Getting My Sports On

With the Olympics kicking off in Paris last week where some 32 sports are being featured and Fall Football fast approaching, I’ve been getting my sports intake on.

As far as the Olympics, I watched a small bit of the opening ceremonies as the boats floated down the Seine but none of the arena parade really. Maybe I’ll watch some of the closing ceremonies this weekend.

Of course, women’s and men’s artistic gymnastic was on my radar and the performances did not disappoint. The men’s program is on the rise and the women are “Golden Girls” indeed as the rest of the competition FAAFO.

Simone is indeed the GOAT at vaulting, flipping, and execution in what is a very dangerous sport across four apparatus. One miscalculation could lead to paralysis going forward. Anyway, Simone did that earning four medals of five events, three golds and a silver.

Aside from their usual stellar physical strengths, I learned a lot about all the women’s squad this go around. Each has a mental toughness that accompanies their physicality.

Simone has the heart of a champion that accompanies the wit of a comedian. She’s been taking names and making a list of all those coming for her and hers over the past years and the pay back was priceless and real.

Suni is a fighter, for sure. When she left the Auburn University gym last year due to kidney disease, I didn’t think we would see her competing in Paris and defending her Tokyo medal haul.

Jordan easily has the bubbliest and most charisma on and off the mat. It was disheartening to see that as one of the top five gymnasts in the world she could not compete for the title of the best in the world when those several levels below her could. I think the Olympic two athlete per country rule is whack but it’s done in fairness I suppose. Anyway she kept trooping and yanked out an individual medal in the end.

Jade, too, is a fighter who can hold her head quite high after two Olympic teams. Sixteen-year-old Hezly Rivera has a bright future on the horizon.

I’m in the midst of catching up on the track events. I didn’t watch either of the highly touted 100 meter races in real time but they were both interesting. For both it was the pitting of Jamaica against USA for the gold.

For the women, when Shericka dropped out, it was dubbed the Sha’Carri show but then St. Lucian Julien showed out. While the media was putting the spotlight on the two S’s, Julien was feeling no pressure and earned her country’s first Olympic medal ever and it was gold.

The men’s race, I’m still puzzled by because of another Olympic rule. In real time it’s very confusing and in photo finish it’s more confusing. To me, it looks like the order of medals awarded should have been reversed. And when the named winner greets the runner up just before the big announcement with “looks like you got this one big dawg” but then 20 seconds later pounds his chest saying “I told you I had this”—yep we’re all confused. Now I’m just waiting on the 200 meters and the relays.

I caught some soccer with my girl Rappinoe missing but others are stepping up. Trinity Rodman is channeling her NBA DNA into some soccer magic for the American squad.

Saw some surfing in Tahiti, nothing against France but that would have been the Olympic location I would have preferred. Also, saw the men’s pole vault finals with an amazing winning performance by Swiss Mondo Duplantis.

I usually watch diving but caught none of that this year. I did catch Ledecky winning a few golds in the pool. I tuned into some street skateboarding and meant to catch the break dancing but I’ll have to video search that later.

I haven’t watched any basketball and don’t really plan on it. But the kids and I forayed into football season last week with a trip to Mercedes Benz Stadium to take in the Falcons open practice. I’m not a huge Dirty Bird fan but I will support the home team—they lost some luster with me after the failed 2016 Super Bowl appearance.

However, this new season is generating some buzz with a new head coach, new veteran quarterback, and new rookie quarterback. Should be interesting to see. The practice was good. Jacob was impressed with Drake London and Grady Jarrett is back from injury.

I was impressed with the snacks. The food is better and cheaper than at the old stadium and State Farm. We had popcorn, pizza, nachos, chicken tacos, peach cobbler and unlimited soda. Yep I ate my way through the practice. My son asked me did I come to eat or watch?

It was interesting to see team owner Arthur Blank stroll into the building. He entered from the tunnel stopping on the sideline to greet staff on the way to the middle of the field without a care that balls were buzzing around. Wonder do you get fined for hitting the 81-year-old billionaire with the ball? We will catch a few football games this season, probably not the one atop Jacob’s list. That would be against the Champion Chiefs with the astronomical prices. And by football, that includes some soccer too.