Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Why Kobe and The Girls Made Me Proud

Here's what I took away from the Olympics and the coverage I watched. The commenters are dumb. The athletes are patriotic and happy people. That's it in a nutshell.

Just as I saw a little clip of Cindy McCain in Georgia today answer a reporter's question, "Are you here to avoid the Democrat convention?" (She said no, it was as quickly as she could get permission to enter the country, you idiot). I saw an incredibly stupid woman who I suppose I am to know but don't, she was tall and had a deep voice, ask the director of the Panda Preserve if the panda bears did tricks. What? Did she think they were in a circus? The director politely told her no, they don't do tricks. The Chinese are a polite people. You know he was thinking, you stupid woman, why are you taking up my time?

I watched the two American young women win the gold medal for beach volleyball and thank the President of the United States for his support and encouragement and "all you do for our country." Amazing. You'll remember he was ridiculed in the press for pretending to pat one on the back as she turned around for him to see her tattoo on her lower back. Those two women were all heart and they were great.

And Michael Phelps complete appreciation of his mom. Who wouldn't smile at that story?

There was an article I read in Pajamas Media by Melissa Clouthier about Kobe Bryant's interview with Chris Collinsworth. I'm no Kobe fan - I think he's just another overpaid professional jock - but I admire how he schooled Collinsworth on patriotism. It went like this:

Collinsworth asks Bryant where his patriotism came from. Kobe said, "Well, you know, it's just our country, it's...we believe is the greatest country in the world. It has given us so many great opportunities, and it's just a sense of pride that you have, that you say, "You know what? Our country is the best!"

Collinsworth, being a supporter of all things bashing America and ashamed of any pride in country he may feel, apparently, asks Kobe, "Is that a cool thing to say, in this day and age? That you love your country, and that you're fighting for the red, white, and blue? It seems sort of like a day gone by." Freaking incredible, I know, but many liberals think this way. It's very common.

This is where it is "Cool" for the rest of us. Kobe says, "No, it's a cool thing for me to say. I feel great about it, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I mean, this is a tremendous honor." Got that, Mr. Overpaid Sports Commenter? How about using some of your salary and buying a history book or two. That is assuming you can read one.

NBC is noticeably enthusiastic about bashing America. Their cable news channels are the lowest rated in the viewer polls and I would venture to guess most Americans don't appreciate such a bad attitude of the on-air personalities.

America is still a center-right country. Americans are winners and love our way of life. Doom and gloom doesn't sell. The optimism of our athletes and their open pride of country was a breath of fresh air.

Why didn't the on-air people show a bit of support for their own country instead of talking about the greatness of the Chinese way of life. Did they forget they were in a totalitarian state, one of the most repressive on the planet? Or did they lose their nerve to remain in the country and be on the air? Did they forget the very stories we heard of people not being allowed to drive to work so the air would be cleaner? Or the Chinese who were made to clean the toxic muck out of the water for the rowing sports?

And, Barack Obama waxing poetically about the 'infrastructure' of Beijing and how companies will want to go there instead of stay in our country, which, in Obama world is far inferior? I'm guessing he's never been to China, unless only to Beijing. Or else he's just really stupid and is at the point of just saying anything to an audience. Either way, it's not the change we need.

I'm with Kobe. And all the others. They all made me very proud.

9 comments:

Ottavio (Otto) Marasco said...

Admittedly, I did not watch much of the Olympics (I stated why in my August 11 post, “Beijing Olympics and human rights), speaking of which, of the little that I did view, I have to say, the coverage was dismal.

One commentator over here summed it well:

"...such is the level of spleen being vented by viewers that network executives must be sitting hunched over their desks, their faces contorted in fear, dreading the fall out on their day-to-day programming now that the games are done and dusted."

"The Olympic broadcast seemed aimed particularly at those suffering from attention deficit disorder. As a rule, the networks would drape bright, shiny vision before our eyes, chopped into 90-second grabs, before they interrupted a cursory two-minutes of sport with ad breaks, fearing that any more information would lead us to start bouncing around on the couch in our Spiderman suits, wailing for snacks.”

Just imagine what these people would have done with the moon landing. First off, they’d have to appoint a major fast food franchise as their “official lunar partners”. And as Armstrong clambered down from the lunar module, they’d cut away to a burger ad and wrap it all around a “Name your cutest astronaut” competition. Is it Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin or the other guy? SMS us now. Call costs 50 cents per call, more from mobile and pay phones etc. etc.

Oh, and thanks for visiting AI the other day!

~Otto
American Interests

Anonymous said...

Don't be a Collinsworth hater. He wasn't bashing America, he was tee-ing Kobe up to deliver that knockout answer. I watched it, it was obvious.

Chris is just a jock who happens to make his living at NBC, among other networks. He's not a journalist and he definitely wasn't anywhere close to bashing his country.

Karen Townsend said...

Jennifer,
I hope you're right. I'm not big in the sports watching scene, so I'll trust your judgement here.

Beverly said...

Yes, yes, yes. I didn't see a lot of the Olympcs, but I did hear a bit of that interview. Perhaps it was a replay somehwere. Like you, I'm not particularly a Kobe fan, although I am a sports fan. But when I heard him say what he did, my heart rejoiced.

Anonymous said...

That whole Kobe-thing really annoyed me; the question about "fighting for the red, white and blue" comment from that tool of a reporter.

Stupid little man - Kobe isn't fighting for his country, but at least Kobe knows who is and gives respect to the country that has allowed him the freedom to be an overpaid jock.

Paul is a Hermit said...

I saw that woman ask about the Pandas and I almost died. How could she? A national symbol and she figured, may as well see them do some tricks, I know all bears can.
He should have told her to go in and ask them.

The women's beach volleyball was quite instructive.
They won?

Nikki said...

Love this! Kobe redeems himself and the USA makes a great showing at the Olympics. I agree I am very proud of the athletes who represented me and this great nation! :)N

Chuck said...

"Is that a cool thing to say, in this day and age? That you love your country, and that you're fighting for the red, white, and blue? It seems sort of like a day gone by."

I don't know of this reporter but it is a little hard to take this any other way. Good for Kobe. I must admit, I never took him as this kind of guy but credit where credits due.

As far as the ladies volleyball, I thought they were pure class. Conducted themselves well and now want to cut back on the sport they love for family.

These athletes, along witht their peers, represented the US well.

Anonymous said...

I hate to sound like Michelle ma belle Obama, but "for the first time in my adult life"
Kobe made me proud also.