Putting Olympic Athletics and Performances in Perspective

I've learned the names of a lot of American athletes in just a few days. I'm not talking the ones we Americans typically think of whether it be Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Ken Griffey Jr., Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez or Mike Modano.

I mean names like Reed Priddy and Shawn Johnson. Rebecca Soni and Peter Vanderkaay. Becca Ward and Garrett Weber-Gale. Howard Bach and Raj Bhavsar. Glenn Eller and Justin Spring.

Half of those names already have taken home a medal for the United States in this Olympics and possibly all of them will have their name in the Olympic history books by the time the Beijing Games are complete.

Does anyone know how much these athletes make? I doubt you do, but I'd guess most of them make less than the 25th man on a Major League Baseball roster. But, that middle reliever for the Yankees may throw 90 mph, but he won't have the chance to bring home a gold medal as an Olympic champion.

It's not easy to be a great athlete. Sure, it's easier when you earn a seven-figure salary and are on TV dozens of times a year getting interviewed after making five baskets in 17 minutes of playing time. It's also easier when the coach is paid by someone else, and part of your contract gives you access to the best health care and trainers around at no cost to you.

This is why, by in large, the Olympics is the greatest athletic event ever, and the best athletes in the world are Olympic champions.

I tried to count how many sports I've played in my life, either competitively in a league when I was a kid, in high school, college, or in a recreational league like YMCA or college intramurals. Depending on your definition I've played about a dozen.

I took swim lessons for 10 years, starting before I could talk. I played baseball and basketball all through elementary and junior high. I picked up bowling in 2nd grade and was good enough to throw a perfect game and be on the college team, as well as make 2 state finals in high school.

I lettered in cross-country, track and field, and tennis during high school. I took three years of karate in college and made it to blue belt. I've played in intramural leagues in college in football, volleyball and soccer.

I taught myself how to ski well enough that I can go down a black diamond in Colorado, and play golf well enough to shoot par on a 9-hole course without ever having a lesson in either. I never played hockey, but I think I could handle myself in a no-check league after teaching myself to skate and handle a puck. I can do a couple flips off a springboard, and can handle the angles on a racquetball court, too.

I consider myself a decent all-around athlete, and I'm sure many of the writers and readers here on Bleacher Report can claim many of the same athletic traits. However, there are others who think that the only real athletes are the ones who play American team professional sports, and that you're not a real athlete if you're dominant in something other than ___________ (football, hockey, baseball, basketball).

For those of you who are that ignorant and close minded, regardless of how athletic you THINK you are, I'd bet in most of these athletic events that only get showcased for 2 weeks every four years and you ridicule, you'd look stupid trying them.

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