"Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat... the human drama of athletic competition...

 This is 'ABC's Wide World of Sports!'"

 

These words opened ABC's Wide World of Sports almost every Saturday afternoon from 1961 to 1997. I can still picture the ski jumper losing control just before his horrific crash, as Jim McKay said, "…and the agony of defeat."

 

I remember this was my first exposure to many sports or sports personalities as my love for sports grew as a child. Oftentimes, highlighting sports I rarely ever saw, let alone followed.

 

I have loved following and playing sports for as long as I can remember. I love the drama. I love the excitement. And while my favorite sport has always been baseball (die-hard SF Giants fan), followed closely by football (SF 49ers), every four years, my sports attention is almost exclusively on the worldwide multiple sports competition that begins this Friday in Paris with the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

 

Again… I am a sports fan. I love the idea of sports and watching competitions. There is just something compelling about seeing people at the top of their sport, who have often spent their entire lifetime training for that very moment, and sitting watching what happens.  

 

What I love about the Summer Olympics specifically is that sports that don't always get their due are center stage. If you were to stop by my house over the next two weeks, you would see my wife and me with our eyes glued to the TV, especially when swimming or gymnastics are on.

 

The other central aspect of the Olympics I love is that it unifies the country as we root for the "stars and stripes." At a time when there is so much strife and animosity towards "the other," during the next two weeks, people who often feel marginalized for their upbringing, the color of their skin, or where they come from are cheered and honored as representatives of the USA.  

 

The same is true for athletes from other nations. Being considered the best in their sport within their country and having the opportunity to represent their country on the world stage has got to be one of the greatest honors they could possibly ever experience. That is why, while the medal count is always interesting to see and follow, the individual athletes' stories always fascinate me, and I am in awe.

 

Enjoy the next couple of weeks as the world comes together. One last thing....as you watch, make sure you look closely at the Olympic Rings and reflect on not only how each ring's color represents five of our planet's continents but, more specifically, how, by interlocking, they are symbolic of the connection we have to one another.

Enjoy the Games, and remember, when they conclude, there are only 1433 days until they begin on July 14, 2028…right here in Southern California.