tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post3171713847851199673..comments2024-03-24T03:19:39.745-04:00Comments on Just About Write: Series: Summer Lovin' -- Our Olympic MVPsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-89747594024478683182016-08-15T03:01:17.668-04:002016-08-15T03:01:17.668-04:00As I've lived outside the US for more than 10 ...As I've lived outside the US for more than 10 years I have noticed more strongly that our experience of the Games as observers is determined in large part by the media. And I don't mean that is a bad thing. What we know and feel about the Olympics is heavily influenced by what we watch and hear, by the VTs, the interviews, what the camera follows, the commentary and the hosts. The emotion in the voices of the people doing the commentary has a particular effect upon me. I've never been super "patriotic" (whatever that means) and there is a reason those who live abroad are called ex-pats. But I've always watched and loved the Olympics. And I noticed that the television coverage in each country pays attention to completely different sports and different athletes based on who has a chance for success in that country. I got to know completely different sports and sportspeople because their stories were presented to me. And it really underlined for me something I've always believed - the STORY is the thing.<br /><br />We learn a little about their lives from video packages, we hear about the history of the sport from the commentators, we watch their reactions and get to hear their interviews. And we get drawn in by this story. Our emotional reaction depends on feeling involved in their narrative even though we will never know them.<br /><br />Since I live in the UK I watch gymnastics, diving, rowing, cycling, track and field and swimming. I've been deeply moved by the stories of the Refugees team. I have gotten caught up in the narratives of Max Whitlock and Lewis Smith, Adam Peatty and Siobhan-Marie O'Connor, the GB rowing teams, Sir Bradley Wiggins and the GB cycling team, Mo Farah, and more.<br /><br />I have found that I don't really care so much about the athletes nationality. I want to know their story.Beccanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6678481478994191244.post-9834663438574034282016-08-14T21:00:16.165-04:002016-08-14T21:00:16.165-04:00Two additional gymnasts deserve a mention: The kin...Two additional gymnasts deserve a mention: The king of the sport and the man who ALMOST defeated him, Oleg Vernaiev and Kohei Uchimura, for the most exciting men's all around final in a VERY long time. Shananoreply@blogger.com