opening ceremonies have no sound on my tv–but before the sound blew out- costas made an offensive comment and i wrote a letter–here it is, at the end….and THEN i received a series (7)of offensive republican letters/commentaries from a friend-accidentally hit’reply all’on my comments back..heh, ‘accidentally’, he finally pissed me off enough that i hit ‘reply all’..yep, i did..i know who most of the ‘reply all’ people are in his life, but not theie leanings..from jane fonda personnaly dissin’ a tortured pow repeatedly, to a dog pissing on a obama sign…classy, no?..gotback a letter from one to ‘watch it’…but his one took me by surprise.

here’s one–
“
Dayna,

Watch it! You just sent that to a bunch of folks that think- rightly so, that Obama is a traitorous puke. Check his record. He scares the bejeesus out of me. “

now, understand, this is someone who lived in alaska for twenty years, bethel, taught special -ed and brought me smoked salmon that she caught herself, for years. we played dungeons and dragons every sunday night when she moved back, that game had been running since 1974,along with the person who sent the crap repug stuff, he’s in florida now, my best friend and i went down there to help him with his house—he’s color-blind……

so, i guess i am saying i am finallly at a loss for words..

when i got this–
Thank you. I love you, too, even if your politics scare the piss out of me
:-)

A former democrat,
L——-

wtf? I WROTE A NICE LETTER back. her husband has cancer, and we love her.
wish my computer was faster so i could retrieve youtubes for these–my best friend john gave me his old ipod, am playing it on my bose speakers right now-perfect songs for what i am saying, thank god, i’m not insane.someone else thought it, too.
don mclean is playing-on the amazon

now cat stevens-on the road to get there

please excuse the length, rare that i am so perplexed…..so many things of fodder at once. i sometimes reel back at things said here, the intensity of them, but, after tonight, i have a ‘divffent’ view, and maybe have to find another way to do something about it and i willl search youtube to see if the songs are on there.hope this made sense.and know that my browser won’t let me type fast.

ok, personal letter-this is what i wrote to costa after his offensive comment–don’t hate me for it–i can’t help what i was born into or where i came from..all i can help is what i do with it……..same as you.

=======to nbc sports–where i do have a contact, but preferred to see what the ‘regular’ people do with it——–

I know your website stated that you get numerous emails, but, I sure hope someone writes me back. I am going to be expecting an answer back.

Opening Ceremonies-right at the beginning.

While giving commentary about a team entering the tarmac, sorry, don’t remember the team because I was so taken aback by the comment, Bob Costas made a comment that I found offensive.

As the team entered, he mentioned that in their country they made a hundred or so dollars a day, and how proud they must be to view their ‘exploits’.

Excuse me, EXPLOITS?

So, was this in a meeting, that they should be exploited? Well, they are, and you know they are, but this was so prevalent in his mind that it was used as a descriptor? How about ‘accomplishments’? Where did he find this word to express what an Olympic athlete does?
I completely understand that commentary is just that, commentary, off the lips, out into the world, in the moment. But Bob Costas isn’t exactly new at this game.

Here is the part that I didn’t want to write, but am going to in order for you to understand why I am so offended by what he said. And I find it hard to believe he said it, of all people, I couldn’t believe it.

I was, was is the operative word, married to someone who trained with an Olympic coach from the age of six. He has a list of records and titles, among them being World Champion at the age of nine. He missed the Olympics by a point or two, cuz he had been out all night with David Lee Roth, his ‘oh so kind’ teammates encouraged it, of course they did……….

He grew up in that world. I met, through him, and knew, one Olympian and met another. Heard stories and phone conversations with countless others. They give up having a normal life, and even after their Olympic careers never have a normal life. They are already exploited, and live on their accomplishments, but the accomplishments they make to overcome being Olympians and things they overcome to meld back into society are never mentioned.

I was surprised and offended because I thought that Bob Costas understood the sacrifices involved in being and elite athlete, even if he just watched the ’special pieces’ about the athletes you would come away with and idea of what it takes to be separated from a normal day to day world to focus on achieving that level of accomplishment at anything.

Due to the access I had, I am torn about the Olympics. One side of me thinks the athletics machine should be shut down, another sees the importance of letting people live vicariously through others-to see their hard work bring a reward, and there should be a standard of excellence that younger athletes strive to attain.

But calling it ‘exploits’? I can’t see how I would ever use that word for it.

These athletes are entered into a world before they even have a chance to decide whether they like it or not. Complete dedication, it’s just what they do, it’s all they know…They are already exploited way before they ever become Olympic athletes….How about not exploiting them once they get there?

In your coverage, are you going to do a piece on Jennifer Chandler? Are you going to mention that Jennifer Chandler was the youngest Olympian at her time? Is she the youngest diver ever ? What she did was incredible, I remember seeing it, and hearing her describe what it is like is riveting, I heard it over wine on her deck…..You should, she is an interesting person, a talented painter/artist, and makes her living making press releases for people like the illiterate Bo Jackson, and others, she is now in the Alabama Hall of Fame…….and Greg Louganis? Are you going to shove him aside again? Why? He is another who was able to pick up the pieces and make a life for himself. They are a few of the people who put a boost into the anaemic Olympic coverage when it was needed.

And I still am waiting for a piece about Ron O’Brien, the longest running coach in any Olympic sport, don’t you think it’s about time to give him his due?

His son Tim was an Olympic coach, too, after him. I’m not in the know enough to know if he is the coach this year. And Randy was a coach too, an Olympian who became a coach.

Exploits? What an Entertainment Tonight kind of word… Trashy. And dismissive. Demeaning.
Where did that word come from? I would like an answer.

Sincerely,
Dayna
Athens, Ohio

here is the letter to nbc about bob costas.

You made your choice, stood behind John while he flat out lied about it all while posing for family photos during the campaign, and risked handing the country over to Republicans for another 4 years.

If you didn’t want it to be public, you should’ve sat the race out.

This is the FIRST rime in my life I haven’t watched the opening ceremonies of the olympics. With slaves, you can get quite a good show–but that is all it is. I support the athletes, but I pity them. So far away and so alone.

May I remind you that the original post was about Edwards? Oh well, who cares, really?