The long anticipated 2012 London Olympics has arrived.  While I am proud to be an American, I am disappointed in the media hype over the importance of records and numbers of medals.  While it’s great for the bank account to have bragging rights of the Wheaties Box, does it really matter in the big picture?  Sure financial security is great but it has a way of leading some into the land of the obnoxious as well as trouble.

Let’s rewind to the year 2009 and a party at the University of South Carolina.  The headlines which followed — Record Swimmer Caught with Marijuana Pipe.  Shock and disappointment for his parents, teammates and fans as well as the US Olympic Committee.  Fast-forward to 2012 two weeks before the Olympics and Hope Solo’s positive drug test followed by interviews fessing to drunken and behavior R-rated by herself and others four years ago.

Yesterday, the anticipated Phelps-Lochte 400-meter showdown turned into Michael Phelps watching the awards from the bleachers.   Today Hope Solo was summoned to a meeting with Soccer Coach Sundhage about her derogatory Tweets on post-game coverage of the Colombia game.  This is only day 2 of the competition.

Back in the 80s I visited Sagres, Portugal.  It was an area of simple means.  Residents looked at Americans as flashy and bold.  I wonder what they think now when reading about Olympic behaviors.