Olympics!
I am the most unathletic person you will ever meet, and it has only gotten worse (much, much worse) as I’ve aged. I’m klutzy, overweight, under-muscled, and uncoordinated. And despite that – or more likely, because of that, I am a big sports fan. I watch baseball (Go METS!), football (Go DOLPHINS! [ok it’s yet another rebuilding year]), college football (Go HURRICANES!) and hockey (Go PANTHERS [and sometimes Islanders]). I’m not much of a basketball fan, but if the Miami Heat or NY Knicks are in the playoffs, I’ll watch. I’ve taken an interest in the NY Liberty (even though they play basketball!) and there is a brand new Women’s Pro Baseball League starting up this summer with 4 teams (NY, Boston, LA, and San Francisco) that I’m very excited about – go NY! The inaugural season starts on August 1st, 2026 (my mom’s birthday, and she would have loved this!)
I haven’t checked out any flag football games, but I am definitely intrigued, especially as the NFL is putting its full weight (and $$$) behind it. I hope that someday the NFL will be flag football, but I don’t know if that will happen in my lifetime. The injuries are horrific and never-ending, and sometimes it is really difficult to watch. I don’t know how parents can watch their kids play; it would absolutely gut me.
But the Olympics! Every two years (summer games, winter games), and I am here for it. Still not a big fan of curling (this is more my speed), but the skiing and snowboarding keep me glued to the TV, along with most of the other winter games. It’s the skating that truly has my heart. Figure skating! Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shaidorov took the Gold with his amazing performance (sorry, Malinin!) American Alysa Liu was just incredible, taking home the Gold with her flawless performance (even more remarkable considering she had retired from competing at 16!)
I also watched the ice dancing, speed skating, and, of course, hockey. The USA women’s hockey team was phenomenal! As were the men, and that’s not always a given. It was the first gold medal for men’s hockey since 1980. Mike Eruzione, the captain of the legendary 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team, met with the 2026 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey team during these Olympics. His advice? Leave everything on the ice. (There is a new Netflix documentary about that season, Miracle: The Boys of ’80, and it is really good.)
It was poetic justice at the end – Canadian Sam Bennett high-sticked Jack Hughes, breaking a few teeth, in the third period, but Hughes got his revenge when he scored the “golden goal” in overtime to take the Gold medal. His bloody smile said it all!
I would be remiss if I didn’t add how moving it was when the Americans held up Johnny Gaudreau’s jersey when they won – he was known as Johnny Hockey, and he and his brother were killed last year after being hit by a drunk driver – their parents were there to celebrate as well.
I signed up for Peacock just for the Olympics, and while I will not be renewing that service, it was well worth it. I’m sorry it’s over now, but I’m looking forward to the summer games next! Swimming, diving, and my fave, gymnastics, not to mention baseball’s coming back, softball, skateboarding, and new this next time around, lacrosse and Flag Football. Equestrian is fun, and so are archery and beach volleyball (are they still making the women wear teeny-tiny uniforms? I’m so over that.) Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the Olympics, too!
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Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.
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