It took 18 days to get the Winter Olympics to complete every slide, end, jump and flip off the half-pipe.
Bruce Wallace
George Frederick Handel wrote his famous Messiah in a third less time. Great works of art – Monet’s water lilies for instance – have been created in less time. The local library expects us to read the “most wanted” new fiction in only seven days. And while it may seem to take longer than the Olympics, high school graduation ceremonies actually take a few hours less.
But the Winter Olympics have stacked skating upon skiing upon sledding until we can’t take it anymore. (By the way – Norway just won another cross country skiing medal.) Check that – I could take more curling.
But, please. No more Winter Olympics where the downhill skiing practice runs are broadcast and times are flashed to viewers as though they counted. It’s just practice!
The Winter Olympics could and should be pared down to 10 or 12 days of excitement.
Speaking of the Olympics – it was only four years ago that then-citizen Donald Trump berated the US Winter Olympic team for being out-medaled by the Russian delegation. He even noted that it was another Pres. Obama embarrassment.
Well, Pres. Trump showed ‘em this year. The USA out-medaled the Olympic Athletes from Russia – the entire Russian team was banned due to a nationally-sponsored blood doping scheme when the Russians hosted the games in 2014 – those Russian athletes not involved were allowed to compete this year. But the USA spanked the Russians 23-17!
USA! USA!
Just wondering if Pres. Trump noticed that Norway won 38 medals – whoops, make that 39 – they just won another medal – and that a nation of 5 million spanked everyone.
Maybe mixing nationalism and politics at the Olympics – or in sport, period – isn’t such a good idea. There’s always another game, another Olympics, another race.
NOTE: Canada also scored better than the USA – 29 medals.
Back here at home, Gov. Eric Greitens’ governorship is looking like the proverbial bobsledder going down his track at 85 mph without steering – or brakes.
There have been a number of oddities about the young governor’s meteoric career – from his uprising in the Republican debates to defeating Chris Koster in the general election and then the many questions that followed, but refused to answer.
Dark money funding?
Text messages that disappeared?
Careerism ahead of service?
While it doesn’t look like Gov. Greitens knows when to quit, it has been odd to see how his indictment has further split the Republican party. A number of state senators have urged Greitens to resign, however, most members of the Missouri House of Representatives, including our own District 50’s Sara Walsh, have said they cannot comment as they may be required to hear impeachment proceedings.
The problem Gov. Greitens is facing is not his affair, but his indictment and a potential felony. If you have ever sat on a jury or grand jury, you know how serious those 12 people take their job.
A political hit job?
Doubtful.
Gov. Greitens is innocent until proven guilty, however, he has passed the point at which he can effectively lead this state onward.
As I noted elsewhere on this page, the governor would serve the Show-Me State best if he were to turn the reins over to Lt. Gov. Mike Parsons.
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