Ah! The Olympics: competition, cultural awareness, peace, harmony, American pride…the stabbing of 2 Americans, Russia’s invasion of Georgia while Putin attends the Games. There is such a swirl of politics surrounding these games. But come on, that can’t stop us from nit-picking athletic wear and hairstyles.
Overall, our athletes seem to be responding well to the pressure to win. Some have figured out how to channel that pressure, while others are just trying to get through the competition. But why oh why do the women’s beach volleyball teams, who are nowhere near water, wear fewer clothes than the swim teams? The women volleyball players should just go for it and wear the thong… I’ve seen more of Kerri Walsh’s cheeks in the last 2 days than I have in a PlayGirl magazine. They must schedule their waxes ahead of time to avoid well, embarrassment. Are these the particulars that the Olympians worry about? The same could be said about the girl’s gymnastics team, but I don’t think they’ve officially hit puberty yet. I want to watch women’s volleyball for their athleticism, but each time I do, I worry about if they’ve had a proper wax before they put those uniforms on. Really? They can’t wear a fitted t-shirt and some spandex shorts? They would be so much more comfortable. Do you think we’d have equal interest in men’s beach volleyball if the men were wearing Speedos? Please. We would all change the channel.
These same thoughts go through my mind when I watch the women’s gymnastics team. Of all the advancements each sport has taken, why can’t there be a better uniform for women’s gymnastics? As a young 12 or 13 year old, I couldn’t imagine putting on an outfit like that -- making sure everything is in its place. Heaven forbid a young girl have her period and have to wear that outfit. They must just get used to it because they’ve been doing it for years. The men, on the other hand, get to wear loose fitting comfy pants; the kind you want to wear around the house on a Saturday. Surly they don’t worry about the mouse getting out of the hole.
The other advancement that the US women’s gymnastics team hasn’t discovered yet is a proper ponytail holder. Our girls are wearing white scrunchies from the 80’s and barrettes that look like the one’s my 3-year-old wears. But last night, as I was critiquing the girls’ appearances, I was also noticing their tense body language.
I always enjoyed watching gymnastics, but our girl’s team looked stressed, scared and robotic. I felt tense watching them. Simultaneously, the swimmers seem to be having a great time. As NBC does their mini-biographies, the older athletes from all countries talk about balance in their lives. And all of them seem to be enjoying the ride. When I watched the women gymnasts Sunday night, they looked young – some of them too young—scared and off balance. They all seemed too worried about the final outcome rather than enjoying the thrill of competition. The only one who seemed to be enjoying the pressure was Shawn Johnson. She was confident and preformed well. She walked around with an air of confidence as if to say, “I got this.” All the while, wearing the 80’s scrunchy and the uniform that gives her a wedgie.
