Justin's thoughts on the Olympics

Since the games began nearly three weeks ago, the popularity of the games has remained strong and popular amid a sluggish economy and terror abroad. The 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece reminds us that  Swifter, Faster, Stronger are words to live by when the next President is elected this year. These are words John Kerry would live by if he has to work his job as President (He's one of my friends on Friendster, the peer-to-peer person site).

The real surprise during the games was not Michael Phelps' record-breaking, 8 medal win in swimming, nor the United States' loss to Puerto Rico in basketball, but it was the U.S. softball team that made it happen. Thanks in part to newcomer Jenny Finch (sorry guys,  she's engaged to an Arizona Diamondback player) and her team, they won against Australia 5-1 in the gold medal game and proved that girls, especially in softball, can win. They played as well as the New York Yankees, as well as their female counterparts, the NY/NJ Juggernauts, a collegiate softball team made up of college players from the NY/NJ area.  The biggest disappointment in the games was Paul Hamm's controversial judging.

All in all, Athens 2004 was definitely worth the wait. From the eye-opening  beginning ceremonies to the upcoming closing ceremonies later this week, with the Olympic flag being passed to Beijing for the 2008 games, this was the greatest Olympics since the 1996 and 1992 games, respectively.