kiff57krocker personal journal

    END OF THE OLYMPICS.

Finally the Summer Olympic games are over and done with.  And although I've always believed the Olympic Games to be a total waste of time, not to mention the fact that most of host nations for the games use them as a form of bragging rights, ie; "hey, look at us!  They're staging the Olympics in our little country, so we're better than the rest of you, n'yah, n'yah, n'yah," there are still a few deluded saps who love the so-called "pageantry" of the games.  Still, I am happy to learn that the majority of gold and silver medals were won by the American athletes, most of whom were women, which I'm sure came as quite a shock to the macho sensibilities of the men of Rio where this year's summer games were held.  And, as usual, there were moments of totally unsportsmanlike conduct as when an Israeli won the judo competition against an Egyptian.  And when the Israeli extended his hand, the Egyptian refused to shake it.  This illustrates the fact that many countries hosting the Olympics will use them for political purposes, such as Nazi Germany which used the 1936 Olympics to showcase the alleged superiority of the so-called "Aryans," only to see that illusion evaporate when an African American, Jesse Owens, soundly beat Germany's best in track and field and a white American, Don Budge, totally humiliated Germany's Baron Gottfried von Cramm in tennis.  The bottom line is that the Olympics have become far too politicized.  And that is why I believe the United States should opt out of any future Olympic Games.  They are a waste of time and talent today just as they were a waste of time and talent in ancient Greece.  The sad fact, however, is that while the Summer Games are over, there is still the upcoming Winter Games which will be held in South Korea.  God help us all.