Welcome to one of the greatest spectacles of sport you can ever see. Now isn't the time to discuss whether summer is greater than winter; the Olympics as a collective is one of the most unique and captivating events on Earth. A huge majority of countries are represented to compete for gold on one the few international stages available to mankind. The World Cup and the Super Bowl are really the only events that come close, and they don't boast multiple sports. An important part of mankind's future of true unity, the Olympics represents a brighter future for us all.
Some familiar names highlight the list of Americans who will be traveling to PyeongChang to compete on the world stage. Shaun White, a high-profile snowboarder whose name I'm sure you've heard, will be competing at his fourth Olympic games on the halfpipe. Despite suffering some rather gnarly injuries a few months ago, Shaun is set to make some serious noise this month. Another familiar name is Lindsey Vonn, also set make her fourth appearance on the international stage. The alpine skier is ready to show the world she can still compete at the highest level after being held out of the 2014 Sochi Games due to a knee injury.
On a non-American note, this Olympics Games is special in that it will the first time since 1991 that North and South Korea will compete together as well as having a singular flag that they each will compete under. The Koreas have agreed to field a Women's Hockey team together as a show of hope in the future of a unified Korea. Moments like this will eventually be in our children's textbooks, and I think it is important to recognize that today so that it can be appreciated properly.
I'm sure most people who have watched the Olympics prior have heard of either of those athletes or about Korea. Whether you have or not, the Olympic Games represent a prime opportunity to watch a sport which you've never witnessed or an athlete whom you've never heard of. I encourage that over the course of this month that next time you're scanning through the channels looking for something to watch, you stop on figure skating or curling, something that you might not have the chance to watch otherwise. Possibly even an athlete you hadn't watched before. Eighteen-year-old Korean-American Chloe Kim is a popular name poised to become the next Olympics superstar. The Winter Olympics offers that ability for you to find a brand new favorite sport or athlete that you might not have ever realized was in you until you clicked on that channel.
Whether you're a sports fan or not, the Olympics will always represent more than sports. A glimpse into cultures completely different from the one you are in on a daily basis is a special opportunity that I think most everyone can gain something from. Jesse Owens, Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and countless others represent more than themselves and their country. Any and all athletes who are gifted enough to find themselves standing under those five rings are there to symbolize a unified planet. What better way to do so than through sport?
