INSPIRATION NATION

Ruffle My Feathers, a weekly sports column by Justin Lewis

INSPIRATION NATION

The Olympics have brought about many great things confidence, success, perseverance, and triumph. However there is something much more important than those things I mentioned. The best thing these Olympic Games have done has to do with inspiring many to dream to achieve and subsequently helping them understand how to achieve that dream. I am inspired by the following youth for their strength, hard work, skill(s) (as a result of hard work), and perseverance.

Cullen Jones is a U.S. competitive swimmer who specializes in free-style sprint events. He has inspired children from all walks of life with his success in the pool and the way he carries himself outside of it. Just the other day I heard some kids from around the way (not the nicest of neighborhoods) saying they wanted to be just like Cullen. They said they wanted to “travel the world and do things people said they never could”. Cullen these Olympic Games have allowed you to shine and obtain (1) Gold Medal and (2) Silvers, and that’s awesome. Your ability to swim (many youth/adults were never taught or are afraid to do so) and the ability to know how to carry yourself outside of your celebrity is great and it shows everyone that perseverance and values overcome ignorance. Just this past week an individual (landlord) placed a sign on the pool that said something very rude to a particular ethnicity (Something you may have seen/heard in back in the 1950’s or 60’s). The landlord banned a young girl from the buildings pool facilities because, “the chemicals in the girl’s hair would make the pool cloudy.” How does one know what chemicals are within the young lady’s hair? Does your hair encounter the same issues? Have you seen this happen in the past or does your side job involve predicting the future? It’s a shame this kind of thing won’t go away but it should be utilized as motivation and give people who encounter this ignorance a great peace of mind knowing that if someone is that scared of your success/growth you are doing a great job. Anyway, Cullen keep doing your thing and inspiring all of the youth.

Gabby Douglas the “Flying Princess”. Yes you heard it right I don’t like her other nickname because it’s too much ammunition for the ill-mannered folks out there. Gabby has inspired many a young lady with her rare combination of skill, grace and a humble attitude. She dominated these Olympics with a killer instinct rivaled only by her teammates within The “Fab Five” (This Fab Five is not to be confused with the Michigan Wolverines who created a culture in Basketball that was second to none). She has handled her fame very well despite her run-ins with rude folks e.g. NBC Execs and critics of her hair. NBC Execs coincidentally ran a commercial after her interview (where she spoke about her winning the gold medal). I won’t go into much detail about what the commercial consisted of but let’s just say certain “people” refuse to believe that “SPECIFIC IGNORANCE” towards specific people has ALWAYS been there and will NEVER leave.

There were critics that said Gabby’s hair looked horrible during the Olympics, on the podium, while cheering on her teammates from the stands, etc. When people say things like that it makes me wonder why they even open their mouths. What is someone’s hair supposed to look like after they have been sweating, flipping, flying, and tumbling all over the floor, balance beam, rings etc? I don’t know about you but her hair looks like the hair of Gold Medal winner who has succeeded in a sport that isn’t dominated (nor encouraged within society) by people of her ethnicity, yet she handles herself very well. Gabby you know you have made it when people make it their sole duty/goal to try to bring you down. Keep that head high, never change who you are for anybody, and oh yeah keep counting those millions (AFTER you pay your taxes).

Last but not least I want to congratulate Serena & Venus Williams. Nothing more can be said about these ladies except WOW. Every time the media and critics want to write them off they come back and literally destroy the competition. They say they “yell/scream” too much when they play (hit the ball); last time I checked EVERY tennis player yells when they hit the ball. They say they wear “skimpy/revealing” outfits; is it their fault they don’t look like (your prototypical “stars”) they haven’t eaten in (2) years? Sorry ladies and gents but some ethnicities are naturally muscular, curvy and have meat on their bones so GET OVER IT! They also say that Serena shouldn’t have been dancing after her win against Maria Sharapova (the young lady they say is better than either of the Williams sisters’). Last time I checked CELEBRATING after you win a GOLD MEDAL in the OLYMPICS (which is a WORLD-WIDE competition) was customary. What would you like her to do, fall to her knees and cry for 2-3 minutes like all the other competitors do? That’s respectful, right? Your absolutely right making your opponent wait at the net to shake your hand for 2-3 minutes is a much more respectable way to celebrate.

Anyway Venus and Serena once again dominated the WORLD on the biggest stage with Serena winning Individual Gold and then teaming up with her sister Venus to win Gold in the Women’s doubles. Sorry folks, as you can see they aren’t anywhere near ready to loosen their grip on the Women’s tennis circuit.

Congrats Olympians for inspiring many and encouraging all of the others to step their game up or keep their comments to themselves. I appreciate your hard work and diligence and I look forward to much more success in the future.