Going for the Gold in Awful

When the 2012 Summer Olympic Games got underway nearly two weeks ago, I was looking forward to watching the Games.  I intentionally did not watch the Opening Ceremonies because I knew that they would not sit well with me.  Once I learned that they had the Queen parachute out a plane with James Bond, I knew I'd made the right choice.

Initially, it was exciting to watch the Games and see who was going to earn a gold medal.  Initially.  And then, like you didn't see this coming, NBC managed to suck the joy out of the incredible achievements of the athletes that have made it to the Games.  Thanks to the network's vomit-inducing and never-ending coverage of the stories behind the athletes, I've learned the following:

• To succeed in the Olympics, you must come from a single-parent household.  You get extra points if some of your meals came from the WIC program.
• To succeed in the Olympics, while not a requirement, having a relative that's done time is helpful
• To succeed in the Olympics, you must have had some kind of trauma that will be made into an awful Lifetime movie in the next couple of years
• Bob Costas is, in fact, the Cryptkeeper

If not the Cryptkeeper, then someone animated Bob's wax figurine

So the coverage of the Olympics for the American television viewer has been nothing short of awful.  America's 4th (dang, what is it with me and the 4th?!) place network has won the Gold for Awful Coverage.  If it weren't for track and field now, I'd be done watching.

There have been some incredible moments.  Oscar Pistorius is absolutely amazing and inspiring.  How can you see him run and not marvel at the miracle of the human body?  He is an extraordinary example but the Games are a testament to what the gift that God gave us - our bodies - can do.  I'm amazed at what our bodies are capable of.  It is spectacular.  Those achievements truly are worthy of the Gold.