The Friday Link for 7/30/21

I've truly loved watching the Tokyo Olympics.  To be fair, I still question the judgement of them having the games during a pandemic, but watching athletes compete for this country reminds me of one of the things that is great about the United States.

But you hear a very different story coming from the Republican Right today.  Athletes showing their personal feelings about politics, racial injustice and social issues has so infuriated many Republicans, the party of Reagan has taken to openly rooting against their own country out of spite.  Shame on those whose patriotism is so bare thread thin that they eagerly abandon it when that patriotism is deserved and demanded by a person who has spent their life working to represent the USA on the international stage, but doesn't wear a MAGA hat.  If you do so, you can never judge my patriotism, or anyone else's, ever again.

Here are some of my favorite moments from the first week of the games, starting with St. Paul's Suni Lee stepping into an incredibly stressful situation and winning gold in the all around gymnastic final!

The best swimming story so far is Bobby Finke who wins the 800m freestyle gold OUT OF NOWHERE!  I cant remember ever watching a race where the winner wasn't even being mentioned until the last 20 feet.  His rush at the end completely caught the announcers off guard, and was a great moment. 

Another great part of the Olympics is when the US team wins a gold, or any medal, in a sport we've never been able to excel at ("Here comes Diggins!!!").  It happened in Women's fencing, individual foil where Lee Kiefer took the gold. 

The rest of the world is starting to catch up to the US in certain sports.  Women's soccer is one of them, and (because I like competition) I'm glad to see this.  The Women's team has had a rough Olympics, losing to Sweden and tying another game. They advanced and took on a Dutch team which could have VERY easily won this match. If you want to see a dagger, watch Megan Rapinoe's unstoppable kick in the end to win it for the USA.  No goalie could stop that shot.

Finally, another gold medal in a sport we never medaled in, and it is wonderful!  Watch Anastasija Zolotic beat the crap out of this Russian and take home the gold for the first time in taekwondo.  Out freaking standing! USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

The Delta Variant of the Corona Virus is not a joke.  

I don't want you dead.

I don't want you sick.

I don't want you bankrupt.

PLEASE get vaccinated.

Please wear a mask.

Thank you.