The Perfect Foam

Olympics Part II- The Medals

For my second Olympic post, I was going to write about winning a silver medal versus a bronze medal, but then my friend graciously informed me that a one Jerry Seinfeld had already done a bit on this very topic. I will instead let the master himself perform pretty much exactly what I was thinking throughout my two solid weeks of Olympic watching. Here is the video:

Jerry Seinfeld on the Olympics

What I do want to comment on also involves the topic of winning a medal. Not only was this the first time I have ever really been into the Olympics, it was first time that I payed attention to the reactions of the athletes upon winning a medal. For some of the athletes just competing in Beijing was the goal, and winning even a bronze medal was unthinkable. Then there were the athletes for whom winning a gold medal was their only purpose of competing.

The reaction of an athlete expecting to win a gold medal and indeed then winning that gold medal was often a reaction of utter relief (see the table tennis women’s champion for a prime example). And the reaction of an athlete expecting to win a gold medal and NOT winning that gold medal was a reaction of complete and utter disappointment, even when winning a silver or bronze medal (see any number of the track and field events for a prime example). Can you imagine Michael Phelps at the end of a second place-finishing race? There would be zero joy to be seen.

What I ultimately took away from these Olympic Games was that I most enjoyed seeing those athletes who came in second or third, yet celebrated as if they had finished in first. Nothing else from these two weeks of exciting competition stood out more to me. What a shame when being second or third best at your sport in the world simply isn’t good enough.