Read the opposing argument from Babe Ruthless.
I am an Olympics junkie!
Summer or Winter Games, I love them all! There is just something special about watching athletes who have dedicated four years of their lives all as build up to a window of only three to five minutes. Watching as the chosen few who vault into the legendary status of “greatest in the world” get to celebrate the triumphant completion of a life’s work is truly one of the finest payoffs that a sports fan can hope for. When that glorious moment just so happens to be for a compatriot, then all the better!
In the debate of which is better between the two, though, there is no question – the Winter Olympics are unparalleled.
The Summer Olympics may offer a greater variety of games, but it is during the Winter Games that fans are treated to the greatest speeds and highest risks (for all you extreme sports fans), making for the most exciting and entertaining of competitive events.
From Bobsled and Luge to Downhill Skiing to Speed Skating, every one of the events during the Winter Games is designed to test the human ability to master the ice and snow. Often, that mastery manifests itself in jaw-dropping demonstrations of extreme speeds and stunts. Many of the Winter events feature high-flying acrobatics, break-neck speeds, and gravity-defying aerial demonstrations. The Summer Olympics offer none of that (except maybe in Olympic Trampolining – Ooooohhhhh!).
During the Summer Games, the events are usually about who can throw the farthest, or run and jump the best. While those events make for great competition, they simply cannot compete with the thrill that comes from watching your fellow natives sail down a snow-capped mountain at greater than 70 miles per hour. The sharp turns, steep slopes, and lightning speeds create an adrenaline rush that the Summer Games simply cannot compete against. That is what the thrill-seeker in all of us hopes to see – the daring few who are brave enough to push themselves to the limits of safety (and sanity).
As tragic as the death of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvila is, his accident punctuates the very real danger that exists for those competing during the Winter Olympics. And although fans would never hope for a tragedy such as the one that occurred last Friday, it cannot be denied that the thrill of watching these athletes test themselves (and the laws of physics) in such a death-defying manner creates an added level of attraction. When we see athletes who masterfully execute seemingly superhuman feats, all at the risk of their own well-being, we as fans develop a much greater appreciation for the truly remarkable skills that those athletes possess.
Finally, the Olympics are considered “special.” Why? Because the Olympics are a rare-occurring opportunity for all of the world’s top athletes to congregate in a single exhibition that honors the very best. They are meant to create a sense of “You don’t want to miss this!”… because you know it will not come back any time soon. Yet, it is the Winter Games that seem to embrace the sense of specialness much more than its Summer counterpart.
Perhaps it is because the marquis Summer events are more mainstream. Events like basketball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, baseball (although it will not be included in future Olympics), track and field, and now golf all seem to receive a great deal of attention in American culture. Fans of those events already have ready access on a yearly basis to watch the best in the world compete. Leagues and organizations such as the NBA, FIFA, MLB, PGA, and the ATP World Tour are permeated with international talent, and it is those same athletes who then participate in the Olympic Games, they just wear different shirts.
If I miss the Olympic Basketball tournament, I can still see those same athletes compete against each other in a couple months. Likewise, if I miss the soccer events I have organizations like the MLS, Premiere League, UEFA, or the FIFA World Cup in order to “get my fix” long before the Olympics roll around again. With the exception of hockey (which may be returning to “amateur only” status after Vancouver), the Winter Olympics presents the only real opportunity for fans to see many of these athletes compete together. If I miss out on watching Speed Skating, Downhill Skiing, or Freestyle Moguls as they unfold, I will not get another chance to see that level of elite competition take place for another four years. I will have missed something special.
These athletes may go on to participate in world championships, but the Winter Olympics is the only time when they get to take center stage. After they are done competing, Shani Davis, Lindsey Vonn, and Apollo Ohno will slip into obscurity for another four years, and it will not be until 2014 that these rarely seen (but nonetheless revered) superstars will resurface for another shot at Olympic gold.
The Summer Olympics may offer quantity, but it is the quality of competition that earns the gold medal for the Winter Games. The Winter Olympics present the perfect combination of athleticism, adrenaline, and rarity to let you know that you are watching something great!
Thoughtful observations on the “quality vs. quantity” of the Winter Games. While I love the summer games, I have to admit I appreciate seeing some of the more “obscure” sports such as curling (I have a strange attraction to that sport, for some reason).
Curling is a bit irresistible, I agree. So, are you a pro-Winter Games person? I’m glad I’m not judging this debate on Monday. Bleacher Fan would end up mad at me.
Ahh… I hate to choose. Still, if I had to choose, I guess I’d pick the Winter Games. Still I have a soft place for the Summer Games.
Is the thrill irresistible? Or, is it just because the Winter Games are on right now!
Maybe I should have worked that into my argument…
The Winter Olympics are better because you don’t have to wait another two years to watch them!
I stumbled onto your blog and read a few post. I like your style of writing.