Olympic Fever 2012: Wrap Up

The concluding events of the 30th Olympiad have taken place, and it's worth a moment to stop and reflect on some of the great moments of the last several weeks.

Gabby Douglas - Gold medal winner, both as part of Team USA Gymnastics and as the individual All Around Champion.  I don't claim to understand gymnastics, or the rules that govern the age of these talented competitors, but I hope to see her with Team USA in Rio.

Missy Franklin - The beginning of a very promising career, and a very humble--down to earth young woman.  Several gold medals and a world of possibilities.  She has the potential to be as successful as Phelps, with half the attitude.


Oscar Pistorius - made history as the first physically impaired athlete to compete against able-bodied athletes in an Olympic event.  Given Pistorius' performance, perhaps we all ought to reevaluate the term able-bodied, that man can move.

David Boudia - fellow Hoosier and Boilermaker, won both bronze and gold in the syncro and individual platform diving events respectively.

I would be remiss for not acknowledging Michael Phelps as the all time most decorated Olympic Athlete.  Like him or not, Phelps is talented beyond belief.

Another important acknowledgement belongs to our Hometown Hero, Morgan Uceny - finalist in the 1500m race.  There are a lot of critics of Morgan's performance in the final race, the harshest of which is likely Morgan herself.  After what can only be described as a heartbreaking outcome, she collected herself and left the stadium.  No blame was directed toward the Russian runner who clipped her.  No criticism of her fellow runners who didn't so much as attempt to console her or see if she was injured after the race.  She picked herself up, and moved on.  Regardless of the outcome she remains a world class athlete and a class act.

Despite the tragic results of that race, Morgan has heart.  Following the tragic incidents of the 2011 World Championships, Morgan went on to become the highest ranked woman in the world in the 1500m.  The talent is there.  The heart is there.  Watch out Rio, Morgan's gunning for you.

All in all, the games of the 30th Olympiad left us with great stories of victory and defeat, sweet triumph and the biter reality of loss.  For a few days we witnessed a sense of global unity rarely seen outside of the Olympics.

Finally, on a lighter note a Gold goes to the Team USA Swim Team for their debut in the musical spoof genera.