What I Learned from the Olympics

I'm not exactly the most avid sport's fan on the planet (other than derby) but even I have been casually watching the  Olympics.  It's been a spotty observership for me, but watching international competition has taught me some new things and reinforced other ideas for me.

My awesome and yet crappy version of the Olympic rings.  Boom!  (This is just one reason why I never throw out my old wheels)

1.  Controversy is in every sport.  Well, that's both comforting and sad.  Controversy is universal....yea?  From badminton teams throwing games (tsk), to people arguing about a runner with prosthetics being included in Olympic play (Serious TSK), to the teensy weensy uniforms of the Beach Volley Ball teams, sports can be loaded with ridiculous amounts of controversy.  I think it's interesting that sometimes the controversy outshines the sports; for instance, who cares if someone might have had an erection while receiving a medal?  Who is looking that closely at pictures?  And let's be honest people, getting a medal would be exciting!  I happen to know that many athletes have erect nipples when they are competing (both guys and girls), and yet nobody has been harping on that particular phonomena.  By the way, in my humble opinion, I never want to hear anyone complaining about booty shorts in derby again; after watching beach volleyball, I've decided that anything people wear in derby is positively MODEST in comparison.

PS...who cares about an athlete's hair?  Really?

2.  Age is just another number.  Check out the American Women's Soccer team!  Their captain is 37 years old and kicking major amounts of booty.  Don't tell me that international level competition is only for the young!  I think that derby has a lot of "older" skaters, and most of us are happy to hear that we aren't yet over the hill....yet.

3.  Don't count anyone out.  Remember at the beginning of the Olympics when people were pooh-poohing Michael Phelps?  He didn't do amazingly well straight out of the gate and people were ready to write him off completely.  My, aren't fans fickle?  Isn't it interesting that he came back with a vengeance?  How many times have you as a derby skater dismissed a player because he or she didn't wow you immediately? 

4.  Endurance wins games. The Olympians stretch and work on endurance constantly.  They work on their flexibility so they can avoid career ending injuries; this includes icing their joints after practice, stretching after strenuous activity, and not slacking off when it comes to endurance.  I personally have great endurance from speed practice and riding my bike, but I haven't been so awesome about consistently icing my joints after practice or working on my stretching.  Ah well, it's a new goal to strive for!

5.  It's all about the team.  None of those Olympians got there on their own. I watched them thank the officials, teammates, coaches and trainers.  You may be awesome...but you're only one small part of a team,  Without your teammates, you couldn't be playing derby.  Just remember it's not always all about you.

Those were just a few of the lessons I took away from being inundated with the Olympics.  Now, I know it's just a matter of timing of getting roller derby in there one of these days; I think the Olympics needs derby, because half of the team sports they have on there are variations on the same theme.  Soccer, hand ball, field hockey, water polo all seem to have the same basis; they just play it on a different surface.  I think derby will break them out of that rut!