Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

When the Olympic Games opened a little over a week ago in Athens, Greece, I was pleased not only that Greece, the country, had pulled it off but also that I would have a chance to watch some of my favorite spectator sports as August droned down.

I have a special place in my heart for the gymnasts, since my son Keith had been one in his youth. Floor exercise was his favorite event. So I spent the first nights watching the competitions and crocheting on a Christmas project. I got a lot done on the project.

But as Week One rolled over into Week Two, I found myself returning to reading for the evening’s excitement. By now, we have been inundated with doping charges, poor performances in some quarters, misjudging judges, and complaints from those who felt they should have won and didn’t. Gymnast Svetlana Khorkina takes the gold in this latter category.

These are not new behaviors; the previous Winter Games were also beset with poor judges and poorer losers. And, while I cannot list other specific Olympics, I recall vaguely how hands raised in black power salutes, runners who didn’t pass drug tests, and marathoners who tripped each other were part of the unscheduled events.

Human error happens, no doubt; but I am beginning to wonder if the Olympics are becoming just another example of too much hype, too much pressure, too much riding on the exposure for the winners, too much marketing, too much of everything that isn’t about good sportsmanship.

Maybe the next celebrity Wheaties® box should be absolutely white with nothing, except its nutritional value and bar code, printed on it. What do you think?