It’s funny that the Olympics are ending this week and my wife and I just started watching them. We got caught up in hockey and loved watching the US team beat up on the Canadian favorites. And I still can’t get over ski jumping. I mean, how does one first start out? It’s not like you can soar like that for 10 or 20 feet or so just to get the hang of it.
While watching today, I think I found my Olympic sport — the 4 man bobsled. I could be the guy in the back. I have all the qualifications. I am fast, can push hard, am big enough for the back weight and, most importantly, I fit in the bobsled. It would be cool. I would look all svelte in that form fitting unitard, would push really hard and fast when the light went green, and then could settle in the back for a good ride down the hill. Maybe catch a nap or bring along a sandwich. My weight would do all the work from there.
If I don’t qualify for the U.S. team I’ll hit up my Norwegian homeland. Their folks are always too healthy and need more fat in their bobsled athletes. Or maybe Kenya. That’d shake things up. We could kick those Jamacians’ butts.
…..Dan at aslowerpace dot net
Dan Sr says:
As a NASCAR fan, I was never a fan of Geoff Bodine as a NASCAR driver, but he has been instrumental in the American bobsled team getting a gold. The U.S. used to get used sleds from the Europeans. In 1992, Bodine got involved with his time and money in going to a chassis design company and the development of new sled designs including aerodynamics considerations and wind tunnel testing. I have new respect for Geoff. Article here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/features/03/04/gbodine.bobsled.olympics/index.html
March 5, 2010, 11:45 pm