This has to stop...soon

It's simply ridiculous and has to come to an end really soon. From morning to late at night I'm sitting in front of the idiot-box, watching men and women, guys and dolls, running, jumping, throwing objects and doing truly wondrous things. What some of the girls do on a narrow piece of wood, performing forward- and backward saltos is simply beyond belief. When they jump from a diving board into deep water you should see the twists and turns they perform before they hit the wet.
It is truly a fascinating period, this "Olympiad" and I find myself hoping that this man, or that woman would win in whatever they are trying to do. Sure, if they have a maple leaf somewhere on their clothing, I hope just a little harder. But when there is no such person, I find somebody to root for, just because of the way they smile, or due to the shy look upon their face.
Before the sound of the starter's gun, some of the athletes have an inward look of concentration. some look to the heavens, seeking strength. One of them, a good looking African man, crosses himself, then he looks up and points his finger as if to say: "You make it happen now... you help me.. you hear?"
A clear challenge directed to his Maker. And see there, he came in third. Maybe he did not challenge hard enough. But when they hung a Bronze Medal around his neck, he looked totally happy and satisfied. No blame attached to the G.L., no recrimination about not having helped enough. There was a blissful beaming on his countenance.
One feels a deep sense of regret for those who do not succeed, who fail utterly. The runner who comes up with a cramp, halfway through the race and has to stop; the athlete on the pommel horse, who did so well, only to stumble and fall at the dismount; the bicyclist who gets tangled up with his competitor and both crash to the ground... hopelessly out of the race.
They all worked so hard for such a long time. I understand that some of them train 8 hours a day, 6 days a week for four years... and then all comes to naught! After such a mishap he/she does not even know if they would have won the race, or come in 12th or dead last.... For many there is no "tomorrow"...  since tomorrow is four years down the road, and many things happen during four years with a person's body and/or their spirit. And it truly must be a matter of the body as well as the spirit.
Just a few more days now and after that I will likely suffer from withdrawals symptoms.
I will simply have to deal with them in true Olympic fashion.
Quick, bring on the World Cup of Skiing.
Bertstravels