COLUMN: What you and your ‘Firends’ may have missed in the Olympics
The Olympics are over and there are many different opinions about what took place during the last few weeks in Utah. Polls of success are taken on every street corner. There are those calling it the best and those calling it a mess. Some are saddened, some are melancholy and some are spiritless. And then some are jovial, gleeful or gay.
But however you feel and wherever you are, at least in the United States, your attitude about the Olympics most likely depends on one aspect of life, Friends. No, not your neighborly friends, the friends you watch on TV.
Come now, we all know what I mean. Joey expressing his love for the first time to his roomy Rachel. And it looks like Ross isn’t too pleased with what’s going on. My bets are on Joey, but that’s just because people say I remind them of him.
Seriously though, anyone who didn’t watch the Olympics because you’re more the Friends type of guy or gal, you really missed out on a show. The plot was thicker than most soaps I’ve seen and had more funny jokes than our hit series Friends.
It all started with our pairs skating friends, no pun intended, from Canada. They actually ended up having a child on the ice. But then it was snatched by this other skating couple from Russia, and then a plan was worked out allowing the Canadians to have the child on weekends and holidays … or maybe it was all about a gold medal scandal.
Oh, and then the male skater from Canada said all they need now is a grandma and they would have a full family, or something like that. Trust me, it was darn funny and the announcers let us know it.
And did I mention our friend Apolo Anton Ohno, the equivalent to Joey. With all that has happened to him he could break off and start his own show.
Aside from the soap operas, those who really appreciated the Olympics because of the competition, spirit and camaraderie really did get their cookie jars filled.
There were a lot of great stories told about ordinary athletes representing most of the working class, like the athletes on the Home Depot commercials. Some of them actually won gold medals. And if you had the patience and time to search a little, many of you probably saw stories of those who didn’t win a gold, but simply wanted to have the experience of being in the Olympics.
I personally enjoyed watching the women’s figure skating because I like underdog victories, and that’s what it was. Sure it was kind of sad when our friend Rachel, I mean Michelle Kwan lost again, but that’s why it’s so exciting to watch.
The Olympics are made for upsets. Just ask Ohno’s friend Stephen Bradbury from Australia.
All this brings me back to my original point, and yes, I did have one.
If you didn’t watch the Olympics because you’re more into shows like Friends, you really missed out. Not only were the Olympics real and in many cases live, which was even a huge turn on for those Survivor fans, but it also had a plot that carried on from one day to the next. You know, like Friends.
But don’t worry, you can watch the Summer Olympics in two years, it’s held during the re-run season. And by then you’ll already know what happens with Rachel and Joey, hopefully.
Chad Morris is a junior majoring in public relations. Comments can be sent to him at csmo@cc.usu.edu