The Winter Olympics – A Week Away!

Gone are the days of the ABC Wide World of Sports, where they would televise sports that would not be shown anywhere else (unless ESPN would woefully send their now-legends out to cover it to say they were there). The avid bowler that I was as a kid and continue to be gave me the opportunity to watch the WWOS after the Professional Bowlers Association would conclude their live finals on Saturday afternoons. The legendary voice of Jim McKay intros the shows and the vivid memories of a long-jump skiier sliding into a horrible crash...

Shows like the Wide World of Sports always inspired me to become a sportscaster, or something of that sort. I've never gone skiing because of the opening crash, but I sure loved to speed skate. I also would have loved to go bobsledding or even laying back and going really fast on the luge.

It's that time again where the sports we rarely see are back to consume us for two weeks, while we try to stay warm and out of the elements. The Winter Olympics will begin in a week in Sochi, Russia. I've been anticipating this for the last six months and thanks for a little help from NBC, who have promoted the snot out of it since last February. It is, however, being promoted even heavier with political stances and security issues as we inch closer to the opening ceremonies.

Most people remember the great Americans that have adorn the Stars and Stripes and represented our country in several great sports, like Dan Jansen and Bonnie Blair (speed skating), Picabo Street (skiing) and Michelle Kwan (skating). We also remember some of the others that unfortunately made history in other ways (ie Nancy Karrigan and Tonya Harding).

This year's batch of Olympians will have new faces that could see gold medals, like Gracie Gold (skating) and sisters Arielle and Taylor Gold (snowboarding). And wouldn't it be sweet to see Sugar Todd win a medal in speed skating? There are also the long time standbys who have been to multiple Olympics, like Bode Miller, Shani Davis and many of the players on the last USA Hockey teams for both men and women. I'm also interested to see the continued transition of Lolo Jones, who went from track and field olympian to becoming a pusher on the women's 4-person bobsled. Finally, I'll kind of miss not seeing Lindsey Vonn on the slopes this go-round, but will have to wait until the 2018 games in Pyeongchang, North Korea.

As for favorite sports, my son Austin and I will enjoy sitting through a few matches of curling. I'm also a fan of the skeleton, the luge and the bobsled. I think Sam and I will be more consumed with hockey!

How will you celebrate the Sochi Olympics and what will you watch over the two-week festivities? Let us know by leaving a comment below!