Olympics, I'm a little off

I can mark time by the olympics.  I can remember specific places with watching opening ceremonies.  I remember who I was with while I was watching them.  Ok, not all of them, but there are some strong memories.

Since I'm a student of the world, and a lover of other languages, the Olympics always had a romantic appeal to me.  The meeting of cultures, the olympic village, the information you learned about the hosting country.  Sometimes it seemed it was the only time I had a window on other parts of the world, with video and people.  I was always excited to see  how a country would present itself in its opening and closing ceremonies.  

In recent years we've had  doping scandals, boycotts by countries, and quite a few violent and deadly episodes linked to the Munich and Mexico City olympics.  USA complaints of the USSR "professional" athletes, posing as "amateurs" have led to a change in the rules and the infusion of cash for athletes to pursue their dreams.  Is it more noble to train in obscurity, or is it better for our country to have the obnoxiously huge lead in the medal count?

Because of all this, I'm a little off the olympics.  I don't need for the USA to win everything.  I'd like to learn about athletes from other countries, I'd like to see less women's beach volley ball and more men's beach volleyball in prime time.  

Maybe I have other outlets for my international cravings.  I can read newspapers from other countries, talk to people daily, via email, who live halfway around the world.  I don't need an ABC sports profile of Barcelona to be my only source of castilian culture.  

I'll probably watch the opening ceremonies this summer.  And I'll definitely watch the winter olympics in Vancouver.  Other than that, I'm done.