Saturday, September 16, 2023

MY COLUMN FOR SEPTEMBER IN THE GUAM DAILY POST




LINK to online version

My suspicion is that I was invited by the editor of this publication to be a monthly columnist to stir the pot a bit on “church” issues.

I will certainly get to that. But at present, the recently concluded Track and Field World Championships in Budapest have my attention.

The “Worlds” are second only in global athletic status to the Olympics. And oftentimes the competition at the Worlds outdoes the Olympics.

History’s fastest man, Usain Bolt of Jamaica, set the still standing world records in the 100- and 200-meter races, not at the Olympics - where he won both races in three consecutive Olympics - but at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009.

At the Worlds in Budapest, Hungary, this year, the spotlight has been on two Americans, Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, both sprinters, meaning, like Bolt, they compete in the 100- and 200-meter races.

I don’t, or at least “didn’t,” like either Lyles or Richardson. In my opinion, they are showboats.

After his wins, Noah tears his jersey, screams, sticks out his tongue, and sometimes taunts his rivals. And Sha’Carri seems to care more about her wicked-long fingernails, windshield wiper eyelashes, and pole-dancer fish-net stockings than she does about running.

True, Bolt was a showboat as well, or rather a showman, but he was also a gentleman and graceful in victory. And as a by-the-way, Bolt, before each race, after entertaining the crowd with his trademark Apollo the Archer pose, made the sign of the cross and pointed to heaven as he settled into the blocks. So yeah, I really liked Bolt.

Just prior to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Sha’Carri, despite having the fastest time in the 100 meters that year, was not permitted to compete in the Olympics after testing positive for marijuana.

“Good!” I thought. I don’t care about marijuana, but I didn’t want America represented by some flashy chick with wicked-long nails and pole-dance leggings.

Noah made it to Tokyo, but was beaten in the 100 and 200 meters.

“Good,” I thought again. I didn’t want America represented by a jersey-ripping, tongue-sticking, rival-taunting, hot dog - and for the same reason I don’t like those stupid end-zone dances after routine NFL touchdowns.

Sorry. I’m old.

But something happened in Budapest. Both Sha’Carri and Noah won the 100 meters. Let’s talk about Noah first.

Yeah, upon winning, Noah stuck out his tongue and screamed, but at least he didn’t rip his jersey or taunt his rivals. But more significantly, during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner at the medal ceremony, Noah openly wept, and later spoke of his gratitude to represent the USA.

Noah is Black. And given all the post-“George Floyd stuff” our country has suffered through these last few years, Noah had the perfect stage to hold up a black militant fist. But he didn’t.

Instead, Noah, the fastest man in the world in 2023, and a world champion, broke down and cried and confessed love of country.

By the way, Noah would go on to win the 200 meters, the first to “double” since Usain Bolt in 2015.

Sha’Carri, in winning the 100-meter gold, and while keeping the wicked-long nails, abandoned the pole-dance leggings. But more importantly, Sha’Carri graciously thanked and congratulated every other racer in the final, including her five-time world champion predecessor, Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price, aka “Mommy Rocket” - a 35-year-old “mommy” and the most decorated track and field woman athlete ever.

Like Noah, Sha’Carri broke down at the medals ceremony and gushed grateful. So yeah, I like both the newly humbled Noah and Sha’Carri now, and I look forward to their “golds” at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

As a weird aside, the middle distances (800 through 5,000 meters) have been dominated by Africans for decades. So it was fun to see a “white dude,” Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway, take over the world in the last few years.

However, Jakob, despite his amazing achievements, has something to learn from Noah and Sha’Carri.

Jakob, a now overly tattooed, body-pierced, fan-loving “hot dog” - for the second year in a row at Worlds - LOST! And lost not to an African, but to another white dude, Josh Kerr, a self-effacing, untattooed, and unpierced Brit. “Pride comes before the fall,” says Proverbs 16.

Given Noah and Sha’Carri’s conversion, here’s hoping the same for Jakob.

Paris 2024. See you there.

Tim Rohr has resided in Guam since 1987. He has raised a family of 11 children, owned several businesses and most recently been active in local issues via his blog, JungleWatch.info, letters to local publications and occasional public appearances.

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