Winning Words 8/13/12
“One who does not look ahead remains behind.”  (Brazilian Proverb)  The games were great, but London is “old news.”  Rio in 2016 is what lies ahead.  The summer games will be held during that city’s winter season.  Will Bolt run his races using snowshoes?  That should slow him down, somewhat.   Looking back, I remember most, Pitsorius and his blades.  He may not have won a medal, but he won “hearts.”    ;-)  Jack

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  How true that is.  I found it quite exciting to see almost the entire world having fun and working together. With 204 countries participating and 85 winning at least one medal was inspiring.  I especially enjoyed the swimmers, the womens' water polo and basketball teams, and the track events.  The two runners who trained in Oregon, one from the UK and one from the US were inspiring, too.  Of course,  Bolt and our relay teams were great.  Rio will be exciting, too.////FROM JACK:  Did you read that Detroit has applied to host the Summer Olympics and been turned down more times than any other city (7)?  The Olympics in Detroit (Ann Arbor and Windsor) would really be an exciting event for everyone involved. ////TAMPA RESPONSE:  It sounds even more dangerous than Rio.  The good thing would be that maybe progress would be made.  When Les and I were in Rio a few years ago, it was the first time that I had seen so many panhandlers-children and adults.  Now, we have them in so many of our cities.  When we were in San Francisco this summer, the children were frightened by being approached on the street.  That is the one of the saddest things about our country today-that families don't take care of each other.  The churches used to do a good job of knowing who really needed help and of getting them the help they need.  They say that there are 8,000 homeless in Tampa today.  St. Petersburg has outlawed panhandling, so everyone has moved over here.. Of course, drugs and alcohol play a big part in many of the problems.////FROM JACK:  I have a grandson who always reaches into his pocket to give something to the one asking for help.  Jesus talked about such a person.  31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’  45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. ”  

FROM DR J IN OHIO:  ;-) Rio will be fun I think!////FROM JACK:  I wonder if they will postpone Lent in 2016?

 FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  It will be interesting to watch Beach Volleyball played in snowsuits ...with snowballs.////FROM JACK:  I heard that tickets to Women's Beach Volleyball were the hardest to get in any sport in London.

FROM MEDD-LANE:  This may be OK for Brazilians but, my proverb is "If I don't remember the past I will make the same mistakes again."////FROM JACK:  The baseball player, Satchel Paige, had some great quotes.  The one I like is, "Don't look back.  Something might be gaining on you."

FROM ILLINOIS LIZ:  Pitsorius was incredible! Even more so were the poor sports who claimed his "handicap" gave him an advantage. If they really believe that, they can get their own legs amputated & see for themselves....////FROM JACK:  I saw a picture of Pitsorius with a little girl.  She, too, had blades, and was smiling at him.  A symbiotic relationship!

 FROM BLAZING OAKS:  I thoroughly enjoyed the Olympics, and will miss the competitive excitement they brought! (Especially since the Cubs are such a fizzle this year!)   Bolt was a phenomenon, but nobody thinks more of him than he does himself,  which to me makes him less admirable!  As to Pitsorius, as the great Grantland Rice said, "When the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He marks, not that you won or lost, but how you played the game." Something to ponder...!////FROM JACK:  I think that the picture of  the "blade runner" will endure longer than any other from the London Olympics.