I’m not a huge sports fan — I like a little college football and Major League Baseball — but I’ve always been a bit of an Olympics junkie.
I have come to realize that it’s largely the stories that attract me. When ABC used to cover the Olympics, they come up with the “Up close and personal” tagline for the stories they told about the athletes. My best friend denounces these stories as maudlin, but they are my favorite part.
Yes, there will always be stories that the media will overhype and over-dramatize, but many others are authentically heart-tugging, creating peak emotional experiences.
China itself promises to provide a remarkable story for the current Olympics. The spectacular opening ceremony told the story of China’s history and culture, so unknown to most of us in the West. The NBC commentators noted the cinematic quality of the ceremony. (I note that they must have used the word “story” at least two dozen times).
I know I will long remember the spectacle of athlete Li Ning “flying” up to the top of the stadium and appearing to lope along its upper rim as he prepared to light the cauldron.
Let the games … and the stories … begin.