Olympics Opening Ceremony Reflections

And so they begin. For the next two weeks the world will be watching athletes compete in the still unifying spirit of the Olympics streaming from Sochi, Russia. 

I was impressed with the opening ceremonies--the pageantry seems to get bigger and more exotic with every succeeding Olympics. Being a Winter Olympics, however, I do not long to be there. It looks cold.

Sage Kotsenburg with the First Gold of Sochi

The U.S. surprisingly won the first Gold Medal of the Olympics which Sage Kotsenburg winning Gold in the Men's Snowboard Slopesytyle. I didn't even know what that was until the other night when I watched it on TV and it is a pretty awesome looking sport, racing down a hill on a snowboard doing flips and twists.

Watching the opening ceremonies with the parade of nations reminded me that it is possible for all of the countries to come together for sports and not be so mindful of the differences of ideology or religion. That made me feel good. I wish it could happen more.

I smiled as the Tonga team entered the stadium. Really? A polynesian island has a team in the winter Olympics? Their lone Olympian will compete in the Luge.

I did think the 230 members of the U.S. team were a bit unruly as they entered the stadium in comparison with other countries, but that, for what it is worth, is who we are I guess.

Well, it is underway and it will be fun to watch. 

It has to be better than anything else on TV.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD