This is Why We Have The Olympics

Let us forget the critics and naysayers for a while...as the Olympics has drawn to a close we often ask ourselves why the hell were going through this every four years...

A Somalian runner and her last-place finish, ironically, provided me the answer.

Suddenly, the half-empty stadium realized there was still a runner on the track, still pushing to get across the finish line almost eight seconds behind the seven women who had already completed the race. In the last 50 meters, much of the stadium rose to its feet, flooding the track below with cheers of encouragement. A few competitors who had left Samia behind turned and watched it unfold.

Read about it here.

Aside from the opportunity for the Somali athletes to raise their flags as equals among the other nations, I believe that Samia's run was the defining moment for this year's Olympics - spectators rising to their feet and urging on a struggling athlete could be seen as a metaphor for the whole world coming together, urging each other on, offering support, cheers, encouragement for their fellowmen who needed a boost as they struggle on to surmount their own challenges.

This Somali runner has reminded us why we gather every four years for the Olympics. The world should do well and take heed...

Olympics: the real and the imagined

I have not yet seen the Olympics on TV. But all the buzz about it is everywhere. Thus, it is unavoidable that I would be giving my reactions to some of the things I've heard about the "Games"...

ON THE "FAKE" MOMENTS DURING THE OPENING CEREMONY: Por Dios, por Santo! Hindi na kayo dapat mabigla na namemeke ang mga Intsik no! hahahahaha Seriously, the opening ceremony is all media blitz and entertainment, so a few tweaks here and there is understandable. Parang Hollywood yan na ang mga sineng pinapalabas puro na lang special effects wala namang nagrereklamo, yung mga artista sa photospread sagad na sagad sa Photoshop - pati ang maitim nagiging puti na, pati mga walang tono at walang karapatang kumanta sa publiko nakakagawa ng album - and it sells! hahahaha Though I am a bit troubled by the singer fiasco - its smacks of discrimination kasi. Di bale palang hindi maganda ang boses basta maganda ang mukha? tsk, tsk, tsk...ano ba yan?

ON'IMAGINED' OLYMPIC MOMENTS: got this inspiration from Lenard's blog post. Lenard opines that if there were a competition on grandstanding, Filipino politicians would take the gold. And I heartily agree with him. A scenario comes to mind...

IMAGINARY OLYMPICS SCENARIO:from the Imagination of Sonofaditch...

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a new event called "lie detector test" is introduced. This was the reason, apparently, for the presence of President Bush and Mini-Me since they are also participating as "athletes" for their respective nations.

Yung criteria in determining the winner is the one which ellicits the most reaction from the lie detector machine wins. As expected, Bush and Mini-Me advance to the finals.

The finals are held at the "Bird's Nest" and viewed by an estimated 200 million people worldwide. Bush is the first to be attached to the machine.

BUSH: "There were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq."

The machine sputters and emits smoke. Still not satisfied, Bush continued...

BUSH: "I think..."

Machine explodes, launches itself into the air and crashes into the spectators, killing twenty and injuring thirty.

Americans were cheering wildly, believing that they have won the gold.

Enter the athlete from the Philippines...

Mini-me nervously takes her place and is attached to the machine. Unsure of what to say, Mini-me decided to make a brief intro speech...

MINI-ME: "As the democratically elected President of the Philippines..."

All cameras monitoring the event go on a sudden blackout. Observers a few miles from Beijing were in total shock when they heard a massive explosion and saw a mushroom cloud over the area that housed the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube and 60% of the city.

Experts were of the opinion that due to Mini-Me's massive lie, a nuclear reaction was initiated within the lie detector machine, setting off the explosion that decimated the city.

Beijing lies devastated, countless lives were lost, the Olympics were postponed and the whole world mourns...

Pero at least panalo ang Pinas...