Some Olympic Thoughts

After being plagued by one negative story after another, I’m relieved that the 2014 Winter Olympics got off to a relatively good start on Friday. 

First there was the Russian anti-gay laws that sparked controversy.  I can’t even imagine the kind of fear and sadness the athletes felt after that news broke.  The media was all over it, rightly so, but I was a bit worried that it would be the bigger story over the Games, the athletes, themselves. So far so good though, even after two IOC officials asked world leaders to be respectful of the Games’ diverse participants.  This Canadian commercial was released the night before the games started, poking fun at Russia’s silly laws.  It makes me giggle… 

Shortly after the anti-gay concern, there were threats made against the families of the Olympic athletes.  Some turned out to be a hoax, but again, I would imagine that would rattle an athlete or two.  Sochi has piled on the security (like they do at all the Games).

Unfinished sleeping quarters, yellow water, stray dogs, and surveillance has led the news in the last few days.  One athlete almost fell down the elevator shaft of an unfinished elevator and another had to break out of the bathroom – my favorite story thus far.  Whatever the logistical problems have been Sochi isn’t the first Olympic Games that have had them. 

As with most of our media coverage, we are hounded with negative stories (even minute details), but this year’s pre-Olympic coverage seemed to find the negative much more than the norm.  I wonder if the Games being in Russia and the underlying tone of distaste for Putin comes into play with the media coverage.  Interestingly enough, since the games started yesterday the problems seem to have been pushed aside for more favorable Games’ news…like the actual events and athletes.  Imagine that!

As I’ve mentioned in the past, the television coverage irritates me when the Games are across the world.  The time difference makes watching anything before the results are announced on the news difficult.  The color commentary they show also heavily outweighs the actual events shown.  I just want to watch them compete already.  I’ve been watching the coverage for about two hours now and have only seen two snowboarders go and two ice dancer couples go – waiting for the US couple to go so I can get to bed. 

I am loving the graphics/logos at this years Games.  The prints, patterns, the colors!  Wow!  They’ve taken traditional Russian designs and put a modern spin on them. 

Are you watching?