Special Olympics World Winter Games 2009

Michael Phelps smoked pot.  A-Rod used steroids.  The nation is obsessed by these negative stories.  Particularly in the case of A-Rod, is anybody particularly surprised?  The thing I am surprised about this week is the glaring lack of American media attention on the Special Olympics 2009 World Winter Games held in Idaho.  

The Dutch are making fun of us because we're spending an inordinate amount of time covering A-Rod and a two-month old photo of Michael Phelps smoking pot but there are few American news outlets covering the Special Olympics.  The Dutch are making fun of us.

How is this not a very competitive sporting event?  There are 79 countries represented.  The events are just as rigorous as the Olympics.  The athletes are just as committed and if you're watching online or lucky enough to be watching here in Idaho, the show is just as spectacular.

It's a sad statement about Americans if the demand is for more A-Rod, Phelps and pictures of the controversial octuplets than for some of the greatest athletic talent we have seen in America since the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.  Here's hoping the media just misjudged the American's appetite for a really great athletic event.

If you're local to Boise, there are a number of great events around town including the free festival downtown in the Grove.  I for one am trying to get down to see the curling event.  Check our specialolympics.org for the schedule.

It's incredible to watch Olympians stretch themselves beyond human limits to compete but watching the Special Olympics and watching these Olympians stretch themselves beyond human limits DESPITE limits they were born with, well that's a cause for Hope and Celebration.  I'd challenge anybody else to watch these events and not walk away thinking, yeah, I can't do that.