LEGENDTORIAL ~ Little Chance for Youth in NASCAR
by: Tim Leeming
Have you watched any of the Olympics? Or as NBC’s Bob Costas likes to intone in his melodramatic octaves, “The Games of the 30th Olympiad”? Yes, Ann and I have watched a good many of the events and always feel the lump in the throat as the National Anthem of the United States of America is played and our flag raised on the highest bar of the triumphant at the medal awards. I won’t talk about the events which have no appeal to me whatsoever.
What I do want to talk about is the incredible amount of training these athletes undergo to earn a spot on an Olympic Team. Not only the athlete, but, in most cases, the families of those athletes. For a moment, let’s consider the most decorated Olympian in history, Michael Phelps. By his own admission, he did not train as rigorously for these games as he had in the past and thus he performed rather poorly in a couple of the events. Nevertheless, the legacy Michael Phelps leaves for swimming and for the Olympics will, undoubtedly, be the source of stories for generations to come. But, let it never be forgotten what all Michael gave of himself to become the champion he is.