The Summer Olympics are here. Jack Thornton reflects on the sportsmanship and patriotism, and wonders what we have to do to get Vatican City represented at the next games.
Dunnn-Daaah-Duh-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dah-Dun-Dun-D-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dah-Dee-Dun-Dun-Duuuuuunnnnnn!
You recognize that tune don’t you? No? Ok, let me hum it for you again.
Dunnn-Daaah-Duh-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dah-Dun-Dun-D-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-Dah-Dee-Dun-Dun-Duuuuuunnnnnn!
Did you get it? Still no?
Le sigh. No one ever gets it when I write music out like that.
It’s the theme for the Olympics and it’s been in my head all week because it’s just that time.
Ah, the Olympics. It’s a time for both strong patriotism and appreciation of other cultures and nations. It’s a time for thrilling victories and crushing defeats; a time for heartwarming stories of athletes who give their all in pursuit of a dream, and a time for less heartwarming stories of badminton players who throw matches so they can play lesser opponents in the losers bracket.
It’s a time for citizens all over the world to suddenly discover interest in sports that they only think about every four years. Yes, once every four years gymnastics, swimming and track rise to the level of football, baseball and basketball and we all obsess over athletes whose names we didn’t know two weeks ago and who we will forget as soon as the NFL pre-season starts. But we watch them and read about them because that’s what we do and that’s the way we like it...