Schneid Remarks

Ok, I have to admit that I have a sort of obsession for the Summer Olympics.

It was one of the nicest weekends of the summer and I spent countless hours watching sports you only get to see every four years.

Through the first two days of the Olympics, I have seen parts of 12 or 13 different events, maybe more, once I tabulate them. I would have to say there were a number of events which I really wanted to watch because they are events out of the ordinary.

Handball was one of the most interesting events. It consists of a medium sized ball which is attempted to be thrown into a guarded net. The players can only go three steps without "dribbling" the ball.

There is a line which competitors can not cross. This event is very similar to water polo, obviously without the water. Had a chance Saturday morning to watch water polo, which in my opinion is one of the toughest sports to play. I can tread water if I need to, but for the amount of time these guys were doing it I would have been a goner within minutes. Then add the fact that they are swimming, defending, and trying to throw a wet ball through a net guarded by a huge man makes this sport one of the most difficult in my mind.

Of course all Olympic sports are tough sports, but never having played many of them makes them that much more intriguing to watch.

Saturday afternoon Judo was on for a brief moment. After watching for 10 minutes and seeing an Olympic champion crowned, I still have no idea what the point of this sport is. It is some sort of wrestling, but how they score I have no idea.

Archery, sand volleyball, indoor volleyball, and some boring cycling were also viewed.

Archery was quite interesting. These individuals don't use your common bow and arrow. Their equipment looks like it was invented by NASA.

Since there were up to four channels covering the Olympics at one time, it was easy to find something unique to watch. I can see tennis, soccer and basketball anytime. Rugby and table tennis, however, peaked my interest. I know there are a few people from this area who are involved with rugby, but this was the first time I actually got a chance to sit down and try and figure it out.

It was a women's event we were watching Sunday and boy was it intense. It is a combination of speed and power and it was really fun to watch. Table tennis, aka ping pong, is about as fun to watch as any event.

We have all played ping pong. The Thirsty Beaver in Elysian has had some spirited matches among its clientele, but nothing like what I witnessed Saturday afternoon. Got a chance to view a men's match and a women's match. The speed and power these athletes possess is amazing. And both matches hadsome incredible volleys with the players hitting the ball more than 10 feet from the table. This is by far my favorite event to watch. Until track and field starts this week.

Sunday night featured some swimming and women's gymnastics. Not my favorite sports, but I kept telling myself I am watching some of the best athletes of all-time in their respective events.

Michael Phelps won his 19th gold medal and 23rd or 24th total medal in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay. This was an event he wasn't even scheduled to compete in, yet he was the difference in the event. He trailed when he jumped in the water and by the time he finished his leg, the team was one second in front. That doesn't sound like much, but in a race like this a second is an eternity. I remember watching a little bit of Mark Spitz when I was very young but Phelps is the best there ever was.

Simone Biles is considered one of, if not the greatest female gymnasts ever. I have never seen her perform until Sunday night and holy smoke is she good. I have had the chance to cover two outstanding local gymnasts, Heidi (Kalbow) Anderson who competed for Waseca and Jenny Struve, WEM's only state gymnastic champion, while working in the newspaper business. Obviously these two were among the best in high school I have ever had a chance to cover. Biles, who stands 4-feet, 8-inches, showed Sunday night exactly why she has been anointed as one of the best ever. Her performance in the floor exercise and vault were phenomenal. It will be fun watching her and the rest of the gymnasts on their way to a second straight team gold medal.

Really looking forward to watching the track and field events, especially Minnesotan Hassan Mead who attended Minneapolis South High School. I got a chance to photograph Mead as a senior at the State Cross Country Meet and still have his photo in my office. Just thinking about that gives me goose bumps. I had a chance to cover a future Olympian. Hopefully he can bring home a medal in the 5,000-meter run. He competes next Wednesday.

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