Daily Sports Select : Life Lessons from the Beijing Olympics

For me, the Beijing Olympics offered three important life lessons :

1. Respect other people's sports :

I had an epiphany while catching women's synchronized diving on TV while eating at a restaurant. Although this is a sport that I wouldn't normally watch, I was glad that I ran into the broadcast. The ladies of the competition, especially the Chinese girls, showed amazing grace and skill in synchronizing their dives so that they hit the water at the same time. It was pure poetry.

Basically, although some sports are more popular than others, each sport has its own merits, and its participants are no less athletes than others. There is a reason a sport would be included in the Olympics, with its own circle of devotees.

2. Respect other people's cultures :

It is well documented that there are a lot of culinary delights around the world, especially in China, that people who are not familiar with will freak out at. However, even though we may never build the intestinal fortitude to try those dishes, let the people who eat those particular foods enjoy their meals! Even if we were to judge other people by our own standards, you would be surprised to find out that they are more cultured than us in some areas, and vice versa!

3. Respect other people :

I don't think the Spanish basketball team is racist. But what they did was stupid. I personally don't think the photo of the Spanish ballers doing the chinky eyed thing looked that bad, but I do think that the Spanish tennis ladies went overboard with exaggerated poses. That was offensive for sure, but I figured if it wasn't meant for harm, I would be better off trying to understand the culture of some of the people in Spain. Even in the face of adversity, try offering some understanding and respect instead - you would be surprised what mutual good it could bring.

We end with a reflection on the Games by ESPN's Jeremy Schaap :


courtesy of ESPN



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