Thanks For The Memories

William Rudolph once said, ~ Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is knowing how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick yourself up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday.~ Without a doubt, the above mentioned quote relates to everybody in regards to playing sports, but it relates more to those individuals who competed in the 2012 London Olympics for the past 2 weeks who had one goal in mind...winning gold. For its truly a memorable and not to mention awe inspiring situation indeed for those of us who watched on tv but even more so for the athletes themselves proudly representing their country, especially those who were either there for the very first time or their last making it quite literally one for the record books.

Let me ask you this question to those of us who watched the 2012 London Olympics, who inspired you to the point where you thought to yourself if that person can do it why can't I? I think it's safe to say we all were or should I say still are inspired by the story of 25 year old South African track runner Oscar "Blade Runner" Pistorious who is a double amputee. For Pistorious, just being at the Olympics was considered a victory in itself even though there were critics who believed he shouldn't be there because his prosthetic legs would give him an unfair advantage but that wasn't the case. In any case, whether he won or lost he most definitely won the hearts and support of millions of people around the world, inevitably inspiring us to where he spread the message of strength, determination, resiliency, and nothing is impossible if you want to go for/live out your dream.

If you think about it, when it comes to the Olympics we have certainly seen a number of familiar faces such as the charismatic Usain Bolt, Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps, Pro NBA stars for Team USA, May and Walsh, etc.; but it's the fresh, new faces that have graced our presence who have made a significant/lasting impression on each one of us. 5 time medalists/ swimmer Missy Franklin and 5 Gymnasts simply known as The Fierce Five (Gabby Douglass, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Jordan Weiber, and Kyla Ross) have essentially become America's golden girls capturing not only our attention but hearts as well. True, they maybe first time newbies to the Olympics but they will ultimately carry the torch inevitably passed down by the old guard, so to speak, who made their final...considerably bittersweet for us...decision to retire from their event they so dominated.

As I said before, the fresh faced Olympians will surely carry the torch passed down by the quintessential "old guard" like 3 Time Olympic Medalist in Beach Volleyball Misty May-Treanor and a man who is considered to be both a legend with 22 medals, as well as arguably THE greatest of all time Michael Phelps. Misty May parts ways with her long time beach volleyball partner Kerri Walsh-Jennings but their friendship continues on and even though Walsh will have a new partner at the 2016 Olympics in Rio it won't be the same seeing those two together dominating the sand they unofficially deemed their kingdom. When it comes to Phelps, he leaves behind a legacy that every future Olympic swimmer strives to attain and hopefully there will possibly be one guy or girl who will one day surpass the 22 medals set by a man who had an absolutely remarkable career.

In retrospect, the 2012 London Olympics optimized world unity by showing the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat but doing it with as much restraint as they possibly can. Granted, there were a few unfortunate losing tantrums by way of USA's Morgan Uceny who tripped for the second time involving the women's 1500 final and South Korea's Shin A-Lam who refused to leave the stage after suffering a loss to her German opponent. Of course, the lows of the games didn't dampen the all out highs in regards to Team USA kicking butt and taking names in the medal department....in your face France! I digress. In the end, 2016 in Rio is 4 years away and we were surely see the likes of Missy Franklin, Usain Bolt, Rebecca Soni, Team USA Basketball/VolleyBall, etc. winning medals once again, but to Michael Phelps and Misty May-Treanor we Americans say to you both thanks for the memories.