Our Olympic Insiders are Jim "Frit" and Linda Cooper.
The most rewarding thing about my efforts to unite all of PSU Track and Cross-Country, is not only making new friends, but reuniting with "old" friends. I had not seen Frit or Linda for about 30 years when they came to last year's Alumni Reunion. Little did they realize at the time that now I'll hound them to golf with us next! (Remember everyone, even non-golfers have found themselves on the Coach Groves Memorial Cup.) I can't thank him enough for getting us some photos from London, complete with thoughts and memories we never could have gotten otherwise. And we must also thank Le faucon d'orange for arranging to get Frit his Alumni Singlet in time. We also attempted to get a Singlet to Bridget Franek while there, and we will still get it to her sometime soon. Without further ado, here's the Cooper's thoughts on the 2012 London Olympics:
Can It Get Any Better Than This?
Bedlam, not the Queen, reigned in the Olympic Stadium as
Mo Farah took the lead with 400 meters to go in the 10K. The predominantly
British crowd, already whipped into a frenzy from their earlier gold medals in
the heptathlon and long jump, emitted a roar to bring their man home that would
have knocked down the blue-stone blocks of Stonehenge. My voice was part of that
roar as Galen Rupp, instead of being chewed up and spit out the back of the
pack, steadily passed one competitor after another to get his silver medal. As
Mo and Galen crossed the finish line, everyone in the stadium was screaming,
laughing, crying, or hugging someone. I found myself somehow doing all four
simultaneously (hugging my wife, in case you were wondering). Could this trip
get any better? It could, and it did.
Our trip of a lifetime began innocuously enough three
years ago with a $100 deposit to secure two spots on the Track and Field News 2012 Olympic tour. After adding a considerable
sum to that initial $100, we were guaranteed a hotel room and tickets to every
evening session of track and field. Determined to immerse ourselves as much in
British history as Olympic events and fortified by a substantial (i.e. free)
breakfast, we departed the hotel each morning to visit a cathedral, museum, or gallery.
Then, we rested our sore feet while we had an early dinner and a pint at whichever
nearby pub looked most inviting. From there it was on to Olympic Park for that
evening’s track and field session. Finally, we would return to our hotel about
midnight with our sore feet matched by sore hands and throats from all the
clapping and cheering in response to the athletic achievements we had
witnessed. This daily routine necessitated cramming many and varied types of
clothing into our backpack to accommodate the changeable British weather, not
to mention the essential items for spectating, such as our tickets, snacks, and
binoculars.
You’ve no doubt already seen and read more than you want
about these Olympics, so I will just provide you with a series of reflections
on the city and the track and field events that made this trip worth every
penny it cost us.
London
·
There was a warm, happy atmosphere throughout
the city, generated by the ever-present volunteers who remained cheerful and
smiling throughout the entire two weeks and helped us successfully navigate the
London Underground.
·
It was wonderful to be able to strike up a
conversation with the Brit standing next to you in the queue or on the street.
They would always inquire sincerely if we were having a good time or what we
thought of the opening ceremonies.
·
We were amazed at the vast collection of cultural
artifacts the British have squirrelled away in their museums, but proudly share
with visitors. By the end of the trip we felt like we could ace a final exam in
Western Civilization 101.
·
Incredulously, the BBC’s coverage was more
country-centric than NBC’s. We didn’t find out that the U.S. women had won the
soccer gold medal until two days after it had happened.
·
The marathon races were a fine example of the
British sense of sportsmanship. There were huge crowds lining the entire
marathon course (even in the rain during the women’s race) that cheered for
every competitor and didn’t leave until the last runner had passed.
·
To our surprise, we found ourselves caught up in
the Brits’ partisan enthusiasm for their athletes and cheered wildly for Andy
Murray as we watched the men’s tennis gold medal match on one of the outdoor
big screen TVs.
Olympic Track and Field
·
Being able to watch every lap, jump, or throw of
every event, unfiltered and without commentary was sublime.
·
At times there were so many events occurring
simultaneously that if you blinked, you missed a critical jump or throw.
·
Despite mass quantities of beer consumed by
spectators in the stadium, there was no profanity or other ugliness.
·
After the 10K, we watched Galen Rupp and Alberto
Salazar engage in an affectionate, joyful discussion of the race. This was
something we would never have seen on TV.
·
Fortuitously, the night of the women’s
steeplechase final, our seats were in row 1 at the top of the backstretch. We
cheered as loud as we could for Bridget Franek on each lap.
·
Usain Bolt is aptly named. He is a human conduit
of excitement and electricity that actually made your skin tingle as soon as he
entered the stadium.
·
We felt a great sense of satisfaction watching
competitors like Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, and Jenn Suhr overcome
setbacks and disappointments to finally win Olympic gold medals.
·
It was
a relief to watch
two high hurdles finals that did not include someone crashing to the ground in
the last 10 meters.
·
It was thrilling to see the flawless baton passes
in both U.S. 4x100 relays, and witness the world and national records set in
those races.
·
Another big thrill was being present at the
greatest 800 meters ever run as David Rudisha took the lead at 150 meters and
stormed around the track to set the world record, pulling everyone else in the
race to incredible performances as well.
·
The tour included a luncheon featuring a number
of current and former Olympians as special guests. We were able to chat with
Nick Symmonds, Leo Manzano, and Billy Mills, but the crowds around Jenn Suhr
and Dawn Harper were too big so we just took photos. I also made a huge faux
pas when I mistook Jesse Williams for Trey Hardee and asked him a question
about the decathlon. Fortunately, he was very gracious, saying that many others
have made the same gaffe.
·
It was a marvel to find that the person sitting
next to you at breakfast was just as much of a track nut as you, and therefore
willing to discuss the women’s discus final in minute detail.
So by the numbers, this trip
was a spectacular success as we saw three world records, 29 U.S. medals, and
2000 years of British history in 12 days! However, it was the range of emotions
we experienced from actually being there that made this the trip of a lifetime:
disbelief and dismay as Morgan Uceny fell in the 1500, disbelief and joy as
Galen Rupp medaled in the 10K, and awe at the power of Shakespeare’s words
delivered by accomplished British actors in the Globe Theater. I still get
chills down my spine when I recall the emotional moments of our trip, and I
expect that I always will.
Check out more photos from Jim and Linda Cooper on the slide show on the left sidebar.
Web Site Idiot and Herder of Cats
