I have to agree with this...

Maybe we should give a gold medal for whining...

And before you say, ah, another American-centric *&^*^, let me point out that I have always tended to root for 1) whichever athlete I thought had done the best, 2) whichever athlete had done well but never quite won the gold, and/or 3) the long-shot no one ever thought could make it, regardless of nationality. I cheered Russians during the Cold War, wanted to grow up like Nadia, and groaned when anyone fell down, because I realise that everytime they take to the ice, ring, slope, arena, etc...they could die.

Sports and politics have always been linked--the original Greek games were riddled with controversy and concerns over regional pride as well. But I think at some point we have to let the atheletes get their moment in the spotlight without trying to make it something of ours. How many times do sports fans say "we won!" when really, they sat at home watching an appliance without moving a muscle, training in the rain, living/breathing the basics, traveling night and day, etc., etc.

So here's to the successes of this Olympics, the questions it raised, the changes it may spark, and here's hoping that the next time the various powers involved act like grown ups and play nicely with one another. After all, that's part of the point of the Olympics, right--peaceful sportsmanship?