Get Ready for the 2008 Summer Olympics!

In four days, on August 8, the greatest athletes from around the world will come together for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. 

The events are as diverse as the athletes, from athletics to equestrian to shooting to wrestling.

But of all the competitions, there a few sports that I'll be keeping my eye on in particular—basketball, boxing, shooting, and table tennis.  I may even tune in for a little judo or taekwondo. 

Of all the sports I just mentioned, I'll be monitoring the progress of the USA men's basketball team the closest—I'll be watching them like a hawk.  The team is essentially an All-NBA dream team, made of the best talents in the NBA. 

The NBA is the best basketball league in the world.  If the best players in the best league on earth can't win the gold medal in a landslide, something is really wrong. 

I'd like to see at least a couple of boxing matches.  I've just recently started watching boxing on a quasi-regular basis because I just had major jaw surgery last week, and now I'm stuck in bed a lot, and I like it a lot.  There's just something utterly awesome about seeing a fighter land a solid blow.  It should be fun to watch some of the best fighters in the world compete.  That gold medal bout will not be one to miss.   

I've always had a penchant for weapons—especially for guns.  I've wanted to shoot more for years.  But my parents won't let me shoot in my backyard, and I don't want to shoot as part of a gun club.  Don't know why—I just want to shoot in my backyard—and only my backyard.  But anyway I've always loved guns.  There's just something deeply satisfying and fun about going through the motions. 

Loading a rifle and hearing the sound it makes when the round is secured in the chamber and ready to fire.  Pulling the trigger and feeling the force of the kickback, hearing the bullet rocket out of the muzzle.  And also just the overall "I'm awesome, don't mess with me" appearance of guns.

I tried shooting a standard .22-caliber rifle at camp many times.  It was surprisingly hard to line up the sights right.  So not only do I love guns, but I admire people who can shoot them at Olympic levels.  Watching gunmen who are that good at firing guns accurately is certainly a pleasure.

Table tennis—a.k.a. ping pong—is hands down the best rec-room game out there.  I love to play it, and as a result of that, I've gotten pretty good—particularly since my family got our new rec-room finished and put a ping pong table in it.  Plus I play at church every Sunday with my friends.  So I can appreciate a good match.  That makes watching Olympic ping pong a good way for me to kill time.

As for martial arts, I used to practice taekwondo because I was forced into doing it when I was younger.  I managed to get up to the blue belt level within a year, but I quit soon after because I didn't have to do it anymore.  The athletes that compete in taekwondo and judo are elite competitors at the top of their careers.  It's a marvel to watch how easy they make their challenging craft look. 

So, judging by what I've said so far, I'd have to say I'm probably more of a fan of mainstream events like basketball and baseball.  I simply like mainstream sports more. 

I also like watching these sports more in their Olympic format than in their normal set-ups.  The best athletes in the world compete in the Olympics. 

In sports' normal formats, chances are that unless you're talking about the NBA, MLB, or any other extremely wealthy pro-sports league based in the United States, the athletes are better in the Olympics because they come from all over the world as opposed to a relatively localized, small area.

When the 2008 Summer Olympics start in four days in Beijing, China, I'm going to be watching some basketball, shooting, boxing, table tennis, and martial arts.