Let’s make Sports Great Again

Basketball and baseball take place nearly every day, and football once a week during their long annual seasons. Every four years during the Olympics, people enthusiastically watch sports that they aren’t at all used to, and one of them is essentially the same activity that I and my friends participate in on a nearly daily basis, year round.

When I was a kid, far fewer regular people ran. Road running and racing, for all intents and purposes, did not exist. Yet Track and Field was a much more prominent sport. I would turn on the ABC Wide World of Sports every Saturday, watch the skier suffer the agony of defeat, and then fairly often catch at least part of a track meet.

I absolutely love watching the track events at the Olympics. I was glued to the TV for much of the past week, and last night was the best of all. During my runs the last couple days, I couldn’t help thinking about how the guys and gals who are the best in the world do essentially what I do, only faster, longer and generally better. Of course I’m inspired by them, but I like to think that maybe, in some small way, they’re inspired by me too.

If only we could watch Track and Field on TV more often. Like we used to. Let’s make Sports Great Again!