The Olympics are fun for a few reasons, not the least of which is how it fosters a sense of patriotism, which can't hurt in an election year. But for me, one of the reasons why I love these two weeks is because of the variety of events that are showcased.
Moondoggie is a huge sports fan and it would be a rare day in our household for some sporting event or SportsCenter to not be watched at some point, but we're talking pretty mainstream American sports-- football, basketball, and especially, baseball. I've grown to enjoy watching these sports, baseball mostly, not only because I like it but because it's a way to connect with my husband.
"My" sports that I was involved with growing up were a little less mainstream: gymnastics, co-ed cheer, and a little field hockey and pole vaulting (I did play soccer & softball as a kid, too, though). Gymnastics may be the one of the most popular events of the summer Olympics, but I still don't consider it a mainstream event; in fact no one (except gymnasts) really cares about except for two weeks out of every four years.
Watching some of these "obscure" sports with my husband is fun for me because it's a way for him to get to know a part of the younger me, and maybe even garner a little respect for "my" sports that he didn't know much about before. I'll have to see if I can scrounge up and scan some photos of myself in my sports heydays to post.
But hey, some of those Olympic sports are too obscure even for me. A fellow Tweet, Everydayfooddeb, put it best I think: "bonus badminton coverage. time for bed??"
What's your favorite thing/sport about the Olympics?