All that Glitters is Not Gold

If you want know the real story of the Beijing Olympics, you have to look more closely..

First, there’s the USA Men’s Basketball team. These are guys who have more money than Davey Crockett, nova-like star-power, and have been transformed. Just consider Kobe Bryant.

In Beijing, only Yao Ming gets ovations that are comparable to those reserved for Kobe. Here, he doesn’t understand the adulation- back home he expects it. If you watch the interviews, you see a remarkably different guy. Quiet, respectful, reserved, so proud to have the opportunity to represent his country. And if you followed his well-publicized problems, it would be hard to imagine that this is the same guy.

More remarkable is the team. They have become one. They sit on the bench respectfully, there’s no bravado. They are proud, happy, but not demonstrative. They do not challenge the referees. When Kobe charges and fouls his defender, bowls him over, he pulls him up, cups his head in a caring way, pats him on the back.

As I watch now, they are playing a talented Spanish team. Young. A 17 year old Spanish point guard is a coveted NBA prospect. He’s part Antonio Banderas, part Bob Cousy. There are others, just as remarkable.

But they are no match for this American team now. The Americans have always had the physical superiority, now they have emerged spiritually. They have become one, not Kobe, and Carmelo, and all the others that have checkered NBA and personal histories- but a team- a force to be reckoned with. They run over the talented Spanish team, by 30+ points. In their last meeting, the Americans lost. That team had “stars”, just like this one.

Its easy to see why these games are so appealing. The stories bring tears. The Americans, one-two in all around Women’s Gymnastics, are Olympic roommates, now becoming close friends. The runner-up, Shawn Johnson, sits next to teammate Gold medalist Nastia Liukin with pride. Its been hours since the competition, and Shawn Johnson hasn’t yet called her parents.

Put them both on the Wheaties box, or not at all.

Bela Karolyi, legendary coach and now commentator, cannot contain his excitement. When it is suggested that commentators are objective and restrained, it doesn’t even make sense to him.

Bela cries when asked by Bob Costas about, Alicia Sacramone, and her tragic fall off the balance beam. It cost her team the “gold”.

She picks herself up, gets back on the beam, and finishes flawlessly. She is the definition of courageous. Yet, she is inconsolable. She should listen to the crowd cheer the essence of who she is. Bela knows that who stands on the podium means nothing, when compared to this.

But there is one story, and it is why they held these Olympics.

It is story of Michael Phelps - not his record-setting eight gold medals. There would be no medals without his mother, Debbie.

She tells the story of Michael, growing up as a youngster with ADHD, and the cruelty of other kids. I can’t imagine how those kids feel now. His hyper-focus came alive in the water. Behold the power of ADHD.

I have a nephew whose genius with computers is comparable. He could be the Michael Phelps of the computer world. Michael has water, my boy has a keyboard.

You may have guessed that the same “disability” allows me to see what I see, write the way I write, host an emerging talk show. Disability, my butt. I can tell you that having ideas coming into your head non-stop, is an amazing resource. Anyone can have a neat desk.

I don’t understand how we can see the podium, hear the music, and think we know something. The amazing thing about the Olympics is the stories of courage that we see. If you’ve watched it, you know. The competition is a yawn by comparison.

We should show the interview with Michael and his Mom to the children of America. They should see what is possible, and know what is important.

Some day we may focus on the accomplishment - not on the winners. Races won by one one-hundredth of a second, don’t have runners-up.

Medals, shmedals. From where I sit. All that Glitters is not Gold.