Chris Kaman

Kaman the German: He'll never wear a Team USA jersey via ESPN

One of the more depressing stories to come out of these Olympics that doesn't involve the apparently random stabbing death of the father of the American volleyball coach or the blatant persecution of Chinese Christians without a peep from America or the IOC.

Chris Kaman is a third-generation American, just about as American as you can get. There is absolutely no reason why he should be allowed to shop himself out to the German team. I can certainly understand the desire to compete in the Olympics, particularly since the odds of him getting to do so as a representative of America were slim to none. Having said that, how would he have felt, if somehow Germany had won the gold, as he stood on the podium bowing his head to receive the medal, the culmination of the dreams of virtually any athlete in the world, and then having to listen as the German national anthem played, and the German flag was raised to the rafters?

I would kill to have the natural athletic ability to be able to represent America in the Olympics, and if somehow I had ever ended up on the highest level of the Olympic podium, watching the Star and Stripes rising as the Star-Spangled Banner played, I would be a tearful mess. It would be the proudest moment of my life, even if it was for rhythmic gymnastics. I would be representing my country, and it would be an experience beyond description. But to voluntarily take dual-citizenship, to sell my services to a foreign country in pursuit of this goal is tantamount to treason, in my mind. What if it was not Germany to whom Kaman sold his skills? What if it was Cuba, or Venezuela, or China, or North Korea, or Iran, or any of the other nations that would be considered our enemy by many? Athletes who pursue this course in the future should be told that they are certainly willing to do so, but if they choose this path, they should be prepared to give up their American citizenship, permanently.

USA! USA!

Finally got around to watching the US victory in the 4x100m Freestyle Relay from last night.

What amazing stuff.

One of those situations, similar to the Giant's Super Bowl win, where everything is in place for unbelievable drama, between Phelps' quest for 8 golds, the French as the villain, accentuated by their talking of smack, everything was in place, and the actual race couldn't have been better. An unbelievable finish, combined with a tremendous call from Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines.

Here's the entire race from NBC, and Lezak's leg on YouTube (probably won't be up for long)

I've watched it about twenty times so far, I tear up a little each time as Lezak powers into the wall and Hicks's voice cracks, and the celebration from the Americans is the icing on the cake. What a performance.

Oddly Worded Piece

Officials nab Chinese activist on way to church

In one of the stranger pieces of pro-Chinese Communist propoganda that has emerged so far during the Olympics, the AP does an amazing job making what appears to be the blatant persecution of a Christian into a normal, everyday, "nothing to see here" moment (and maybe that's exactly what it is in China).

The way the article is presented here is how it appeared in this morning's AMNY, the longer version is linked to above:

BEIJING — Security agents detained a Christian activist who was bicycling to a service at a state-sanctioned church attended by President Bush on Sunday, confiscating his Bible and cell phone, the man's brother said.

Hua Huiqi, a member of Beijing's underground Christian church who had been planning to attend the service for days, was being held at an undisclosed location, said his brother, Hua Huilin. It was not immediately clear what Hua Huiqi was going to do at the service.

While it wasn't clear if Bush knew of Hua's situation, the president said after the service that China had nothing to fear from expressions of faith.

"It just goes to show that God is universal," Bush said.

"It was not immediately clear what Hua Huiqi was going to do at the service."

Huh? I dunno, worship? Sing some hymns, perhaps? The man was riding a bicycle, and carrying a cell phone and a Bible. What on earth did they think he was going to do at the service?

Great Olympic Story

Lost-boy Lomong to carry U.S. flag via Reuters

I had seen this article elsewhere, but was unaware of the whole "spiting China by appointed a Sudanese refugee" angle. Not sure if it's as prominent an issue as this article makes out, but if so, it's an interesting ploy, a very subtle, but apparently meaningful jab.