We Need A Hero

August 23rd, 2008

As the Beijing Olympics wind down, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed with the nagging feeling I have about the performance of the athletes. As world records fell with regularity and clearly pre-pubescent girls defied gravity, I knew that cheats were lurking. I do remember a time when great athletic feats were met with awe rather than skepticism. As a die hard cycling fan, I learned to look carefully to see if something seems not quite right in any sporting event I might watch. After Floyd Landis’s remarkable ride back into contention in the 2006 Tour de France, he leaped off the bike and looked ready to bite the head off of a bunny. When Roger Clemens re-emerged essentially transformed into the Hulk, it went well beyond conventional wisdom that it was simply a new training regimen. Still, if you love the game, you look away and hope that you are wrong. As I look at the new heroes and heroines from these games, I can only hope that their wins came from the natural talent, hard work, and personal sacrifice that make an athlete excel rather than from a hypodermic needle. After all, since ancient times, we all need a hero now and then.

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