Tag Archives: olympics

Things That Are Awesome, Vol. 44

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The weekly roundup of internet wonderfulness:

  1. You guys, they make Saved By the Bell Nailpolish. The ’90s child inside me is dying.
  2. Very cool concept: Classic Sculptures Dressed in Modern Outfits.
  3. This resonated because it is me, in a nutshell: I Have No Survival Skills and I Am Going to Die. This line in particular is so me: “In the event of a broken down car, I would probably just cry/call my dad/cry while calling my dad.”
  4. The 33 Best GIFs of the Olympics. A month later and I still miss obsessively watching the Olympics every day.
  5. Considering this has 124 million views (and counting), you have probably seen it, but I’m going to share it anyway: Gangnam Style. Gotta love K-Pop.
  6. The 15 Best Ron Swanson GIFs. Have I shared this before? I’m having deja vu, but Ron Swanson is so amazing that I don’t even care.
  7. Legend has it that Mary Sue Coleman starts each day by spinning the Cube. Legend has it that Mary Sue Coleman is awesome.
  8. Two new trailers for Downton Abbey. I’m now trying to figure out how I can move to England this month so I can watch the show when it airs over there in September.
  9. This is just so, so good: The Mad Men Rickroll.
  10. I became a tennis fan right around the time Andy Roddick’s professional career began, so I was pretty sad about his retirement this week. This piece sums up Roddick much better than I ever could here.

(Image via BuzzFeed)

Tuesday Top Ten: Things to Do with My Life Now That the Olympics Are Over

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I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have a lot of time on my hands since the Olympics are over. Now that my life has resumed its normal pace, I’m realizing you can achieve lots of things in your day when watching canoeing isn’t high on your to-do list. Here are ten of them:

(1) Eat Fierce Five Corn Flakes:

What better way to keep the Olympic spirit alive than to start every day with a bowl of Corn Flakes, fresh from a box emblazoned with the smiling faces of our five favorite tiny gymnastics queens? The only thing that would make this box better is if Bela Karolyi made an appearance on the back panel.

(2) Take Up Speed Walking:

When I was little, I used to watch the Olympics and dream about being that talented. Now that I’m older than many Olympians and have realized I possess no athletic talent whatsoever, it has become clear that this is a pipe dream. That is, until I saw Race Walking, which, as far as I can tell, is walking really fast. Walking! An Olympic sport I can get on board with.

(3) Learn How to Apply Aliya Mustafina-Inspired Eye Makeup:

Nothing says, “don’t mess with me” like dramatic, Russian diva gymnast eye makeup. Taking cues from Mustafina, I can use my spare time to brush up on my eye makeup application skills. The essential elements? Dramatic black wing tips, lots of glitter, and waterproof mascara (for the inevitable tears when I don’t stick my dismount and have a meltdown).

(4) Email Friends About Topics Other Than Nathan Adrian’s Adorableness or the Thrilling Outcomes of Women’s Soccer Matches:

I may be obsessed with the Olympics, but at least I’m not alone. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had some amazing Olympic-related email chains going with friends. Now that the Olympics are over, we can finally get back to emailing each other about normal things (like adorable puppy videos and how awful guys are).

(5) Incorporate “The Bolt” Into Every Photograph I Take:

Planking is so five minutes ago, people. We all need to be Bolting, in literally every picture we take. Usain Bolt is an insanely good athlete (just ask him!), and we need to incorporate his fabulosity into our everyday lives.

(6) Acquire a Water Polo Robe:

My favorite uniform of the Olympics was – by far – the robes sported by water polo players. Just imagine how cool you would look working one of these bad boys the next time you head to the beach or the pool. The super tiny Speedos, on the other hand? Not recommended by any means.

(7) Aggressively Avoid the Ryan Lochte Media Blitz:

The media and the internet keep trying to make Ryan Lochte happen and I’m here to tell you: we cannot give into them. Lochte will undoubtedly be on a million talk shows over the next few weeks and, when that happens, you should plan to be doing anything but watching. Who’s with me? Jeah!

(8) Make Submissions for the McKayla Is Not Impressed Website:

I’m sure everyone will have forgotten this website by next week and be onto the next meme, but I’m still semi-obsessed with the McKayla Is Not Impressed tumblr. I mean, you guys! She’s more terrifying than Posh Spice, and that’s saying something. What can we Photoshop her into next?

(9) Figure out How to Make a Women’s Professional Soccer League Happen:

If you watched any of the women’s soccer tournament, and particularly the USA’s last two games, you know how exciting soccer can be (for serious!). I wish a women’s professional league could actually survive and succeed in the USA – it’s totally sad how we get excited over them for a few weeks and then they slowly fade away for the next few years. Let’s make a professional league happen, people. I’m thinking we could just dismantle the NBA and let soccer take its place. Sound good?

(10) Start a Countdown Calendar for Sochi:

540 days, people! It’s practically time to start preparing again.

(Images Sources: Fierce Five via E Online, Race Walk via London 2012, Aliya Mustafina via Annie Barrett’s Twitter feed, Nathan Adrian via The Washington Post, Usain Bolt via The Star, USA Water Polo via Fly with a Freebird, Ryan Lochte via Jezebel, McKayla Maroney via McKayla Is Not Impressed, Soccer via Zap2It, and Sochi 2014 via The Inspiration Room)

Olympics Recap: Week Two

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The Olympics came to a close last night, thus ending my two week binge of watching NBC constantly, caring deeply about diving, water polo, and equestrian, and tearing up every time an athlete with a difficult past won a medal. Here are my favorite moments from week two.

Best Male Athlete: Andy Murray

I have said it before, but almost nobody cares about tennis at the Olympics except me. Nonetheless, it was good to see Britain’s own Andy Murray take home the tennis gold. Though it’s not the same as winning a Major (which Murray has yet to do), it was a special moment. Good for him.

Best Female Athletes: Alex Morgan & Abby Wambach

I chose Morgan and Wambach, but really I could list any of the women from USA soccer (except Hope Solo, who kills it at goalkeeping but often fails at being a likeable human being). I went with Morgan and Wambach, however, because Alex Morgan scored the goal that beat Canada in an incredible semifinal match and because Abby Wambach seems like an amazing leader and all-around cool person. Also: I dare you to watch this video of Julie Foudy interviewing Alex Morgan and not tear up (you have to watch to the very end).

Best Commentary: Cynthia Potter

She is perhaps the least showy of NBC’s expert announcers (so low-key, in fact, that I couldn’t even find a good photo of her!), but diving’s Cynthia Potter is the best. She never shouts (cough Rowdy Gaines cough) and never goes over the top (cough Tim Daggett cough) but rather is professional, informative, and interesting.

Most Oddly Mesmerizing: Trampolining

Last weekend, I caught the finals of women’s trampoline. I was vaguely aware that this was an Olympic sport, but once I started watching I was kind of mesmerized. I love that there are people who dedicate their lives to training for such a seemingly random event.

Most Amusing Medal Ceremony: Women’s Tennis

During the women’s singles medal ceremony, the crowd let out a gasp: it was windy, and it turned out that the US flag had fallen. Ironically, though the anthem said that “our flag was still there”…it wasn’t. It could have been an awkward moment, but Serena Williams had a great reaction. In her words: “It was probably trying to come hug me, because it was so happy.”

Best Hometown Heroes: Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis

I root for the American athletes, but when they can’t win an event, my next pick is always a Brit – there’s something special about seeing athletes do well in their home countries. Two of my favorite British winners were from track and field – Mo Farah winning both the 10,000m and 5,000m and Jessica Ennis taking gold in the heptathlon. Good on them.

Best Brush Off: McKayla Maroney, Post-Vaulting Disappointment

McKayla Maroney delivered an epic vault during the team competition but struggled in the individual finals, only scoring a silver. Afterwards, the other gymnasts attempted to hug McKayla, who was clearly not having any of it. Poor sportsmanship? Probably, but I’ll give her a pass because her icy glares amuse me so.

Best Bronze: Juan Martin Del Potro

Juan Martin Del Potro was devastated after losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals, so it was nice to see him pull himself together and take home a bronze. Del Potro has struggled with injuries for the last few years, making his win in London particularly meaningful.

Most Terrified-Looking: Prince Harry

Is it just me, or did poor Prince Harry look terrified when he was announced as the representative for the Royal Family at last night’s closing ceremonies? Thankfully, he loosened up over the course of the show and could even be seen singing along (quite adorably) to “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” Awww!

Best Farewell: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings

I was so happy to see Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings win their third gold, a story that I thought might have been a little “too good to be true” to actually happen. I loved watching them celebrate and the interview they gave to Bob Costas after winning gold was ridiculously endearing. These two made me a big fan of beach volleyball.

Cutest Moment: Andy Murray Hugs a Little Kid after Winning Gold

After winning his gold medal, Andy Murray ran into the stands to hug his family and friends. On his way back down to the court, a little kid called out to Murray, who promptly gave the kid a hug. All together now: awww!

Best Athlete Names: Dong Dong, Fabian Hambuechen, and Ranomi Kromowidjojo

One of my favorite things about getting athletes from a bunch of different countries together is hearing all of the amazing names. At these Olympics, there were a lot of fabulously-named athletes competing, but my personal favorites were Dong Dong (trampoline), Fabian Hambuechen (gymnastics), and Ranomi Kromowidjojo (swimming).

Best Hair: Japanese Male Gymnasts

I cannot believe I forgot to mention this in my Week One recap – the Japanese male gymnasts have the absolute best hair. I mean, they look like they could form their own emo Japanese boy bond. Love it.

Most Inspirational: Oscar Pistorius

I think the picture above says it all, but Oscar Pistorius’s story is wonderful. He also seems like an all-around good guy. My one complaint? I got so sick of NBC’s commentators saying that Pistorius was competing against “able-bodied athletes.” Couldn’t they find a better phrase? Pistorious seems plenty able to me!

Most Adorable: Epke Zonderland

After he nailed his high bar routine to win a gold, I decided Epke Zongerland, a gymnast from the Netherlands, was basically the most adorable human being ever. That smile, that hair, that ridiculous name.

Best Reunion: The Spice Girls

As a child of the ’90s, no moment from last night’s Closing Ceremonies was quite so exciting as the Spice Girls performing. Say what you will, but they are still fabulous in their own ridiculous way.

Best Match: Women’s Soccer – USA def. Canada, 4-3 in Overtime

This is one of those sports moments I’ll always remember – where I watched, who I watched with, how exciting the whole thing was. Though it would have been nice to score an easy win over Canada, having to come back from behind several times made this crazy exciting game a win for the ages.

Most Exciting Finish: David Boudia, Qiu Bo, and Tom Daley Dive for Gold

I love Olympic diving, and the sport really saved the best for last in these Olympics, with the final round of men’s 10m platform providing a thrilling finish. Going into the final dive, the USA’s Boudia, China’s Qiu Bo, and Britain’s Daley were basically tied. Boudia came up with the win and Daley and his team jumped into the pool in celebration of bronze. And the Chinese diver who won silver? He wept, naturally.

Most Well-Deserved Swagger: Usain Bolt

I find showboating annoying and, as such, generally do not enjoy most of track and field. However, if there’s one man who ever earned his crazy ego, it’s Usain Bolt. I know a lot of folks did not think he could repeat his success from Beijing – boy, did he show them. So, if the guy wants to act a little over-the-top, I give him a pass. He’s nothing if not entertaining.

Best Tweets:

What were your favorite moments of the London Olympics?

(Image sources: Andy Murray via Birmingham Mail, Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach via All Voices, Trampolining via Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, Serena Williams via News One, Mo Farah via The Telegraph, Jessica Ennis via Sky Sports, McKayla Maroney via Barstool Sports, Juan Martin Del Potro via M24 Digital, Prince Harry via What Kate Wore, May and Walsh via NBC Olympics, Andy Murray via Daily Mail, Dong Dong via Meckz Tumblr, Fabian Hambuechen via Tumblr, Ranomi Kromowidjojo via FanPop, Japanese gymnasts via Kyodo News, Oscar Pistorius via Twitter, Epke Zonderland via London 2012, Spice Girls via Victoria Beckham Twitter, USA Soccer via LA Times, Boudia and Daley via Entertainment Weekly, and Usain Bolt via The Daily Telegraph)

Things That Are Awesome, Vol. 40 (Olympic Edition!)

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My weekly roundup of awesome internet finds, this week with an emphasis on Olympic-level awesomeness:

  1. This is disturbing yet hilarious: Awkward Figure Skating Faces vs. Awkward Diving Faces.
  2. McKayla Maroney’s Vault Was So Good, It Literally Dropped a Judge’s Jaw. While the judges may have been impressed by Maroney, McKayla is not impressed with the judges…or anyone else for that matter. See this tumblr for more details.
  3. Ryan Lochte is a ridiculously talented swimmer but…he’s kind of a tool. Case in point: 10 Reasons Why Ryan Lochte is America’s Sexiest Douchebag. And for a little more Lochte: a comparison of Ryan Lochte and Ryan Gosling. Spoiler alert: Gosling comes out on top, by a mile.
  4. Decoding the dance moves of the Independent Olympic Athletes. It all makes sense now!
  5. Nathan Adrian is the Olympic Crush America Needs. Agreed. Also, I give you: Exhibit B.
  6. Check out these photos of US athletes with their medals. Everyone’s pictures are cute, but Danell Leyva’s is perhaps the best.
  7. This Olympics, more so than in previous incarnations, I noticed the shortcomings in NBC’s coverage. This article, contrasting NBC’s and the BBC’s approaches, is interesting (and makes me wish I had access to BBC’s 24 channels of Olympic coverage).
  8. The 10 Most Unusual Rules of the Olympic Games. Very interesting – especially number 2. That story should have made more news.
  9. This is just incredible: The US Women’s Gymnastics Team As “Mean Girls.” I can’t even.
  10. I love this article on the US Women’s soccer team, Perfectly Captivating Amid All Their Imperfections. Great article, and great game against Canada – one of those classics that I’ll always remember where I was and who I was watching with.

And in case you missed it: The Things That Are Awesome archives

(Image via McKayla Is Not Impressed)

Olympics Recap: Week One

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I am in full-on Olympic obsession mode, with my general productivity taking a dramatic dive (with no splash on the entry!) over the last week. I’ve watched a billion hours, give or take, of Olympic coverage and have now reached the place where I’ve heard announcers repeat athletes’ life stories so many times that I feel I practically know them. Or, at the very least, am qualified to judge them, which I will do now.

Favorite Athlete, Male: Nathan Adrian

Everybody talks endlessly about Phelps and Lochte, but no swimmer has been more loveable than Nathan Adrian, in my humble opinion. He won the 100m freestyle, turning in a surprising upset and a nail-biting finish. And his reaction after winning was ridiculously endearing.

Favorite Athlete, Female: McKayla Maroney

My favorite athlete from the Fab Five is hands down McKayla Maroney. She vaults like nobody’s business. She has an icy cold glare to rival Posh Spice when preparing for a routine. She does a cute little victory dance after nailing her vaults. And she’s pretty much more awesome than anybody else. And if you don’t believe me, read this article.

Most Welcome Surprise: USA Diving Success

Not that I’m a diving expert, but I don’t think that Team USA was expected to win many medals in diving. In week one, however, we picked up three in synchro: Troy Dumais and Kristian Ipsen scored a bronze, David Boudia and Nick McCrory grabbed another, and Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston won a silver. It was nice to see the USA succeed in an area where we traditionally don’t. Now, if only a Chinese diver would make a mistake and allow us to grab a gold in week two…

Most Endearing: Missy Franklin

When a 17-year-old goes into her first Olympic Games with a crazy amount of hype, my gut reaction is: choke time. But Missy Franklin had an amazing Olympics and, even better, seemed to genuinely enjoy the ride. Her excitement at just being there was enough to make her an instant fave; the fact that she won three gold medals (so far) was just icing on the cake.

Best Comeback: Danell Leyva Wins All-Around Bronze

After struggling on the pommel horse, Danell Leyva fell to 17th place in the men’s all-around competition. Then, he battled back to earn a very well-deserved bronze. I love him because he seems like a genuinely nice guy, he has an awesome dad/coach, and he escapes from gymnastic pressure by hiding under a towel on the sidelines. I’m rooting for him to take all-around gold in 2016.

Most Heartbreaking: Jordyn Wieber Fails to Qualify for the All-Around

Remember the time Jordyn Wieber finished 4th overall in qualifying? And remember the time when that wasn’t good enough to get a spot in a field of 24 for the all-around competition, simply because her two teammates finished ahead of her? Shenanigans. And particularly upsetting when you consider that this was her only shot at all-around gold, given that by gymnastic standards, she will be practically ancient in 2016.

Most Unnecessary: Ryan Lochte’s Diamond Grill

I don’t even think I need to explain why Lochte’s diamond grill is totally unnecessary. Dude, I want to like you, but you keep making it difficult.

Most Dominant: Team USA’s Beatdown of Team Russia in Women’s Gymnastics

After watching the women’s gymnastics teams come in as favorites and then finish with silver at the two previous Olympics, I was somewhat doubtful we’d actually snag gold this time. Way to prove me wrong, Fab Five. The USA ladies looked rock solid; this collection of GIFs illustrates their dominance quite nicely.

Most Well-Deserved: Brendan Hansen

After losing out on gold in both Athens and Beijing to Kosuke Kitajima, Brendan Hansen finally beat him in London. Granted, Hansen was 3rd and Kitajima 5th, but it still felt like a good victory. Also, Hansen is the captain of the men’s team and basically seems like an all-around nice guy. Good for him.

Most Entertaining Meltdowns: Aliya Mustafina and Viktoria Komova

I know I shouldn’t be amused by the heartbreak of tiny Russian gymnasts, but I can’t remember the last time I saw someone so upset and disgusted over winning a silver medal. Oh, wait, I can. Her name was Svetlana Khorkina and she also happened to be a Russian gymnast. Looks like Mustafina and Komova learned everything they know from the number one Russian diva gymnast of all time.

Best Battle: Federer defeats Del Potro 19-17 in the Third Set

Tennis gets zero love during the Olympics, which is really a shame since it’s as compelling as ever. Roger Federer suddenly looks ageless, and his win over Juan Martin Del Potro was an amazing effort. Del Potro’s crushed reaction after the match said it all: the Olympics is huge for tennis players too.

Most Dynamic Duo: Bela Karolyi and Bob Costas

The above picture is from the Beijing Olympics, but it pretty much sums things up. Bela and Bob are my favorite Olympic odd couple: Bob calmly asks a rational question; Bela exuberantly responds with whatever thought pops into his mind, whether relevant to the question or not. Bela needs subtitles even when ostensibly speaking in English, but that’s all part of his charm.

Most Unexpected: Great Britain Wins Bronze in Men’s Gymnastics

One of the announcers said, “Nobody alive today has seen Great Britain win a team medal in gymnastics before.” And that pretty much sums up why their bronze finish was so incredible. It’s always nice to see the home team do better than expected.

Most Frustrating: NBC’s Olympic Coverage

I generally think NBC does a solid job with Olympic coverage, and many of their commentators are top-notch. But, there have been a lot of dicey moments for NBC these games: Andrea Kremer’s super-awkward interviews with swimmers immediately after they get out of the pool, Al Trautwig’s unending hyperbole during gymnastics, Ryan Seacrest’s general existence, and all the time spent showing fluff at the expense of athletic events. But NBC’s most egregious offense? Interviewing Aly Raisman about securing a spot in the all-around while Jordyn Wieber stood a foot away, crying. Party foul, NBC.

Best Fans: Will and Kate

I love that William and Kate (and Harry too!) have been basically everywhere these Games. Kate is looking crazy stylish, per usual, and William and Harry cheering for the British gymnasts was just awesome. Also, William and Kate always look unfairly adorable, whether hugging as above or doing the wave.

Best Makeup: Aliya Mustafina

I have to give Aliya Mustafina, the aforementioned Russian diva gymnast, snaps for her prowess at eye makeup application. Her black winged makeup seems to say, “Bitch, please. Of course I’m going to stick the landing.”

Best Apparel: Water Polo Robes

The magic of the Olympics is that I become utterly engrossed in sports that I neither know nor care that much about 99% of the time. This week’s obsession was water polo, where I discovered that the most entertaining part of the sport happens even before the guys jump into the pool: they walk out in robes, a la boxing. Too cool. Also of note: those Speedos.

Best Legacy: USA Women’s All-Around Champions

This week, Gabby joined Mary Lou, Carly, and Nastia as American all-around champions. I thought it was pretty cool that they were all in London. Also cool? Nastia Liukin was all, “screw red, white, and blue, I’m going to rock gold and hot pink like nobody’s business.” Get it, girl.

Most Emotional: Mary Whipple

After the USA won the gold in women’s rowing, they gave the cutest interview with NBC. I thought tiny coxswain Mary Whipple was particularly adorable, crying because this Olympics would be her last. Awww!

Best Tweets:

(Image sources: Nathan Adrian via NBC Olympics, McKayla Maroney via CBS News, Kelci Bryant and Abby Johnston via Oregon Live, Missy Franklin via Vanity Fair, Danell Leyva via The Boston Globe, Jordyn Wieber via The Daily Beast, Ryan Lochte via New York Mag, USA Gymnastics via Universal Sports, Brendan Hansen via Bleacher Report, Mustafina and Komova via The Beauty of Gymnastics, Juan Martin Del Potro via Daylife, Bela and Bob via Fan IQ, British Gymnastics via Daily Mail, NBC Delayed via Uproxx, William and Kate via People and What Kate Wore, Aliya Mustafina via Annie Barrett’s Twitter feed, USA Water Polo via Fly with a Freebird, USA All-Around Champions via People Magazine, and USA Rowers via CT Post)

Magnificent Seven, Fab Five

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I can still rattle off the names of the Magnificent 7: Miller, Moceanu, Strug, Borden, Chow, Dawes, and Phelps. That might not seem impressive since there’s no way for you to know I didn’t Google it, but if we ever meet in person, you can ask. I guarantee I will remember.

I was ten years old during the 1996 Atlanta games and, for a variety of reasons, I can still vividly recall watching them. One, it was a big deal since the USA was hosting. Two, the USA did really well those games. Three, it was perhaps the first time I was old enough to appreciate what the Olympic Games meant. And there is nothing so vivid about Atlanta for me as the Magnificent 7’s gold medal win. I loved them during the Games and I remained a huge fan after (there was a Magnificent 7 book, and yes, I owned it and read it repeatedly. Obviously).

Since 1996, I have remained a fan of USA gymnastics and gymnastics in general; it’s probably the event I look forward to most each Games. But despite producing some stellar all-around gymnasts, the USA hadn’t won team gold since 1996. So, you can imagine how excited I was to see them take home gold last night, steamrolling the competition with a crazy five point lead over the next closest competitor, poor Russia. (Side note: I must admit, I chuckled a bit at the Russian gymnasts weeping over silver. Lots of mini-divas and major meltdowns there).

I’m sure over the next few weeks and months and maybe even years, we will hear a lot about these ladies, christened the Fab Five before they even stepped onto the floor. We’ll hear about how strong they were as a team, about Jordyn Wieber looking rock solid after her heartbreak during qualifying, about Aly Raisman nailing her floor routine and bursting into tears before she even finished tumbling, about Gabby Douglas soaring over the uneven bars, about Kyla Ross’s grace on beam, about McKayla Maroney’s gravity-defying vaults (when she vaulted last night, I may have shouted, “seriously?!”). I’m sure there will be Today show appearances and magazine covers and Wheaties boxes aplenty. And these ladies will deserve every single bit of praise that comes their way. They lived up to their billing as the Fab Five. They really were fabulous when it counted most.

But for me, I must admit, the Magnificent 7 will always burn brightest in my memory. Maybe it’s because they won at home, maybe it’s because they won with Kerri Strug’s unbelievable vault, maybe it’s because they came first. Or maybe it’s just the passage of time and my nostalgia for the awe I felt in ‘96. When the Magnificent 7 won, I was a little girl and looked up to them. Last night, I watched five girls, all roughly a decade younger than me, take the gold. And while I was happy for them, it just didn’t have the same magic for me.

In the end, I suppose that doesn’t matter. No matter how old I get, I’ll still hold my breath every time a gymnast does a tumbling pass down the beam. I’ll still shake my head in amazement every time a tiny girl flies high on the vault. I’ll still cheer every time someone sticks a landing and I’ll still let out a little sigh of disappointment when they don’t. And one truth remains: whether you’re watching the Magnificent 7 or the Fab 5 work their magic, it’s good to be a fan of Team USA.

(Magnificent 7 photo via Bleacher Report, first Fab 5 photo via Celebrity Gossip.net, all other photos via NBC Olympics)

Olympic Fashion Roundup: Judging the Team Uniforms

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The Olympics kicked off this weekend with the Opening Ceremonies, an endearingly British mash-up of dancing nurses, a Lord Voldemort puppet, the Queen refusing to crack a smile, David Beckham riding in on a speedboat, and an artistic re-creation of the Industrial Revolution. While my favorite moment of all was J.K. Rowling reading Peter Pan, the Parade of Nations was a close second. Of course, the most exciting part of watching each team enter the arena was critiquing their various outfits. Here’s who won my own Fashion Olympics (along with assorted other awards for good measure).

Gold Medal: Paraguay

I loved that Paraguay went with distinct yet complementary ensembles for its men and women; too many other countries make their uniforms too uniform, thus saddling the women with unattractively fitted clothing. Paraguay’s ladies looked cute and its gentlemen dapper.

Silver Medal: Turkey

Turkey’s uniforms were understated and chic, two adjectives in short supply during the Opening Ceremonies. I liked the subtle color combination and the outfits were well-tailored. I also liked that Turkey’s uniforms coordinated with its flag but didn’t go overboard trying to match it.

Bronze Medal: Sweden

Sweden’s uniforms were love them or hate them, and I fell on the side of loving them. One, basically all Swedish people are pretty, so if anyone can pull off a brightly striped polo shirt, it’s probably them. Two, I think the bright blue and yellow combination is fun. Three, they have matching shoes – very cute.

Best Pattern: Cameroon

There were lots of bold prints on display during the Opening Ceremonies, but Cameroon’s was my favorite by far. The design was interesting and putting the bright colors against black fabric really made these uniforms pop.

Best Use of Color: Brazil

Some countries used bright colors for the entirety of their uniforms, which was too much. Brazil, however, was smart and opted for bright bottoms with subdued tops. The bright yellows and greens didn’t overpower the Brazilians but rather looked striking and fun.

Most Underwhelming: Italy and France

Nothing horrifying here, but nothing to write home about either. I expected more from France and Italy, two fashion capitals of the world. Cute purses for the French ladies, though.

Most Simple Yet Effective: Ireland and Canada

While neither country wins a prize for inventiveness, I liked both Ireland and Canada’s uniforms an awful lot. I loved the particular shade of green the Irish were wearing and thought Canada’s red jackets looked sharp.

Most in Need of a Uniform Swap: Australia and Germany

Anyone else do a double take when they saw Germany’s uniforms? The bubblegum pink and blue would have been bad enough, but somehow it seemed even more out of place on Germans. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the Australian and German teams should have just switched uniforms to allow for a better personality match on both sides.

Most Fabulous Headgear: Kiribati and Kazakhstan

I’m not sure if I like their overall uniforms, but Kiribati and Kazakhstan were sporting awesome headgear. Kiribati’s flowered wreaths were beautiful and Kazakhstan’s unique hats were just awesome.

Best Shoes: Romania

I liked Romania’s overall uniform, but I thought their bright yellow shoes were particularly fun. Look at that snazzy conga line of Romanian studs!

Most Picnic-Ready: Angola

The title of this award sums it up, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Angolans are wearing checkered tablecloths rather than actual uniforms.

Best Dressed Ferry Boat Captains: Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s uniforms looked very old-timey to me. In fact, I strongly suspect that some of these men captain those tourist ferry boat rides you can take down, like, the Mississippi River.

Most Likely to Have Been Stolen from Ugly Betty’s Closet: Mexico

I kind of love Mexico for being completely unafraid to rock a crazy jumble of bright colors and prints. However, these don’t really look like uniforms but rather like something you see all your crazy drunk uncles wear to a party.

Most Overconfident: Great Britain

Gold-collared jackets, Great Britain? I know the host country always does well at the Olympics, but you might want to take it down a notch – you haven’t won anything yet.

Most Ready to Brave the Rain: Czech Republic

I will say this for the Czech Republic: they thought about the fact that London tends to be rainy and dressed accordingly. Unfortunately for them, the pattern they’re sporting on their rain boots, umbrellas, and – most perplexing of all – their leggings is quite garish.

Most Prep-tastic: Denmark and Serbia

I loved both Denmark and Serbia for being unabashedly preppy. The Danish ladies were totally owning the cute cardigan and skirt combo, while Serbia’s men looked particularly sharp in their collared-shirt-under-a-sweater combination.

Chicest: San Marino

San Marino’s athletes look like they’re going to a wedding, which might seem out of place at the Opening Ceremonies but actually worked here for some reason. The ladies’ dresses looked smart and the guys’ suits were spiffy.

The “Why Do You Hate Your Female Athletes?” Award: Spain

The uniforms for the Spanish men? Solid – fun hats, cool red and yellow belts, nice (albeit bright) blazers. The uniforms for the Spanish women? Atrocious. The skirts were way too shiny, the fan-purses were questionable, and the scarves were over-the-top. Cute shoes though, ladies.

Worst Skirts: Poland and USA

Team Poland’s skirts had odd circular blob thing-ys going on, while Team USA’s skirts were an odd and unflattering length. Overall, I didn’t hate Team USA’s uniforms as much as everyone else, but it is disappointing that Ralph Lauren couldn’t do any better.

Most Unfortunate Jackets: Estonia

What is going on with Estonia’s jackets? Burning question: did they recycle these uniforms from the winter Olympics? Because these jackets don’t seem appropriate for summer.

Best Ties: Gabon and Tonga

I was impressed by how many countries were sporting truly awesome ties. My favorites? Tonga’s striped number and Gabon’s monochromatic red plaid.

Most Aggressive Prints: Malaysia and Togo

In a stadium filled with aggressive prints, Malaysia’s and Togo’s managed to stand out as particularly in-your-face. Malaysia’s skirts reminded me of a tiger and Togo’s shirts were just plain crazy.

Best Color-Blocking: Belgium

A close contender for one of my coveted medals, the Belgian team’s uniforms were fantastic. They did a nice job of incorporating their flag’s colors while also looking classy and sharp. My one complaint: what’s with the two mismatched ladies in front? Why did they get to wear red pants and a red skirt? Throws the whole aesthetic off.

Best Blue Blazers: Tajikistan and Bahamas

The cardinal rule of opening ceremony uniforms? Give your team some spiffy blazers. Two of my favorites were the beautiful blue tones that Team Bahamas and Team Tajikistan were sporting.

Disqualified (Worst Dressed): Burkina Faso

The pants look like scrubs, am I right? And the tops clash with the pants terribly, further contributing to the outfit’s downfall. On a night with many questionable get-ups, Burkina Faso takes the gold medal in awfulness.

Did you watch the opening ceremonies? Who were your personal best dressed?

Image Credits:

  • Czech Republic, Denmark, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, Serbia via NBC
  • Angola, Bahamas, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, France, Gabon, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Turkey, and USA via Yahoo
  • Dominican Republic, Estonia, Poland, and Sweden via Bleacher Report
  • Brazil via Zimbio
  • Australia, Great Britain, and Italy via New York Times
  • Kazakhstan and Kiribati via Styleite
  • Malaysia via New Straits Times

Things That Are Awesome, Vol. 39

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The weekly roundup of awesome ways to waste your time on the internets:

  1. According to Coveteur, the fashions from Clueless may be coming back into style. As this is one of my all-time favorite movies, I can get behind that. I also cannot resist the opportunity to quote the movie, so I’ll leave you with this gem: “That was a stop sign.” “I totally paused!”
  2. Please scroll through this slide show: The 17 Funniest Descriptions of Interview Subjects. I feel particularly bad for the reporter dubbed “The White Ho.”
  3. 25 Animals Who Are Genuinely Interested in What You Have to Say. Because funny/cute animal pictures never get old.
  4. This is an amazing cover of Billie Jean. The video is a slow burn, but wait for it.
  5. What would you take if your house was on fire? The Burning House blog chronicles the answer to that question from different folks. Fascinating.
  6. A mashup of Call Me Maybe and Somebody I Used to Know proves to be a surprisingly brilliant combination.
  7. Hilarious ID Badge Photos from London Olympians. I have to say I found Andy Roddick’s particularly amusing.
  8. This video, Corgi Flop, brings a smile to my face every time I watch it (which, ahem, might be embarrassingly often). One, the corgi is wearing a life jacket. Two, look how his little legs fly up!
  9. Consider my mind blown: Why “Saved by the Bell” Is All a Dream.
  10. And finally, two videos of Olympians being adorable and awesome: the USA women’s soccer team dancing to “Party in the USA” and the swimming team rocking out to “Call Me Maybe.”

(Image via Michigan Alumni Club of Greater San Francisco)

10 Reasons the Olympics Make Me Cry

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I confess: I am a huge nerd when it comes to the Olympics. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been performing my every-two-yearly ritual of getting crazy excited, watching Olympic trials, and generally buying every magazine with pre-Olympics coverage that I can find. I cannot wait for the opening ceremonies tomorrow and for two solid weeks of nonstop Olympic coverage after that.

This may sound weird, but one reason I love the Olympics so much is because they make me cry. Think about it: is there any other event that blends once-in-a-lifetime high stakes, patriotism, hard work, personal (and familial) sacrifice, triumphant victory, and agonizing defeat together so poignantly? I would argue there is not, and that is why the Olympics are special. That’s also why they tend to make me weepy, but in the best possible way. In the “I’m so happy for these random strangers and their families, I love the USA, I believe dreams really do come true” kind of way. I cry because I’m moved, I’m inspired, and I’m proud. It’s a good kind of cry.

And on that note, here are ten reasons why I will be sporting unfortunate raccoon eyes over the next two weeks:

One – Great Commercials:

People always talk about Super Bowl commercials, but for me, nothing beats the commercials during the Olympics. Some of my favorites over the years include the Home Depot commercials (consistently great from Olympiad to Olympiad; here’s a good example), the 2008 Visa commercials (you cannot go wrong with a Morgan Freeman voiceover), and this year’s Proctor & Gamble commercial.

Two – Athletes Triumphing Over Pain:

Another reason the Olympics are so great is because they showcase athletes succeeding in unbelievable circumstances and against all odds. Thus, it makes sense that my gold standard for Olympic-moments-that-make-me-weep comes from this category. In 1996, Kerri Strug was last up in the team competition – and she needed to get above a certain score for Team USA to win gold. She fell on her first vault, making her second vault critical. And she landed it – on one foot. Completely unbelievable. This is one of the first memories I have of watching the Olympics as a little girl and I still cry every time I watch that video. You can do it, Kerri! (Also, who else misses Bela Karolyi?)

Three – Athletes Triumphing after Personal Tragedies:

What is it about Olympic athletes and tragic pasts? It seems that each Games, there’s at least one (and usually several) athletes who overcome devastating personal tragedies to turn in amazing performances. Some of my favorites include: Jimmy Shea winning gold in skeleton a few weeks after his grandfather (also a gold medalist) passed away, Joannie Rochette winning bronze days after her mother died, and Dan Jansen finally winning gold after struggling six years earlier in the wake of his sister’s death.

Four – Athletes Triumphing Even in Defeat:

Cliche though it may be, another thing I love about the Olympics is that sometimes the most amazing victories come in defeat. The fact is, most athletes won’t win a gold medal or any medal at all – but I would argue there’s something incredible about just being an Olympian, about competing, about sticking through to the bitter end, win or lose. And if you can watch Derek Redmond limping to the finish line with his father’s help without crying, then you are a stronger person than I. Or a robot.

Five – National Anthems and Medal Ceremonies:

Seeing flags slowly raised into the air while the anthem plays is one of the iconic sites of the Olympics; it always gets to the athletes and it always gets to me. Some of my favorites? The historic 2002 pairs figure skating double gold medal ceremony and the Magnificent Seven on the podium in 1996.

Six – Announcers Who Can’t Contain Their Excitement:

One reason NBC’s Olympic coverage is particularly excellent is because they tend to have announcers who are not only incredibly knowledgeable about their respective sports but who also know how to bring drama and passion to the proceedings. When an announcer starts to get choked up, I start to get choked up. The obvious example here is the iconic “Do you believe in miracles?,” but I also love Scott Hamilton commenting on Sale and Pelletier (“A throw triple loop and the gold is theirs”), Rowdy Gaines going crazy for Michael Phelps (“He did it! He did it! One one-hundredth of a second!”), and Tim Daggett unable to contain his joy for Paul Hamm (“That for me was the greatest sporting moment I’ve ever seen, right there”).

Seven – Seeing the Reactions of the Athletes:

The reactions that athletes have the moment they realize they’ve won is always incredible – pure joy and amazement, and always guaranteed to make me start welling up (particularly if the cameras cut to family members in the audience who are also celebrating). My favorite reactions include: Sarah Hughes (and her coach) after her surprise gold in 2002, Misty May and Kerri Walsh’s exuberance after winning their second gold in 2008, Cathy Freeman overcome with emotion in 2000, and Roger Federer performing a silly magic routine after winning doubles gold in 2008.

Eight – Underdogs Coming out on Top:

You know what almost everybody loves? An underdog. And at the Olympics, when someone comes from nowhere to win gold – or any medal really – it’s particularly compelling. Two of my all-time favorite underdogs were Rulon Gardner in Greco-Roman wrestling and Laura Wilkinson in platform diving. So, so good.

Nine – NBC Video Montages and Sob-Story Athlete Profiles:

NBC engages in blatant emotional manipulation throughout the Olympic games and, you know what? I love it. The stories they do about athletes before the competition and the victory montages they do after the competition never fail to choke me up. NBC draws on a reliable stable of tricks – pensive shots of athletes gazing out windows as a poignant voiceover rolls, triumphant images scrolling across the screen to the sounds of R. Kelly’s “The World’s Greatest” – but why change the formula when it’s so damn good? Some examples: the introduction to the 2004 women’s all-around competition, the opening video for the 2006 Olympics (chills), and the 2002 story on Sale and Pelletier.

Ten – Witnessing Sheer Athletic Brilliance:

Perhaps more than anything else, for me the reason Olympics are so compelling is because you get a chance to see athletes do incredible, unbelievable, flat-out brilliant things. Strip away all the cameras, reporters, fans, and pomp and circumstance and what you’re left with are athletes competing at their prime. And seeing those moments of athletic brilliance is certaintly enough to bring a tear (or two or seven) to my eye. Some of my favorite moments over the years include: Jason Lezak’s heroic leg in the 4x100m freestyle relay in Beijing, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir’s free dance in Vancouver (yes, I included ice dancing – deal with it, and trust me that it’s good), and Usain Bolt’s 100m in Beijing.

And those are just some (though likely not all) of the reasons I will be getting slightly weepy over the next two weeks. Are you planning to watch the Olympics? And what about them gets to you?

(Images via: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten)

Things That Are Awesome, Vol. 38

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The weekly roundup of cool stuff I found while wasting time on surfing the internet:

  1. Last week, Google had one of my favorite Google Doodles ever in celebration of Gustav Klimt’s 150th birthday. Love that painting.
  2. A list of 30 Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know by Age 30. I love that this was written in 1997 and still completely applies to women today. Some things are always true.
  3. Jimmy Fallon’s “At the Bar with Roger Federer” segment is, in a word, amazing.
  4. Who knew a montage of Don Draper saying “what?” could be so awesome? Well, you’ll know after you watch the video.
  5. Slightly Insulting Chicago Posters. Though I have only a summer’s worth of knowledge to draw upon, I found these pretty accurate – and quite funny too.
  6. I don’t want to get too political here, but there’s a distinct possibility that I may feel compelled to laugh at Mitt Romney a lot over the coming months. On that note – Mitt Romney Looking Longingly at People.
  7. This is, hands down, the most hilarious article I have read in a loooong time: Will You Still Medal in the Morning?, about sex at the Olympics. There are so many amazing quotes in it, but I particularly loved the female BMX biker who compared male Olympic gymnasts to “lovable little Ewoks.” Trust me, read this article.
  8. This article is hilarious too, while also making me seriously question the future of mankind: American Baby Names Are Somehow Getting Even Worse. If you thought Apple was bad, you’re in for a real treat with this article, let me tell you.
  9. An Angela Merkel Rainbow. Girl knows how to work her colors.
  10. Anderson Cooper totally takes down Rush Limbaugh. I cannot tell you how delighted that video makes me. Rush is the worst.

In case you want more (and you know you do!), head to the Awesome Archives.

(Image via Google)