I love the Olympics. I do, I love them. Every two years I get excited about the prospect of watching them. I love the pageantry, the surprises, the spills. I love it all. John loves the Olympics too and I think Reese is getting into the act. I’ve got half the house on my side.
I know some of you hate the Olympics because it messes up your regular TV programming. Lame. The Olympics are way more exciting than anything any of The Real Housewives have to say.
Some of you complain that Olympics fans only care about the sports every four years. True. In general, I don’t care about sports. I don’t mind watching them – but I don’t really care who wins. I just like not knowing the ending. I know how every episode of Law & Order is going to end – but in sporting events there’s always at least the potential for surprise.
When it comes to the Olympics the more obscure the sport, the better. Water Polo? Yes please, both the men and the women. Field Hockey? Check. Handball? I’ll stay up all night to watch it. Whitewater Kayaking? Yep, I even know the rules.
But my favorite and I think the most obscure is coming up next week. The Modern Pentathlon.
The Modern Pentathlon consists of five events; fencing, swimming, riding, shooting, and running. If I could compete in any sport at the Olympics this would be it. Despite the fact that I hate riding horses and swimming. I’ve never fenced. I have shot a weapon – but I closed my eyes when I pulled the trigger, so I’m not a good shot.
Other than that, I’d be a perfect competitor.
London 2012 celebrates 100 years since the The Modern Pentathlon was contested at the Olympics.
I know, it gives me chills too. August 11-12. Who will be watching with me?
Which event would you participate in if you were an Olympian?
I would play volleyballl. LOVE IT! Played in HS and tried out for a few colleges. I was just too short. I would need to grow a few inches to to compete with Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor! And I would have to find a good plastic surgeon so I could sport those tiny little outfits!
I wouldn’t say I hate the Olympics. I just have no interest in them. (I know, it’s heresy.) It’s not because they mess with my TV schedule (I don’t watch TV) or anything lame like that, I just can’t muster up the energy to be excited by sports even once every four years.
If I was going to compete in anything, it would have to be fencing. I did fencing from when I was 17 to 22 and loved it. Sadly, competing in anything professionally requires some kind of commitment to exercise, and I’m not comfortable with that.
Love the Olympics and the Modern Pentathlon is awesome as well! One of my dear friends from high school trained for 3 years for the Pentathlon but is not in London this year. We are hoping for Rio 2016! Thanks for always bringing a laugh to your readers.
6 degrees of separation…so I want to meet your friend!! Tell her I wish her the best of luck for 2016! Send me her name at bridget@twinisms.com so I can root for her!!
I LOVE the Olympics! I watch everything I can. Plus, I’m a sucker for a good backstory on the athletes. I’ve never heard of the pentathlon! How can this be? Now I will have to find out when it is on! It’s a good thing the Olympics only last two weeks. I’m not getting any sleep!
Amen to Kathy, I’m so tired and the house is a mess thanks to the Olympics. I love them but have yet to convert any of my children. I did threaten them that until their play room was clean they couldn’t watch anything on TV but the Olympics. It was clean in half an hour.
We’ve recorded the whole lot. Joe is super die-hard and so is Noah. I just love the whole thing. We’re mosty excited about track and field but we’ve loved everything we’ve watched before. I could never compete in anything ever at all in the world because the competition makes me anxious. Maybe if they came up with a new sport – most anxious – I would compete in that. You’d just have to put me in a room with my entire family and/or friends, bring up the topic of money or start talking about my body. Gold goes to me.
I dove for one year during high school and swam the other three, so I am a big fan of the aquatic sports BUT I absolutely love watching the synchro diving.
So this is an event that mimics everything the Hobbits did in “Lord Of The Rings”?
My husband is HUGE in the olympics and I have to say I rolled my eyes at him at first, but last night I watched Phelps win yet another gold and saw these tiny girls who have been training their whole lives do amazing routines and I kind of loved every moment of it.
Not because of any talent at all, but just because I think it would be the fun I would do synchronized diving.
Gymnastics is one of my favs. I was on my high school team about a hundred years ago. I’d do that!
Lol Also love the synchronized diving, soccer and any swimming event. I’m watching the USA women play soccer right now.i spent about 10 years lugging my twins, their friends, their gear and snacks, to and from soccer practice and games. I was SO HAPPY when they got their licenses. Laura was playing in a women’s league until her knee injury but swears she’ll play again. Before you ask…No, I do NOT get the off-sides rule, although its been explained to me about a million times. My dad coached soccer (my brothers team) for years when I was in high school, so I am all to familiar with the sights, sounds and smells of the soccer world! Great post B!
Beach volleyball all the way!!!
I consider myself an Olympics junkie and could not name the 5 sports of the Modern Pentathalon. Thank you for broadening my horizons. Truly. Ellen
Ooooooooh My Gosh,
I’d want to be JUST Like Gorgeous Gabby <3
I’m not a swimmer but I love the swimming. I’m not fast but I love the track events. And I love, love, love gymnastics but can’t do a cartwheel. I remember watching the Junior Olympic trials in Seoul, Korea in 1992. The teenager who were competing in the power-WALKING event walked a mile in, like, 5 and a half minutes. I watched them do it. Do you know how ridiculous that is?????? Amazing.