Two weeks ago I condemned the Chinese government in a post leading up to the Olympics. Now, I’m 
completely mesmerized with watching as many events as humanly possible. What a change occurred, that I never expected.
The funny thing is that most everyone I speak to is feeling the same way. Even those non sports lovers can't seem to get enough of the festivities.
This surely isn't typical Olympic spirit. I can't remember more than one event from the Greek games four years ago. And Sydney was bypassed altogether at the turn of our century. A quick poll of six friends revealed the same thing. None of them cared about it and viewership was nil.
So, what is it about these games that has evoked so much interest?
Clearly, we (Americans) love the fact that one of our own has just won more medals than anyone ever has (or may do again.) My friend Stephen said that watching Phelps makes him want to jump in a pool and learn the butterfly right now. The fact is that NBC did a phenomenal job of playing to our need to find pure, honest and larger than life heroes in this tumultuous warring time. And, they made us all feel great about Dara Torres and, of course, Mr. Phelps. Because of this, Stephen and hundreds of thousands of other Americans caught the "Phelps' fever," much the same way so many did once upon a time with Tiger Woods and golf and Michael Jordan and basketball.
Then there's the time/distance variable which actually makes it easier and much more appealing to watch these Olympic games. It's ironic that 12 hours and being half way around the world is the perfect time to peak our interest and witness the games for hours. More to the point, we love these games because many of the most important events can be viewed live versus taped delays. And that makes all the difference in the world.
But ultimately, I think the "China Factor" is why we initially tuned in. And, it's what keeps most of us constantly coming back for more.
This mysterious, little understood emerging world power is just starting to lift its cloak of secrecy. And, we're all dying to get as many peaks inside as possible. Whether it be around scandal, awe, or somewhere in between, Americans don't care. We just want more information and stories about China.
China feels like the new eighth wonder of the world to us. And, the Olympics is only the beginning as we continue to learn and be amazed with a country and its people who may someday replace our beloved USA as the sole world leader. Just imagine the United States of China. Sends a chill down my bones...
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