Grouchy about the Olympics

Am I excited that, as of yesterday, the USA had won 52 times as many medals as had Estonia?  Not really.

If I were the World Dictator of Sports, competitors in the Olympics would compete solely on their own behalf, not as representatives of their home country.  ("Their home country" is a fairly fluid concept nowadays, in any event, in our global society where athletes have a number of possible residences.)  We would see no grand procession of athletes carrying national flags during opening ceremonies.

If a runner sets a new record, that's his own achievement -- as the award of Olympics medals to individuals already recognizes.  As Americans, we may be proud that one of our own has won a medal.  But I see no reason for us to total up the number of medals awarded to athletes of each nation, and publish a daily list of "who's ahead" -- surprise, it's us again!  (Our newspapers used to total men's and women's awards separately, when that worked to our advantage.)  The fact that the gold medal winner was born in Colorado rather than Manitoba or Shanghai is an accident of geography -- not a reason for national self-congratulation.

I make an exception for team sports, although I regret the fervent nationalism aroused even there.  Off hand, I see no better way to identify a team than by the nation from which its players originate.  But I cringe -- probably even more than I do with individual sports -- when the USA, with a team filled with highly-paid professional basketball players, defeats a small country, and our fans yell "USA, USA" as though they had witnessed a mighty national accomplishment.

And don't even get me started on the issue -- now forgotten -- of amateur vs. professional athletes in the Olympics. 

I have more to say on the subject, much more, but won't.  I've discussed my thoughts with others too many times, and my thoughts have been greeted by -- at the very kindest -- rolled eyes.  I just don't understand athletics, I'm told.

Funny.  I thought I did.