I know those of us who had an opportunity to follow the 2002 Olympics each have their own favorite moment.  And I am no different.  However, what an athlete actually said will probably stay with me longer especially when I think about what happened on September 11, 2001 and subsequent actions taken since then.

This athlete reminded all who were watching that . . . the Olympics is about athletes from different countries trying to do their best in competitive spirit . . . the athletes all are heroes regardless of being first or last . . . it is not about which country wins the most medals . . . and it is about promoting peace and harmony among nations.

The words from this young person evoked emotional thought, because they were obviously sincere, honest, and so unexpected.  It is almost like . . . I needed to hear it.  Yet, the why part involved additional thought that lead to a variety of reasons which include . . . being an athlete; being the father of athletes; being a business man; and most importantly, having the right attitude.

And while this sincere statement is too simplistic to expect terrorists and other like-minded individuals to approach their causes similarly, it is still very timely and should echo in the minds of anyone who is even slightly competitive.  Who knows . . . it might even be the difference in walking away from a confrontation over a sporting event or other matter versus ending up with a manslaughter conviction like what took place recently in a northeastern state of the USA.

Yes, Jimmy Shea is proud of his winning the gold medal in the skeleton, but he should be equally proud of representing the best in Olympic athletes for what he said, as well.  (An admirable trait fostered by his grandfather, who recently passed away.)