Image Credit: geckoandfly.com
It’s hard to believe that the 2016 Summer Olympic Games will open in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in just two days, on August 5th.
Originally, I wasn’t super excited about this year’s Games, much less wanting to support them.
Image Credit: pinterest.com
I knew my thoughts and feelings were a direct result of watching / seeing / scrolling through the constant news coverage.
The Zika virus.
The state of Brazil – Its government, etc.
All the criticisms of Rio – Delayed construction of Olympic facilities, raw sewage, etc.
Protests.
Those athletes deciding not to compete.
But, as the opening day has drawn closer, more and more commercials showcasing Olympic athletes have sprung up, everywhere, and my thoughts and feelings have shifted, ever so slightly.
I’ve always been excited to watch the gymnastics teams compete at the Summer Games. It started with my mom recording them on our VCR, and it’s continued to grow.
Over the years, I’ve grown to enjoy watching beach volleyball, softball, swimming, diving, and a handful of other sports.
Despite all the negativity and criticism over the last several years, I’m proud to be an American and support all of the athletes who represent Team USA.
I plan to eagerly watch athletes Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Kerri Walsh Jennings, Missy Franklin, and Dana Vollmer, compete for our great nation.
I know I have a bit of bias towards women, but I’m cheering for Team USA as a whole. Competing at the Olympics is symbolic of so many things, including hard work, dedication, determination, perseverance, and more.
I’m certainly not a world-class athlete, but I’m excited that so many of them are representing Team USA, as well as other countries around this little blue planet of ours.
Image Credit: youtube.com
What’s your opinion of the 2016 Olympic Games?
Has the news coverage affected your opinion at all?
Do you plan to watch the Olympic Games?
Do you have a favorite Olympic sport?
I’d love to hear about it!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Hot Shot Headlines 
I am worried about these games and the impact on athletes health. From what I have seen it’s going to be a miracle if they pull these games off.
Tony, thanks for reading and for your comment! I agree with you – I’m sure that worry will persist, with all of the concerns that have been raised. If I were an athlete, I would be concerned, too. Thanks for reading!
My husband and I are both big fans of the Olympic games!! My favorite Summer Olympic sports are swimming, gymnastics, and softball. Women’s volleyball is good too, but I’m not as big into that as the other three. I wish they would bring baseball back into the Olympics. I am also a huge fan of Michael Phelps!
Thanks for your comment! The time and effort these athletes invest is astounding.
I remember reading the breakdown of Phelps’s caloric intake a few years ago and I almost fell out of my chair!
I wonder why they took baseball out of the events? Do you know?
Thanks for reading, and for your comment!
Yes, these athletes are amazing!! I don’t know why they took baseball out, but I hope they’ll bring it back. I really enjoy it!
Interesting. I want to research that now! I saw on your blog that you’re an Orioles fan. Our local team, the Norfolk Tides, is a farm team of the O’s. I’m not a big MLB fan – I’d rather play baseball or softball!
I love watching and playing, and yep; the O’s have my heart!
Awesome!
Good one laura
Thank you so much! I appreciate your reading it, and commenting! I hope you are doing well – I enjoy your blog as well.
Welcome laura….i just saw your blog yesterday or day before & couldn’t stop tempting to follow you. ….you write simple but it reach to heart…..plz dont stop writing
Thank you so much. Comments like yours are my inspiration! I won’t stop writing. It’s been one of my biggest passions for almost 18 years now.
I really appreciate this – Thank you!
Welcome and also would like to know your views on my blogs
I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read so far on your blog. Very insightful, and I love the life lessons angle. I try to leave comments on every post.
Of course i would love to have ur comments. ….
Of course!
This is definitely a tough one. I think that our athletes, regardless of the country from which we hail, deserve our utmost respect if they make it to the Olympic games.
Unfortunately, the conditions that they’re being housed in are deplorable. Some teams have moved to hotels – possibly at their own cost – just to be in a safe environment.
The Australian team had to move from the Olympic Village (the building put up to house the teams) because when they did a test of the showers/bathroom facilities, putting them under the type of pressure they’d have to handle when all the teams were in the Village, water leaked EVERYWHERE… including on exposed wiring.
Swim teams have been warned to “avoid getting water in their mouths” when they swim because of the raw sewage issue. Anyone who has done any swimming, ever, would know that it’s almost impossible to do.
Also, according to Stephen Colbert (from which I get a lot of my news nowadays), using hashtags like Rio2016 and TeamUSA might be a copyright infringement because companies registered those hashtags. It sounds ridiculous, but it doesn’t surprise me at all.
Still… I’m interested to watch the equestrian events.
Thank you for your insights. I knew things were bad, but I didn’t realize they were that bad. Wow.
Stephen Colbert is awesome. But, I think he’s right, with the little bit I know about copyright infringement. Yeesh.
Thanks for sharing! We’ll see what happens!
Right after I commented, I read this: http://distractify.com/news/2016/07/28/rio-olympics-dont-drink-water
Yiiiikes.
Bleck! No, thanks.
To me, it’s awful on so many levels. First, that Brazilians have to live in those type of conditions. Second, that the Brazilian government didn’t live up to its promise to eradicate 80% of the pollution problem before the Olympic games. Third, that we expect – nay, DEMAND – that our Olympic athletes compete under these conditions… conditions that could KILL them, possibly slowly!
I’m pretty pissed, to say the least.
I totally see your viewpoints. It is terrible, deplorable, really. This is something that will go down in history, unless it’s glossed over and forgotten.
I’m concerned it will be glossed over (but I’m a cynic lol). But, we’ll have to see how it goes! Still, I think we should still watch & support our athletes.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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