Over the weekend,we lost one of our Olympic greats, when the shot put athlete Al Oerter died over the weekend in Florida. It was rumored that he suffered from heart problems and other health issues for many years. Besides being a great athlete, he was also a very successful abstract artist.
Al was of the old school. Someone who knew the responsibility of being an Olympic athete, and a role model to others, long after his competition days were over. This was in sharp contract to his teammates Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who tarnished their medals with the infamous raised fist actions on the medal stand and in 1998, being honored (?!?!?!) on the 30th annivesary of their actions.
The death of Al got me to thinking that maybe we should rethink just who we allow to compete. Perhaps it's time to go back to what the Olympics originally were for, the amateur athlete, and not the pros we see dominating the Games now.
It certainly would be a step in the right direction and just maybe, cut down on some of the issues that seem to crop up around every Olympic year.
You hear a lot about cities' "Olympic Legacy" as part of their bid documents. It's an important issue that the IOC takes into consideration on who to award the Games to.
But this Legacy doesn't take a bid, or an IOC Commission visit to enact--it just takes one person.
Besides, if you don't believe in something, you'll fall for anything.
