There was a time when it was more important for an athlete to compete for his country than to compete for himself. When it did not matter as much who was standing on the podium as it did what colors were being raised in front of it. Those were the years that collective glory meant more than personal glory. When individuals synergized their strength and abilities and competed for their native homeland instead of for themselves.
Enter the 21st century and the Torino Winter Games. Somewhere between the 'Miracle' (1980) and now, the script has changed from we to me. Because, like every other sporting event in the United States, the majority of our American athletes are turning a team-versus-team/country-versus-country competition into an individual-versus-individual talent show. It is not about us beating Russia or Germany, and claiming gold for the United States anymore. It has become all about getting the gold medal around MY neck.
Which is why you have people like Lindsey Jacobellis showing off on the second-to-last jump of the snowboard-cross event. If she had been focused on getting the gold for her country rather than making herself look good, she would not have fallen on her butt and blown a 50-yard lead.
Call me old fashioned, but I liked it when the Olympics were all about the United States. Not about Shani Davis, Bode Miller, Lindsey Jacobellis, Michelle Kwan or any other over-hyped ego balloon.
Maybe we could take a lesson from Italy's mens' cross country team. Standing on the podium to receive their gold medals, Sunday night, they did not just look at the flag; they honored it; singing their country's national anthem and urging all gathered to join in this glorious moment in Italy's history.
Sam Van Eerden
