Olympic Fever

It's less than five months until the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and if I didn't have it already, spending two days a the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with all its energy and excitement has firmly secured the fever in my soul...Olympic Fever.

Careful you just might catch it.  


I have had the fever since 1984, when my dad packed up our Mazda 626 and drove us down to southern California for the LA Games.  That was the moment I fell in love with everything Olympic, swelled with pride for the USA, and forever made my colors RED, WHITE and BLUE. 


Yes, the fever ebbs sometimes during the Olympic cycle, but the flame never really dies. All it takes is one spark, one mention of the Games, one story of a Hopeful, and the fever ignites all over again. Then I, like many others, just want to spread it.


What I love most about the fever is that it blocks out any bad feelings about our wonderful country, and for 17 magical days, it brings our entire nation together.  I can feel the love and pride as a spectator, and I when I was on the blocks on day eight of the '92 games almost 20 years ago, I could most surly feel it as an athlete.  The fever is powerful, inspiring and packs a punch! 


So this is just a warning, you better get ready...Because before you know it, you will be waving the American flag (you didn't even know you had) while chanting "GO U-S-A!"