In almost exactly one week, the world's greatest athletes will gather as the Olympic flame is ignited at the Bird's Nest in Beijing. As a swimming coach, an sports enthusiast, and simply as a human being I find the Olympics to be the most exciting, inspiring and interesting sporting event there is. So here are my hopes for the 2008 Olympic Games:
- That the Games are peaceful like Athens and Sydney
- That they have a long-term positive effect on human rights in China and improve relations between the most populous country in history and its global neighbors
- That we hear more about the athletes and their stories of sacrifice and determination than about who might be cheating.
- That the cheaters will be caught before they get to stand on the medal podium.
- That team USA dominates in the pool.
- That Michael Phelps gets his eight gold medals. Nothing could be better for our sport.
- That someone (preferably an American) beats Michael Phelps in something. Just to keep it interesting.
- That we get to see a tearful playing of the Star-Spangled Banner for an athlete nobody thought would win.
- That our athletes who win will do so with humility and those who lose do so with grace.
- That Lebron James and company have at least one competitive game on their way to the gold medal in men's basketball.
- That somewhere in that 2,900 hours of live coverage (more than that of all the previous Games combined) I remember to sleep.
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