The spectacle that is the Olympics

So another Olympics has ended, and again, the athletes from the United States have made us all proud.
Their abilities, their skills, and their demeanor made all of us walk around with our heads a little higher as we proudly point to our shared citizenship with these men and women.
For me, I learned a lot this go-round on the athletic world stage.
Watching events every night, I was amazed at how many athletic contests exist. I guess I never realized there were this many things a body could do with a ball, a track, an uneven bar or a swimming pool.
I guess in my little mind, you could either pass or hit a ball. And then I watched the Olympics and learned that spiking a ball, or coming in for a kill, are the highlights of volleyball. And come to find out, that can be played on sand or in a gymnasium.
I don't know what cave I've lived in, but the last I knew beach volleyball was just something those wild and crazy California people invented to stay occupied on the beaches while waiting for surfing waves to come.
Yet this Olympic go-round, here were two American women gaining accolades for their sand volleyball skills. Commentators were breathless in announcing the moves of these ladies, as though they were scripted.
I asked my husband if he'd ever heard of such a sport. He looked at me as though I'd just awakened from a 100-year sleep. My daughter rolled her eyes, and asked "are you serious? Mom, I'm going to have to judge you on that."
Fine, I decided to keep my mouth shut and watch the events in silence.
And that worked for me the rest of that night. Of course, the next night rolled around and all bets were off. We tuned in to the Olympics to find the men's volleyball team struggling to win a match.
In a near-whisper, the commentator focused on the man serving the ball, offering the aside, "a lot of scouts are watching him right now."
Scouts? You mean there are professional teams that play volleyball? I was incredulous.
Unfortunately, I was also loud, and quickly got hushed by the family.
So for the next several nights, I sat quietly and watched the spectacle.
There seems to be quite a world of sports I never knew a thing about. Swimming events that last a quarter-hour, marathons that last a lot longer, and dives that start from heights I can't even fathom.
I learned why gymnasts carry honeypots, why divers shower after getting out of the pool, and that tape on an arm can help keep the muscles limber.
All very good things to know, even though I may never personally use any of these skills in my day-to-day life.
Me? I'm a spectator of Olympic proportions. And as such, I try to shower after watching the events because I like to smell good; I might try the tape on my muscles as they often hurt; and the honeypot? Geesh, I think that's just a darn good idea at all times.
Oh, and one more thing for this Olympic spectator. I clap pretty loudly, and I usually tear up when they play the "Star Spangled Banner," especially if the gold-medal winner sings along.
You just can't beat a good Olympian.