Brown Eyed Girl

Anyone else watching the Olympics?

I'm not sure if its a sense of patriotism, the excitement of one world competition, or childhood memories that keeps me watching and interested in the Olympics. There is just something about that music... Dun- dun- dun- duh, duh ,duh, duh duh dun-da- da -da-da.......are you humming it yet?

We turned it on yesterday afternoon as we were doing things around the house to get our first glimpse of the famed Beijing '08. Oh darn, we missed the 'fencing' competition. Now it was men's beach volleyball. Ok, like we ever watch, or even care about that sport, I mean really...every four years they continue to add new quote- unquote "sports" to the mix. I know this one has been there for the last few Olympics, but still, I find it a little funny. That the "beach" part has become its own category in the sport. So here lies the great difference apparently between me and my husband watching a competition of any kind. I'm going to assume that this is the difference between the general man vs. woman in a lot of sport watching. I do get into our local college teams football season, so I do know how to watch sports. BUT I'm talking in a general sense here. Well, read on, and you will see what I mean!

It's a men's beach volleyball match between the U.S. and Latvia ( who knew?!). The U.S. team is the team projected to win the gold this year, seated in first place. Latvia, seated 23rd place out of the 24 countries represented ( 24 countries actually play beach volleyball?). Should be a slam dunk for our team... or sand spike?? Here is our first conversation:

Me: " Why are they wearing shirts? And baggy long shorts!!! Didn't you see the clip that the girls are all playing in Bikinis... and skimpy ones at that! That's just ridiculous?"
Him: "Well, who wants to see a man in a Speedo?"
Me: "Ugh! It's so chauvenistic!! They should at least have to take their shirts off, or give the women an option to not have to play a sport with their cheeks hanging out!"
Him: "The girls probably like it that way."
Me: "OH PLEASE! They're athletes, not models!"

I am now clearly interrupting him as he is cheering for good plays, and wincing and moaning when they miss. And now one of the quoted, "greatest upset in beach volleyball history",( history....really??) by the announcers: Latvia is beating the U.S. team! Zach is fed up and cannot continue to watch with such devastating circumstances! Watching the U.S. lose point after point has proved too much, and his emotions can't take it anymore! Next conversation:

Him: " I'm changing the channel, I can't take this!"
Me: " What?! Who cares, its beach volleyball! And this is so great for Latvia."
Him: " Are you kidding me? You are sooooo unpatriotic! You have to pull for the U.S. team!"
Me: " No, this is such a great story for Latvia, they're the underdogs! I think its so great for these guys who didn't have a chance at all when coming here to the Olympics. It's such a cute story!"
Him: " That's it, you have no patriotism here, I'm changing the channel. I found another sports channel with Olympic boxing!"
Me: " Fine!"

I'm deciding quite possibly that is just the difference between a man and a woman watching a sport. I'm chit chatting about outfits, and social injustice, and other teams fairness, and he is out raged by the fact that 'his' team can't pull it together and prove domination! It's really quite funny to me, and has left me with some valuable, (well maybe) information in the difference between the two of us. As I folded laundry, I continued to watch the swimming heats, and found myself looking forward to watching more throughout the week. YES, I will be rooting for the U.S. to win....(most of the time). But will my husband be able to handle the emotional roller coaster??!!