Olympians, More Hockey
From the Slate article, Cold Reality, by a former ice skater who tried out for but did not make the U.S. team in the 1980s...
You may be wondering what I learned from my competitive experiences. I learned that Olympians are people, too: They're just better and stronger than the rest of us in almost every conceivable way. They do indeed "want it" more, and they don't care how much it hurts. They're muscular and fit as fiddles. They commit to the sport day after day, year after year, without any guarantee that all that hard work will pay off. On game day, they excel. They remain composed and even manage to smile. And maybe there's something even more, some elusive, magical X-factor … but I've obviously never figured it out.
That's what I watch for... to see athletes achieving the pinnacle of human performance. As someone who is just a touch undisciplined, unfocused, and not entirely ambitious, I really admire those qualities in our greatest athletes.
Also, I admire this: (hint, can somebody Icon this for me?)
Watching Alexander Ovechkin blast Jaromir Jagr cannot get old for me. It feels like justice...
(See video highlight, of the whole play, including Evgeni Malkin's goal.)
I am still really looking forward to that Canada-Russia game. It should be a blast. Seriously folks, if you're only going to watch one hockey game this year, or possibly even in your life, it's probably this one.
Unless you can get the Miracle on Ice on tape...
You may be wondering what I learned from my competitive experiences. I learned that Olympians are people, too: They're just better and stronger than the rest of us in almost every conceivable way. They do indeed "want it" more, and they don't care how much it hurts. They're muscular and fit as fiddles. They commit to the sport day after day, year after year, without any guarantee that all that hard work will pay off. On game day, they excel. They remain composed and even manage to smile. And maybe there's something even more, some elusive, magical X-factor … but I've obviously never figured it out.
That's what I watch for... to see athletes achieving the pinnacle of human performance. As someone who is just a touch undisciplined, unfocused, and not entirely ambitious, I really admire those qualities in our greatest athletes.
Also, I admire this: (hint, can somebody Icon this for me?)
Watching Alexander Ovechkin blast Jaromir Jagr cannot get old for me. It feels like justice...
(See video highlight, of the whole play, including Evgeni Malkin's goal.)
I am still really looking forward to that Canada-Russia game. It should be a blast. Seriously folks, if you're only going to watch one hockey game this year, or possibly even in your life, it's probably this one.
Unless you can get the Miracle on Ice on tape...