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Winter Olympics
Hal Thompson
Now, we all know that the idea behind the Olympics is peace around the world, but I'm pretty sure the Olympian gods wouldn't mind a bit of competition between their two time-honored events. The Winter Olympics are taking place in Vancouver at this very moment, and if you're like me, then you've been following closely along and watching the U.S. medal count rise.
But I'm not here to laud the accomplishments of Team USA. I'm here to explain to you why Winter Olympics are better than Summer Olympics.
First off, let me address the obvious: water. This wonder of the natural world has a few sports devoted to it in the Summer Olympics, but it is the very foundation of the Winter Olympics. Snow and ice are really what give the Winter Olympics the edge over the Summer. What sport doesn't become more exciting, more dangerous when you add the element of water?
Just watch the Winter Olympics for a few minutes and you'll see what I mean. Almost every event is watched with the suspense of seeing someone fall over. It sounds sadistic, but you can't tell me that you've never watched the Winter Olympics wondering what would happen if so-and-so from wherever fell on his face.
The Summer Olympics boasts more than 200 hundred countries competing in its two weeks of existence, whereas the Winter Olympics this year only hosts 80. To some, this may be a victory for the Summer Olympics, but I think otherwise. With so many countries, what happens to the rivalries? For most of the teams they end up competing against each other and not the opposing countries.
In the Winter Olympics, however, there are just enough countries to make the games feel big while also letting the rivalries exist. Also, it makes it easier for those watching around the world to keep track of the various team members—both on our side and theirs.
But what I really think makes the Winter Olympics the better of the two is where it takes place during the year. The Summer Olympics happen at a point where going outside or traveling is more appealing than sitting indoors watching the TV for hours on end. The Winter Olympics, though, occur in February, which is, I must say, not the most exciting month. (Sorry if you're a February baby. It's nothing personal).
At about the time that the Winter Olympics roll around, we're just beginning to go crazy with all the snow. So what better way to chase away these winter blues than with some good old worldwide entertainment?
I know what you're thinking: How could watching snow make me less aware of the snow piling up around me? The simple reason for this is that the Winter Olympics remind us that snow is not just the wrath of God. No, it can actually be put to good use. So in the end, the Winter Olympics are about hope.
Hope that a certain athlete will totally biff it on the slopes. Hope that America can once again dominate the medal count. And hope that one day, with all this snow seemingly here to stay, Sioux Falls will one day host the Winter Olympics.
Summer Olympics
Sara Hughes
If you're anything like me, your television schedule is packed. I mean, between Jersey Shore, the Jersey Shore After-Shows and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air reruns, it's hard to find time to fit in any other programming. However, every couple of years, you may feel obligated to tune into the Olympics, completely messing up your otherwise concrete schedule.
Allow me to help you.
It's simple: Just don't watch the Winter Olympics.
It's not that I have anything against the Winter Olympics in particular, but if you're only going to watch one type of Olympics, it's the wrong one.
The most important reason the Summer Olympics are better than the Winter Olympics is that most of us have much more familiarity with the summer sports. The Summer Olympics features everyday sports such as basketball, running and tennis. You know, the sports we all played as children (hopefully with the exception of gun shooting and archery), and that ones we still play today.
While I will always fondly remember my first games of soccer, volleyball and softball, I will never be able to reminisce about my first biathlon (a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting) because I'm not a crazy person and I like to participate in normal activities.
Another advantage the Summer Olympics has over the Winter Olympics is that its sports are much more accessible to the general public. If my dream is to be the next Michael Phelps, all I need to do is pay $3 to get into a city pool. If a kid wants to be just like Carl Lewis, all he or she needs to do is take it to the streets, and that's free.
But have you ever considered how much those snow and ice sports cost? For new low-end hockey equipment, that'll set you back about $500. Want to snowboard? Be willing to shell out upwards of $1,000. And if you've got luge in your sights, well, forget about it. (The sled alone is more than $1,000, and good luck finding a course nearby).
There's one more reason why I like the Summer Olympics, and it has to do with America's actual favorite pastime: winning. Frankly, the USA is better at the Summer games than at the Winter games. It's not the most sportsmanlike reason but, come on, we're all human, and we like to see our teams win. USA has won the most Summer Olympics medals over time, and we have a huge lead on every other country. Norway has the record for the Winter Olympics, and the U.S. is not even that close to catching up. If you want to see medals, and you know you do, you're better off watching the Summer Olympics.
So go ahead and watch the last few days of the Winter Olympics if you want, but I have insider information that at 8 p.m. tomorrow, while NBC is airing more snowboarding, figure skating and bobsledding, G4 is featuring a Cops episode set in Albuquerque, N.M.
You be the judge, Augustana, but I know where my priorities lie.
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