Stream of Consciousness

I am trying something new today.  This stream of consciousness writing thing.  You look at the prompt, you set the timer and write for five minutes.  I am more of a fits and starts writer who tends to proofread and edit while I'm typing, so trying to write in a 'stream' might give me trouble.  But I like to stretch and grow.  The prompt this day is Olympics.

We've been watching the Olympics in the evenings.  Well, I have, anyway.  My husband and son have been taking the time to watch all of the Olympic soccer games that they can, and they are rooting heartily for the USA women's team.  The men's Olympic soccer team didn't make it to the show, so it is up to the women to get the gold this time around.  And so far, they are earning every single inch of ground to get to that medal.  I've only heard about some of the stuff that has been happening, but those women are rough on the field.  They certainly could kick my butt, even if I used my inhaler!  The men's soccer has been worse, with yellow card after yellow card, players pushing the refs and other shenanigans.  I don't like that.  I suppose that the stakes are high at the Olympics, but in soccer the pinnacle is the World Cup, so there shouldn't be all this messing around.   At least the Olympics has kept the hooliganism to a minimum.  Those people annoy the crap out of me, and they disrupt the game.  I don't want my child to think that sort of behavior is okay. 

I know that people were all concerned about Michael Phelps this time around.  There was talk that he had slipped, lost his competitive edge, blah, blah, blah.  I don't think so.  Because I watched that guy swim in a qualifier, and I didn't see a guy who didn't care about winning.  What I saw was a guy sure of himself, who maybe understands that being on a team is not about being selfish, going only for your own glory.  When I watched Phelps swim that qualifier, he was in fourth place until the final 50m, and then, in three strokes, he was the winner.  He's that good. 

Gabby Douglas is a brilliant gymnast, and she deserves the gold medals she has won.  However, I don't believe that anything should be made of the fact that she is African-American.  She is just an American.  She worked hard toward a goal, took advantage of the opportunities given to her, and she was rewarded.  That's the American Dream, right there.

That's five. How did I do?