Sunday, August 5, 2012

My new lease of life from Great Britain's Olympic Success

I was a late starter to the 2012 Olympics which was curious considering I was standing there in the House of Commons back in the day when London was announced as the winner. Back in another time zone.



I was on the road during the lavish opening ceremony. Since then I have caught about half an hour of the American women's volleyball team, including the sight of a 6 ft 8 woman, and about 10 seconds of the backsides of the Australian women's water polo team. Neither experience was too shabby.

Fortunately I found the remote control that the kids had hidden so as the TV could be stuck on the Disney Channel on Saturday and since then it's been an Olympic riot.

I was in time for Super Saturday, the best day in British Olympic history since 1908 when Jessica Ennis won the heptathlon by beating the competition over 800 metres, then 20 minutes later Greg Rutherford triumphed in the long jump. Mo Farah finished off the amazing afternoon with a gold in the 10,000m.

There were some other golds in obscure sports such as cycling and the egg and spoon race.

Since then I've been on an Olympic roll and not a Swiss roll either. Andy Murray inexplicably beat the Swiss Maestro Roger Federer at Wimbledon and superb, smashing whatever Sunday followed Saturday.

Half way through the game I was engaging in some unsportsman-like behavior, yelling and stomping round the room and teaching the two year-old the term "Swiss wanker," which is a useful one to know if you ever find yourself stranded on Zurich station without a cukoo clock's idea when the next train is coming.

As someone who spends most of his life surrounded by professional slugs, I'm pleased to say Britain's Olympic success has reinvigorated for for a few hours at least. We are so used to being a nation of also-rans that it's strange to be out in front. One more beer and I'll turn into Charlie Sheen, twitching and muttering "winning."

It's high time to find some British pride and to remember this was the nation that invented the flushing toilet - perhaps electricity too, although my daughter tells me that was an American called Thomas Jefferson.

On to the next - gold medal that is.



12 comments:

  1. Wait till you guys are in a restaurant and the 2 year old pulls out 'Swiss wanker'. lol congrats on the gold! I haven't watched any of the games although I hear Michael Phelps won a bunch more.

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    1. oh yes he did JoJo - lol - the two year old has said worse things

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  2. I am loving these games, and I'm glad to hear you are too. Brits everywhere should be proud.

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    1. thx Tim - to be fair the USA seems to be doing pretty well too.

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  3. ROTFL, "Swiss wanker." Hah! I'd truly love to hear her say that! :-)

    Don't forget The Spice Girls, David - that was all your lot.
    Some Dark Romantic

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    1. grr thanks Mina - can't get the out of my head. Fortunately not all Americans know what wanker means.

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  4. I missed the egg and spoon race? Oh no! And Swiss rolls are one of the best things Little Debbie makes. Haha! :-) Very entertaining post, David. I missed the opening ceremonies and have missed much of the coverage of the games too, between work and other events that have kept me busy. I have seen a few of the events, though. I love how the games brings people together all over.

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  5. A 6 ft 8 woman? Wow. That's scary.

    Thanks for your Olympics commentary. I'm not following them at all. Now, I feel at least a tad caught up.

    xoRobyn

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  6. I wish I could have seen the opening ceremony. I heard it was quite the show. And it seems the Brits are really doing a spectacular job with the Olympics this year, which doesn't surprise me. Romney doesn't know what he's talking about.

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    1. That's because there's a word for him Jen and it starts with w... seems quite a show. wish I was there.

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