Waxing on Wang
The Winter Olypmics are boing. Someone needed to say it, and you were thinking it secretly anyway, so I just thought I'd get it out in the open.
It's not just that most of the sports I've never heard of (what, exactly, is nordic combined?) or that half of the events are dominated by scandonavians. You just know someone from Norway is going to win the ski jumping because no one from anywhere else has ever TRIED ski jumping. By the same token, Americans are guarenteed the gold in snowboarding. It's just not even competitive.
But the real trouble behind the winter olympics is that the games themselves are boring. How many times can you watch a dude slide down an icy track before getting bored? The competitors beat each other by tenths of seconds; it's all the same to an ignorant viewer like me. I'm not trying to knock the dedication and skill of the athletes, I'm just saying that the sports are no fun to watch.
This year has been especially disappointing. I haven't gotten to see much short track speed skating, and I am still yet to see a single game of curling. Instead, I've been treated to round after painful round of ice dancing.
But there has been one bright spot this year: a little-known speed skater out of China that goes by the name of Wang Manli. Wang is a girl, but that doesn't take away from the fact that her name is awesome. Wang Manli; if only those names had come in the opposite order!
Globalization being as prevalent as it is, do you think that Wang has any idea what kind of effect her name has on the average american male? "Ms. Manli, how nice to see you. You look ravishing, tonight." That her first name is Wang only adds to the delight.
So thank you, Ms. Manli. Though it has nothing to do with your dedication to your sport, you amazing athletic abilities or your years of training, you have truly made my Olympics.
It's not just that most of the sports I've never heard of (what, exactly, is nordic combined?) or that half of the events are dominated by scandonavians. You just know someone from Norway is going to win the ski jumping because no one from anywhere else has ever TRIED ski jumping. By the same token, Americans are guarenteed the gold in snowboarding. It's just not even competitive.
But the real trouble behind the winter olympics is that the games themselves are boring. How many times can you watch a dude slide down an icy track before getting bored? The competitors beat each other by tenths of seconds; it's all the same to an ignorant viewer like me. I'm not trying to knock the dedication and skill of the athletes, I'm just saying that the sports are no fun to watch.
This year has been especially disappointing. I haven't gotten to see much short track speed skating, and I am still yet to see a single game of curling. Instead, I've been treated to round after painful round of ice dancing.
But there has been one bright spot this year: a little-known speed skater out of China that goes by the name of Wang Manli. Wang is a girl, but that doesn't take away from the fact that her name is awesome. Wang Manli; if only those names had come in the opposite order!
Globalization being as prevalent as it is, do you think that Wang has any idea what kind of effect her name has on the average american male? "Ms. Manli, how nice to see you. You look ravishing, tonight." That her first name is Wang only adds to the delight.
So thank you, Ms. Manli. Though it has nothing to do with your dedication to your sport, you amazing athletic abilities or your years of training, you have truly made my Olympics.
posted by Nialator at 10:38 PM
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