Foreign AffairsThe U.S. isn't competing in every event—it just seems that wayby Leigh Montville
Made wrong turn somewhere. Landed in Georgia World Congress Center. Walked and walked, funneled along with crowd. Landed inside Hall G. Where was I? Men in strange uniforms were playing strange game with strange ball that looked like little brother of a soccer ball.
"What is this?" I asked.
"Team handball," was told. "Kuwait is playing Sweden. Sweden is putting a big hurt on Kuwait."
Coverage of the Games tends to leave us blinded by the red, white and blue.
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Started to leave. Put official USA flag into official USA backpack. Zipped zipper. Clasped clasps. Put arms through straps of official USA backpack, careful not to wrinkle official USA T-shirt or knock off official USA baseball cap from head.
"Sorry," I said. "Made a mistake. I was looking for the Olympics."
"Is Olympics," was told.
"No way," I replied.
Is Olympics? Could not be. Not one official USA flag being waved. Not one organized cheer of Yew Ess Eh. No representative of NBC, official USA television network, walking sidelines. No Cris Collinsworth. No Summer Sanders. No one from Gumbel family. Could not be Olympics. No one from USA involved.
"Is not Olympics," I said.
"Is Olympics," was told. "Competition often involves teams and people from countries outside the USA. They play against each other, trying to win gold, silver and bronze medals, same as USA people do."
"No way," I said.
How could I not have heard about this? Have followed Olympics for 11 days. Have read every word in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Have seen every moment of NBC and local television coverage. Have read this magazine, SI Olympic Daily. Never have read or heard about people and teams from other countries playing against each other.
Olympics is supposed to be USA versus World. Isn't that the set-up? Best people and teams from other countries come here to compete against best people and teams from USA. Teams and people from USA have interesting, wonderful stories. Fathers and mothers often are dying of dread diseases back home. Collection of house pets is lonely. Life is put on hold! To pursue Olympic Dream! (Often at great personal expense.)
Opponents from other countries are faceless, nameless threats. Sometimes faceless, nameless people win. Tragedy! Sometimes people from USA win. Triumph! This is only Olympics I know. Opponents sometimes play other opponents? USA not involved? No way.
"Is true," was told. "Even the Dream Team does not play in every basketball game. Do you know those teams the Dream Team destroys every other night? Those teams also play games against each other, before and after the Dream Team games. An entire basketball tournament is taking place. A lot of tournaments, in fact. This is the team handball tournament."
Sat and watched game. Kuwait (0-3) versus Sweden (3-0). Very suspicious. Fans from Kuwait beat drum to accompany cheers. Fans from Sweden had faces painted blue and yellow and made more noise because team much better, winning 33-18. Television monitor showed picture of head of state, King of Sweden, in stands. Not Bill Clinton. Not Chelsea Clinton. Very suspicious.
"Where are you going?" was asked as hurried from game, official USA notebook and pen in hand....
"Must report exclusive news!" I said. "Have learned that teams from other countries are playing teams from other countries every day in Olympic Games! No one from USA involved!"
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