Torino: Passion Lives Here

The Winter Olympics are upon us, and I don't know about you, but I'm a sucker when it comes to this Olympic stuff. To me, and I know I might lose my Right To Drive A SUV for saying this, but the Olympic Games fascinate me much more than, say, the Super Bowl. There, I said it. For one, I'm a big story guy, and these games are storytelling on an epic level. For two weeks before the Super Bowl, we heard canned interviews, stories about players' hair, and story after story about the amazing coincidence that some millioniare was actually playing in the Super Bowl in his hometown! For 17 days during the Olympics, though, we are captivated by stories from people we never heard of before and probably never will again. We hear stories from their lives and how sport gave them hope to overcome. You hear nicknames like The Herminator, Flying White Sausage, and the Flying Red Tomato. For the majority of these athletes, their desire to compete is pure and their sport a passion, not a way to make big money. Most know they have little chance at standing on a medal podium, so for them, the victory is just their opportunity to be present and represent their country. Two, the Olympics represent a chance for athletes and spectators of the world to come together in celebration. Did you see the North and South Korea athletes walking in together to the Opening Ceremonies? In that case, sport accomplished what politicians cannot. The Games can offer a two and a half week symbolic respite from the discord of the world, suggesting that there is a way to live together peacefully. Three, I absolutely love being able to see the visuals and hear about the culture from some place I have not visited. This year's Olympics are at the foot of the Italian Alps, and of course not too long ago, I found myself on the other side of those majestic mountains, in Switzerand. Seeing these pictures return me to that international, cross-cultural state of mind that I was introduced to last year...a state of mind that I hope to hold on to forever. Four, no advertisements on the snow. No advertisements on the ice. Nothing "brought to you by...". Just competition. So excuse me while I remain horribly distracted for the next 17 days.