By Jeff Orvis
There are no apparent links between the Winter Olympics and the Beatles, but there are times when my jumbled thoughts have to be sorted out. So here goes.
As I watched the Grammy honors of the Beatles last night, I could not believe it's been 50 years since those four young men with long hair hit our TV screens. Music has not been quite the same since that night.
At the time, many of us probably didn't realize that we were witnessing the phenomenon that would change our music world. Mom and Dad were big music fans. While Mom seemed to lean toward some show tunes and a lot of religious music, Dad had an extensive jazz record collection. As I recall, I was only about 10 years old in 1964. I don't remember what my sister, who is two years younger, was doing that night. At age eight, she might have been a bit too young to be a rock music fan. I seem to recall that Dad walked through the living room, shook his head and retreated to his basement workshop. Mom seemed transfixed by the performance.
I didn't become an instant Beatles fan. But I eventually realized that we had them to thank for what became known as the "British Invasion." Thanks to them, I soon bought my first rock album and became a fan of Herman's Hermits. Anybody else remember "I'm Henry the Eighth I Am?"
Something else I just thought of as I watched the show last night was that this country was less than four months away from the tragedy of the assassination of President Kennedy. Perhaps nothing had drawn the attention of the television viewing audience since Nov. 22, 1963 until that night in early February.
A lot of those who make their living in show business hope to make a lasting impression on the public. We certainly didn't realize it way back in 1964, but the Beatles left an incredible impact on the music world that certainly endures to this day. Sunday's show, perhaps a candidate for an Emmy, reminded us how much we owe to the remaining living members of that mop-haired quartet. For that, I thank you Paul and Ringo.
******
Since Friday night, when we weren't watching the Beatles tribute or college basketball, many of our TV sets were tuned to coverage of the Winter Olympics from Sochi, Russia. Every four years we are reminded that there are hundreds, if not a few thousand, athletes and coaches in our country who devote their lives to superior athletic performance. Every four years, the world gets a glimpse of the results of their work.
We might get up each morning and go to the office, store, restaurant or other places of employment. A chosen few get up before dawn and lace up their figure skates or go to the weight room or the ski slopes or luge or bobsled course speed skating rink or even the nearest curling center.
The same discipline is displayed for those who compete in the Summer Olympics. We will get to see them in 2016.
Only the best of the best qualify for our Olympic teams. For only a few days they have an opportunity to try to make a lifetime of memories. The world's best athletes deserve at least livable accommodations as they chase that dream. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the way this Olympics is being staged.
The world's best athletes may not expect to be housed in royal palaces. But they should be able to expect at least a clean bed, hot shower and healthy food during their days of competition. Much has been reported on the conditions that athletes, media and fans have faced in Sochi. The countries that host the Olympics usually realize that the whole world is watching and trying to learn something about an area that people might like to visit at a later time. Despite a reported $51 billion spent on venues, hotels and security for these games, what they will be remembered for is unfinished hotels, unsanitary conditions, etc.
NBC has tried to spotlight the good points of Sochi. It looks like it was a very nice place before the Olympics invasion began seven years ago. I'm afraid that if the network is allowed to visit the area six months from now, they will find hundreds of thousands of square feet of abandoned buildings.
Let's hope the International Olympic Committee will learn from this debacle. There are plenty of examples of recent Olympics in this country, but also in Canada, Austria and numerous other countries where the residents and the government welcomed the opportunity to show off for the world.
