An Olympics

It's almost midnight here and the opening ceremonies are under way. After the thousands upon thousands of people that made up the pre-parade routines did their thing to lighten things up a bit in China, the athletes finally began. I could watch this forever.

I lulled myself to sleep many nights when I was a kid about playing basketball for the U.S. in 1992. Yeah, really. But I wonder. What would I have done if they'd make me wear a skirt? That wouldn't have been cool. I did have the opportunity to represent my region when I was 12 at UCLA with other kids and teens from around the country. I won a silver medal in the softball throw (162 feet, thank you) and an old former Olympian put the medal around my neck. That was fun. But the Olympics, I'll allow, are a little different.

The pride thing. The people smiling thing. The coming-together thing. There are no medal winners yet so everyone is equal to everyone else. They're walking around the track in their outfits waving flags and flashing cameras. It's all pretty exciting, even with the Channel 7 commentators (there are not many times when I miss Bob Costas) being a little bland. But they are giving us all personal information on the athletes as the cameras happen to catch them. And then there's the running commentary in my head. Why keep it in?

• The people along the track will have to stand there like that jumping up and down, clapping their hands, moving side to side and smiling for way too much time. That's gotta suck.
• My great-grandfather came over from Belgium at the beginning of the twentieth century through Ellis Island. When the Belgians came out, I looked for a bit of recognition.
• Cuba just came out. A nice cheer. I look like some of them.
• Australia is the third to last third last country to hit the track. Something about the way it's spelled  in Mandarin puts it there.
• Need a beer.
• Aww, Canada. A shot out to SMK.
• Bermuda's got it right. At least the guys do. Those are some sweet shorts and socks they've got going there.
• Iraq! Iraq! Iraq! Iraq! Iraq! Iraq! Iraq! Iraq! They almost couldn't come. Right on, Iraq!
• I like the footprint thing. Colorful.
• Oh man. The Hungarian dresses on them. I would have had to refuse.
• The Dominican Republic. It was either that or Puerto Rican I was mistaken for while living in NY.
• Just flashed on Sarkozy. Totally not wanting them to flash on Bush when the U.S. comes through.
• Argentina. Manu carrying the flag! And Fabricio Oberto. Go Spurs!
• Great Britain. I'm thinking of all that old literature. And those cut-off heads. However, their cricket isn't boding too well. Nor is their rugby.
• Kind of sucks to see Britain's flag all over the Virgin Island shirts. Independence. Wait. What am I talking about. Australia's still under England's thumb. They voted to keep it that way a few years ago. Bummer.
• There's France. Looking for Tony Parker. Will Channel 7 find Eva? Damn. No Tony. Is he playing?
• Seriously. Imagine standing along the parade of nations route clapping and stepping from side to side. Uh-uh.
• The country names on the signs that precede each nation are totally illegible from even ground level. An oversight?
• I'm getting a little excited for the U.S. even though I don't know who's participating. I imagine the track and field will be under particular scrutiny. Dammit, Marion.
• Australia calls its track and field "athletics." So it's track and field participants are called "athletes." That's weird to me.
• The Russian Federation got a roar. It sounded like boos to me. Who can tell. They say it's positive. That's a big-ass team. A shot at Prime Minister Putin. Yes, Mr. McCain. He's Russian.
• The U.S.! The U.S.! Dammit. Bush. Look away! Look away! Those are some cool hats they're wearing. Now that's a big-ass team. The commentators are saying some good things. Ugh, stop looking at Bush. The flag bearer is Lopez Lomong. A pretty amazing story. He was kidnaped from his parents' side when he was six and ended up escaping imprisonment with other boys. They ran for a few days, eventually finding refuge in Kenya. He would be there for 10 years. Michael Johnson, an essay, and drive are why he's on top of the world. It doesn't make up for Bush's presence or even all the other shit China has done. And not only to its own people, which is something Lomong is remaining quiet about.
• Normally, I'd be going to bed now. But I want to see Australia. Damn that translation.
• American Samoa. Been called that, too. At least I woulnd't look odd to them in a sarong. Or maybe I would.
• Many more countries underrepesented by my lackluster typing. I'm getting tired. The thoughts aren't coming.
• Austria's dancing. It's not as late there. Beijing is two hours behind the east coast of Australia. Pretty good for me.
• I don't mind Switzerland's shorts so much. And I dig Roger Federer. Gotta say.
• New Zealand! Woot Woot. Pretty cool place.
• Apparently the end is near. Warming up for Australia's appearance. Will Stephanie Rice and her now ex-boyfriend be walking next to one another in their special moment with the rest of the swimmers? Will PM Kevin Rudd's wife be wearing something a little less gaudy than she's used to?
• And there's Germany. And that Dirk Nowitzki. Damn him. But he's pretty damn cool. As long as he's not being cool against the Spurs.
• Uh, volleyballs on the German's heads. I bet they're volleyball players. Weird.
• There's a "murmur and a buzz" in the stadium, say the commentators. They know China's close. "And Australia for that matter." Yep. That's why they're excited.
• And here come the Aussies! Waving their own flag with the Union Jack. Some cheers. Nice. Okay. Let's see Kevin 07. There he is with his wife and her damn collars. The outfits are blue and uninspiring. And the lot of them are carrying video cameras, which undoubtedly cost over $1,000 each because that's just what electronics cost here. They said there were roars, but they were more like healthy cheers. Go Australia!
• Another roar for China, but the Channel 7 commentators tried to  hold on as best they could. One more country until China and bedtime.
• That's a roar. Here comes China. Yao Ming holding the flag. Basketball is quite a sport. 7'5 in "the old language" he said. Oop. A shot of the Australians. It happens. More Aussies. Can we go back to China, Channel 7? Okay. Guess not. So back to Australia. Why aren't they wearing yellow and green? Okay. There's China again. A nine year old apparently saved some of his fellow school students during the earthquake. He's walking next to Yao. He's a cute-ass kid. I wonder if those people who lost their homes due to the Olympic construction are watching? Or the ones who were arrested for protesting? A good question.
• The sweat pouring down their faces  at 11:30 p.m. is not cool. That'll be interesting to watch.
• Those are some pretty cool fireworks. I'm sure it's doing wonders for the pollution problem.

It's bed time, folks. I get the writing assignment in 13 hours. I'll try to stay away from the Olympics till Monday afternoon. But before I go, it's a pretty cool thing to see everyone come together like this. It's hard, though, to overlook the stuff going on in the world. The stuff that rules the news every day. And sadly, the stuff that doesn't get reported. I pretty much don't pay attention to the mainstream media anymore. Now with the Olympics, they have more of an excuse to not report news.

Regardless, at this minute it's 1:15 am. here and the athletes are all on an equal footing as nation leaders stand not so side by side to welcome their respective countries through the Bird's Nest. What's that they say? Let the Games begin.