The 2012 Summer Olympics

As it must every four years, the Summer Olympics have dwindled down to an end, leaving us with nothing but DVR recordings and  strong memories. Those glorious 16 days seem only like mere minutes now. However, I believe it is safe to say that there is truly no event like the Olympics. It may seem strange at first glance; athletes competing for a bunch of flowers and a "gold" medal (it is 92.5% silver). But the Olympics are more than that. It is about seeing who is the best in the world. Also, nothing generates more patriotism than seeing one's fellow countrymen atop the podium. As Americans, we love to hear stories about athletes that fought hard to get to the top (examples would be Oscar Pistorius and Lolo Jones).

Speaking of Americans, 104 medals isn't too shabby, is it? Yet again, the U.S. has proved itself to be the premier athletic country of the world. Diana Taurasi and the rest of the woman's basketball team continued their unbeaten streak from the 90's as they blazed through the competition. The men's basketball team, nicknamed the Daydream Team by Dan Patrick, soared to victory, as was expected. Michael Phelps won more medals to bring his overall count to 22, cementing his name in the record books. Rebecca Soni set a world record in the 200m breaststroke, only to break it the next day. McKayla Maroney, besides providing us with some very entertaining memes, won an individual medal and helped garner a gold medal for the Fierce Five. David Boudia knocked off some stiff competition, including the hometown favorite, Tom Daley, to win the 10 meter platform diving. Ashton Eaton became the top athlete in the world after winning the decathalon, with his teammate Trey Hardee finishing second. Alex Morgan and the rest of the women's soccer team secured the gold medal with a 2-1 win over Japan in the final match. Other gold medalists include Sanya Richards-Ross, Nathan Adrian, Ryan Lochte, Dana Vollmer, Dee Dee Trotter, and Missy Franklin.

Unfortunately, for many sports, this is the only time when they receive any attention whatsoever. Let's be honest here, how many people follow archery and diving the rest of the time? Soccer will be forgotten until the next World Cup. There is a silver lining though. Popularity for these sports has increased tenfold due to these Olympics. I know that I will definitely keep up with some of these sports, especially gymnastics and swimming. After all, these are American athletes, and it is our duty as Americans to support them.

Please comment and tell me what your favorite Olympic moment was.