[muir_redwoods]

I think I'm finally coming around to George Carlin's view. Lets stop all this drug testing and let them use any chemical they want. We'll get to see some speed freak break the two minute mile and some Russian get a medal for bench pressing a Buick. We may even have a new event, competitive crack smoking. It would certainly liven up an often boring two weeks

[billybudd]

Hahahhahahahah. Good stuff. I agree. Let the athletes pump themselves up anyway they want to, if that's what they want. We're likely to get more entertainment.

[jennyp]

It would certainly liven up an often boring two weeks

LOL, that's for sure! Just think what it would do to weightlifting. :-)

What is the "spiritual" empathetic feeling we get when we watch the Olympics? Are we secretly visualizing ourselves in there, competing? Or is it more indirect, where we're marvelling at what humans can do if they put their mind to it? (Or are we just hoping our country racks up more medals than those other countries?)

I guess for me it's a combination of all that, although I haven't actually watched the Olympics for several years.