The Olympics continues through this weekend. The quadrenniel event again has been fascinating and inspiring. Both the triumphs and controversies. There has been plenty of each.
American gymnast Paul Hamm has been at the center of both kinds of stories. His gold medal in the parallel bars was exciting although perhaps a little less so than his All-Around championship. Then came the subsequent discovery that Yang Tai Young of Korean was hurt by a judge's mistake. Yang's routine was not given the proper difficulty rating. If it had been, he would have won the gold.
Olympics officials have stated that, despite the fact that Yang got the short end of the stick, the competition is over and a second gold medal will not be awarded.
There have been suggestions that Hamm should offer to give back his gold as a gesture of good will.
Bunk.
There were calls for such a gesture to sort of restore the world's impression of the U.S. as a good guy.
Since when does the American reputation rely on the actions of a young athlete? Is he to erase images of Abu Ghraib?
Hamm again was marginally involved in a judging controversy at the high bar finals later in the week. He was forced to wait at least 10 minutes before starting his routine while the crowd demonstrated its disgust with the low score given to Russian Alexei Nemov.
Nemov had given an outstanding performance, only to be awarded a mediocre score that put him out of medal contention. Those who were there report that the boos and catcalls came from spectators of all nationalities who simply were upset at the injustice.
Where did they get the gymnastics judges this year? From the list of former figure skating judges?
The U.S.'s Carly Patterson, winner of the women's All-Around, had to withstand sour grapes from Russian Svetlana Khorkina, who had the chutzpah to state openly that she should have won the gold instead.
I read a couple of surveys that indicated that fans at home, at least in the U.S. and Canada, report that swimming is their favorite athletic event to watch at the Olympics, with athletics a close second.
I find that puzzling, actually. One would think that people would find most interesting an activity in which they also participate. OK, most people have been swimming, or standing around playing in the water, which is what we usually mean when we talk about going swimming.
Swimming competition, while certainly worthy in its own right, does not draw a lot of attention around here.
You would think that there would be more interest in something like basketball, baseball, softball, things that can be played in a driveway or field. Not something that requires a large body of water and, ideally, has a place to change clothes.
But, I guess that logic would indicate that race walking would wind up as the chosen Olympic sport to watch, since the one activity most of us have in common is walking.
Another puzzlement that occurred to me while watching Olympic coverage.
You would think that Athens officials, knowing that much of the civilized world and part of Michigan would be watching, would do something about all those abandoned buildings.
That one on top of the hill must have been the courthouse.