it faster than anyone else.

If stuff like figure skating and synchronized swimming are allowed in, why not add Pro-Wrestling to the mix. Pro-Wrestling, takes athletic ability, is difficult to perform. Two athletes could go out and compete as a team (like skating pairs), perform a set routine (like synchronized swimming) and then be judged subjectively (like gymnastics) based on their degree of difficulty and artistic impression (like figure skating).

Let’s face it The Olympic Games are all about money and every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants a piece of it. The games are full of events that don’t belong, and even those that do, are won by the guys with the best funding, best drugs, or maybe the best drug masking agents. I don’t believe they are about sportsmanship, the spirit of competition, or about whom is Faster, Stronger, or can go Higher.

On one last note, I’m even sick of some of the fans of the Olympic Games. Canada isn’t doing well in these Olympics and the Canadian media is full of stories about how Canadian fans are really disappointed in our athlete’s performances. Some are just sad while others are claiming to be out right embarrassed by, and ashamed of, our metal count. Let me close with this thought. If you think Canada should have more metals, how about you get off your lazy ass, get yourself in shape and go earn the damn things yourself. These athletes bust their asses for years for a shoot at a metal, and if they end up in 1st, 2nd, or 112th, they are still a damn site better than anyone who is sitting at home watching TV, trying to live vicariously through their performance!

There is my two cents, for this week.
Lance