I'm Boycotting The Olympics

Edward Said once said in a TV interview (I cannot find the video, so I am loosely quoting him):

"Sports, in general, is nothing more than a weapon of mass distraction. We cheer for our favorite team to come out victorious. If they don't, we complain and hope for better results in the next season. If they do, we celebrate endlessly and await similar results in the year to come. All the while ignoring the fact that neither outcome has any material effect on our lives, and distracting us from the real issues happening in the world around us."

Until recently, I've been one of the Massively Distracted. I'm not sure what exactly happened to me, but I have decided to stop being a crazy sports fan (Zamalek's systematic and humiliating loses to Al Ahly, and Federer's humiliating loss to Nadal in Wimbledon may have a lot to do with my decision) .

Accordingly, I will NOT be watching the long awaited 08/08/08 Beijing Olympics.

• Dear Athletes: no need to bother with performance enhancement drugs. I will not be impressed anyways.
• Dear Advertisers: save your ads budgets and your multi-million endorsements of filthy rich athletes. Attract more buyers by lowering your prices.
  
• Dear Chinese Government: Forget about Olympic glory and achieve moral glory by pulling out of Tibet.
• Dear International Olympic Committee: Amateur games my foot. You've turned the Olympics into a multinational Business Corporation with just one interest: MONEY!!
  
• Dear sports fans: Sports are only good for you when you are actually involved in playing them. Being a couch-potato glued to your TV to watch other people play sports does no good to your mind, body, or heart.
• Dear die-hard sports fans: You've managed to turn a good thing that was supposed to promote friendship and cooperation into yet another reason to hate and fight.
• Dear sports gamblers: Have nothing better to do with your money? Please send it to my bank account, and then place bets on the chances of me returning it back!!!
  

OK, I think I am done lecturing for now. Now excuse me, I need to go find out who will Federer be playing in his opener (AH!!! hopeless case)