Vancouver, Winter Olympics. Big fun in the snow. I really enjoy watching the competition unfold.
For country and team, or is that team and then country? Maybe its about the individual only. In any event, the winners, the Gold Medal finalists. They stand on the top of the box , with flowers and their medal as their country's' national anthem is played. Anthems are fun to listen to. Even @ the MotoGP races, I take interest in each country's musical charisma.I've been hearing a lot of Italy and Australia lately. I digress.
Olympic gold...I saw a Canadian gold medalist, a woman the other night. As the Canadian anthem played....She SANG. More than just mouthing the words, she was singing . The bronze winner heard her and glanced over her shoulder when she did.
It was a great moment. The elimination rounds, up to the finalists, and then the metal competition. A lifetime of commitment and years of training, focus and ability, and luck as well. BUT, paying tribute to your country amidst perhaps your personal greatest moment in sport, in front of the whole world, unashamed and proud. Grateful for the opportunity to pursue excellence and succeed.
Notice for yourself, not many, actually hardly ANY sports figures even attempt to mouth the words, let alone outright sing. Football, baseball, any sport anywhere. Public gatherings and events. Hand over heart at best.
We need more humble champions who own their achievements in a context that pays tribute to the country that supports their goals.
7/13 UPDATE. In Moto GP racing and as a point of fact, the Spanish riders tend to dominate in many classes. Not exclusively but more often than not. So I get to listen to the National Anthem of the winning riders country, as well as the country of origin of the bike manufacturer. (usually Japanese).
So I've really come to enjoy the Italian anthem, even more when Valentino Rossi, #46 is on the top step. But back to the Spaniards and the above thread. I noticed that none of the young, emotional, vital, GP athletes from Spain ever sing or even mouth the words. They do bob their heads in time perhaps. W e l l, I found out that the Spanish anthem has NO words!. Its all melody and orchestration with no lyric. Odd as that seemed at the moment, it answered some questions.
