Goodbye Sochi.

It was kind of strange this morning waking up to no news about the Olympic games. What was going to air when. Or avoiding it all together so I don't find out the results. The hunt for the medals gone and done. And it is weird trying to figure out what I am going to watch this evening. Do I even care about the whole Juan Pablo thing? And realizing that no, in fact I do not. Not only that, but I haven't even really missed it.

Imagine that.

But of course this leaves me the question, what the hell am I a going to watch? I mean I enjoyed the fact I didn't have to sit through a reality show. And those staples that I lived for? Well yeah I sort of had forgotten all about them. I enjoyed watching the sports. The ones I have loved for years and the ones I was just finding out about. I enjoyed watching my son's reaction to the games as he 'skied' across the floor then pulled out an imaginary gun for his biathlon practice.  Yes, he has now decided he wants to do this. I am pretty sure its because of the whole gun thing, seeing that it isn't really something we fully allow in the house. This makes it that much cooler in a five year old's eyes.

And I enjoyed learning something new. Whether it was about the culture, or the games themselves. Or the fact that ice dancers have to have 50% of their bodies covered at all times. I mean you just would never know these things if you watched DWTS on a weekly basis.

Sure they came with controversy. There in fact didn't seem to be a day when something wasn't going on. Ice dancing, ladies singles. Even the bobsledders and ice hockey had their share of conspiracies going around. Then again, what is the Olympics without them? From what I remember it seems to be this way every year. Protests, and backlash. Things go wrong. Things go right. I will miss hearing about every one of these things in more ways than not. And thankfully, my uneasy feeling about the games did die down and go away. Thank the lord for that. I was not interested in seeing that at all. But I will miss a lot of things about the games.

I know I will find something on. Castle will be my staple. And I will inevitably get sucked into the whole Juan Pablo drama because there truly isn't anything else I am interested in at this moment. But for a moment, and for the day. I kind of miss the whole Olympic vibe that was going on.

The blame game

Yesterday I watched-like most around the world did the same-as Finland beat Russia in a win and your playing for a medal, or go home and think about it for the next four years hockey game. For Finland it was a chance to prove they belonged. For Russia it meant everything and so much more. Perhaps even more so after the U.S. game the previous Saturday. If you watched it-and let’s be honest, how could you not have done so, you know what happened there. And it meant something especially to Alex Ovechkin who from the moment the announcement came of it being held in Sochi, had become the spokesman, the face and the name of the games.

These were just as much his games as it was Putin’s it seemed.

Finland won, eliminating Russia. There would be no gold for the home country. There in fact would be no medal for the home country at all.

The moment the buzzer sounded signaling the end of the game, thousands of hearts seem to burst. Twitter seemed to have fallen silent, Facebook soon followed. Russia stood still. How could this happen, how how how???

The solution it seemed was to blame the one guy who was supposed to make it happen. The one player who was supposed to come through no matter what for team Russia. Ovechkin. I guess it makes sense. But as I sat watching from my cube in America, while he spoke to the media my heart broke. Even if I was rooting for the U.S. and OK the fact they were out of it did make me smile a little broader, my heart still ached.

Why?

Because he took the fall, despite the fact that hockey last I checked was not an individual effort. It is a team effort. No one mentioned the lack of performance from Malkin, or Semin. Varly. All of who had just as much of an equal hand in the loss as Ovechkin. But no, it was not them that they blamed.  And did we notice it was none of them who were even willing to speak to anyone? At least Ovi was willing to face the music, good or bad. He took it.

Now I am not saying he did not have faults, because when it comes down to it, no he did not perform up to anyone standards, including his own. What I am saying is this.  It takes more than just one person to win or lose a game. And blaming it solely on one player is not going to do you any good. I am sure as the days, weeks and perhaps years go by, players will come forward and admit fault, blame it on coaching on half KHL, half NHL system that they were under.  Ovi while may not be viewed as the hometown hero anymore will at least see the pressure off his shoulders a little. Perhaps they will even admit what they should have been focusing on was how to come together as a team rather than playing at 20 plus individuals with egos. That it was unfair to blame such things on one sole individual-no I do not see this happening, but we could hope.-Perhaps then the outcome would have been different.

Though at the moment, its little consolation to a game that meant so much to a country.

So who do you root for?

This is not my photo, I do not take credit for it.

This morning my son and I got up early to watch the hockey match between the U.S. and Russia. Even before the start of the games, the match had been well talked about.

Especially in our house. Where we pretty much eat sleep and breath hockey on any given day. Olympics or otherwise. But for obvious reasons, this game has been highly talked about and anticipated by the likes of myself, my husband and little man himself, who is just excited to see hockey.

Even if he doesn't fully get it.

Admittedly at five, he has no idea the significance of the game. He does not know just how important it means to the Russians. Does not get what winning the gold would mean to them. And the only thing he knows about the Miracle on Ice is that its the signed and framed picture that hangs in our hockey themed basement, a picture he isn't allowed to touch of daddy's.

What he does know is this. His favorite hockey player-and self proclaimed best friend-wears yellow skate laces, is missing a tooth and plays for his favorite hockey team in D.C. He also just happens to be Russian.

And thus begins the great debate. The who do you root for one. For Logan it is simple, Russia he yells as the puck dropped. Yet he couldn't understand why I wasn't for Ovi. I did not know how to explain to him, that while I want Ovi to do well and I wish him well. For the moment, and for the next week I just want the .U.S.A to do better than him.  I will say, while I had no problem rooting against him, and them it definitely was odd to hear his name and think of him as the 'enemy.' And it brings up a good point.

Who do you root for? Do you root for an individual player, because I will admit I want Ovi to have a fabulous Olympics. Or do you root for the team? And is there a way to do a little bit of both and still not look like a trader on either end?

Team Olympics.

Maybe you haven't heard, but I love the Olympics. And if you ask me to choose between winter or summer, I would have a hard time doing so. I love them for different reasons.

That being said, I tend to watch more of the winter as I happen to like and find most of the sports fascinating. Whereas in the summer, I can't get into track and field, sorry but I can't. Funny considering I am a summer kind of girl.

One of my favorite things about the Olympics is this. Just because I am an American, and I will root for team USA doesn't mean I don't root and cheer and am excited for other teams whether it be USA, Canada or Russia. I bring this up because my father asked me the other day what do I feel about hockey, who would I root for because as an American I should root for USA, but Ovi (Washington Capitals forward) is on Russia. So in a way you want to root for him, consequently them right? He asked what would I do.

My answer was this. I root for them all. I wish them all well. Do I want U.S to win? Absolutely but at the same time, I will root for Russia, because well I want Ovi to do well just as much as I want Backstrom representing Sweden to do well.

And I love that just because I am American doesn't mean I have to side with them, or that I can't be thrilled for other teams. I know that we are not the best at everything, I know others deserve to win their races, just as much as we do. Why shouldn't they. This is their moments just as much as it is ours.

So who will I root for? I will root for teamolympics. Because for a moment, we all are on it.

No matter the color.

Sometimes I marvel at just how much one piece of medal can bring so much happiness to some. And yet is not enough for others.

As I have been doing so for the past two weeks now I sat in my living room watching as another athlete stepped on the podium, took a hold of the flowers they were handed and bent down to receive their medal.

Their look on their face was almost a spitting image of Maroney's reaction to winning silver. I wondered when taking home such was considered a failure. Is it the pressure? Is it their country and the emphasis that nothing is acceptable besides a gold? Is it their own self who sees such a thing as not winning but being the last loser? Not the winner? I don't know but for whatever reason these athletes feel the need to stand up and give a sour face. They look disappointed. Sure I get it, you train every day you fight every day. This is your dream. And in a matter of seconds, you fall or your hand isn't the fastest to touch the pool. And your dream of that gold is now a dream of silver.

But at the same time, its freaking silver people? I for one thought Maroney's chances of even getting on the podium fell off the waste side the moment she fell. Shouldn't she knowing this be happy with this silver instead of looking like she is so un-thrilled?

Yes, solver can be so disappointing

And yet...

There are so many who don't even expect to medal at all that when they do, it is not the look of disappoint but the one of pure joy. The happiness no matter what color seems to be so thrilling to them. This is the one I expect from top athletes.  After all, its not every day that someone will be an Olympian. Call themselves a winner. You are among the top of the top. Whether its first, second or third place. You are at your best.

With the games coming to an end tomorrow I just have one simple advice and request from those still competing. Be proud of yourself, of your achievements and your accomplishments. For you are among the few that have done what you are doing. Stand up there, not in tears of what could have been. But for what you have done.

And smile.
It is far better to be remembered as the silver medalist than the girl that pitched a fit on the podium.

Will he or won't he?

For the better part of the past two weeks the office water cooler has been humming about the Olympics. For good reason of course. And while Michael Phelps's participation may have come to an end last weekend, the talk surrounding him here has not.

The most common debate. Will he or won't he? Retire, not try for Rio in four years, call it quits. It seems a pretty even split some believing that yes he truly is done. While others doubt him, saying the love for the sport and his seeming to be competitive nature will have him not only missing it, but determined to return. After all in four years he will only be 31. And they are willing to put money down there will be another incentive. Ryan Lochte. And as long as he is going to attempt to defeat Phelps, Phelps in return will answer.

It seems as though most analyst agree.

But here is the thing. If he continues, and goes on to Rio what then? Lets say he makes it through trials but doesn't live up to the expectations he has had of the past two games? I can only imagine the headlines, the discussions then of him being the athlete that has peaked and will never be as good as he once was. At that point people will question his motives in coming, saying how he should have stepped aside for the sake of a new swimmer.

Yes I get the wanting to be on top for as long as possible, but really wouldn't it be better for him to go out while he still is on top? And shouldn't we just be happy for him and his twenty-two medals. After all I am pretty sure its a record that is going to be hard to break. At least for a good long while anyhow.

I for one would rather him end on top than to be like so many athletes, Favre comes to mind. Who were so wonderful in their day, their peak and yet they refused to say enough when they should have. And so what happens? They turn into the laughing stock of the league. Of the nation.

They get hurt, they quit. They resign. In hopes for that fame they once had....when really they should have said enough was enough when they had a chance.

They should have gone out as champions.

I am not saying I want Phelps to really quit, because I admit it would be hard. I loved watching him perform at his best. But at the same time, maybe I don't..

Maybe there is something to be said as going out on top.

Not always the hometown fan....

Nearly a week into the games I have found myself in full Olympic mode. I can't help it I just can't seem to get enough. I run home, throw off my heels and turn on whatever event they may be showing and start cheering sometimes at the top of my lungs.

But I have found something else out. Sometimes that cheering? Well it isn't just for the home team, or the favorite. In fact sometimes its not even for any of the people that are in the hunt for silver or bronze. Perhaps I should be ashamed for admitting this.

Don't get me wrong. I am proud to be an American. I love my home country. But that doesn't mean I don't think other countries/athletes are any less deserving. Maybe I will blame it on the stories, those behind the athlete stories that they present. The ones that make you want to cry because their mother gave up everything to drive them to practice. Or the ones about their hometowns rebuilding after the hurricane/earthquake/natural disaster. And how they overcame so many obstacles along the way.

And often I think well look at so and so, they weren't even supposed to be here. Its those moments that stops me. Because right then I know I should be rooting for the US but at the same time  I find myself rooting for them as well. The unkown little country, or the host country or whomever. Sure they may be the underdog and there seems to be no shot in hell that they will beat Phelps or Franklin but still, you never know. Even the most invincible seem to fall under pressure.

I suppose this is the great thing about the sports. For a moment things are put aside. For a moment an American can fall in love with an Australian. Can find them selves bawling when the Canadian anthem is being played. Or cheering when a Japanese swimmer puts up a fight in the pool. And not have to feel guilty that they are doing so.

Because for a moment.So is the rest of the world.

Go Team Go.

No matter what color,you wear, what language you speak or what country you represent.

Go Team

Last Friday night Anderson, little man and myself were finishing up the last evening of vacation. A half a world away the 2012 Olympics were just beginning to get underway. And as much as I wanted to I resisted the urge to stop what we were doing, rush back to the hotel and watch the opening ceremonies. I do admit to DVRing it.

To think there was a day, not so long ago when the world and the games was not at our fingertips.

I came back home from my wonderful week and a half vacation and immediately turned on the games. Normally I am not the hugest sports junkie. I don't spend hours upon hours in front of my TV on Sundays watching football, I couldn't name but maybe five basketball players, ok ten come to think about it. I find gold boring. Sure I love me some hockey, and baseball in classic. But when it comes down to it I could really care less about most everything else.

Yet there is something about the Olympics that makes me turn into a need to see every moment, of every event junkie. At least for the two weeks anyhow. I rush home on a nightly basis, immediately turn to NBC or whatever affiliated channel it is on and sit in front of it for hours. Admittedly I have thought my timing of the vacation was rather poor planning. It should have been this week. I make a mental note to reconsider this in future vacations.  After all I have already spent way to many nights staying up way past my bedtime afraid to miss something.

Yes I know there is DVR, but these days, with Twitter and Facebook and the media in everyone's face, I find by the time I am ready to watch it, I already know-this will lead me to a future post-and what is the fun in that.

That's right I have turned to the games. I am pretty sure I am not alone in this. I even marvel at the overhearing of three older gentlemen discussing the situation of the US women's gymnastics. Men who I am pretty sure could care less about women in sports on a normal day.

The Olympics I suppose does funny things to everyone.

For a moment, we are all fans.