Olympians have been widely regarded as larger-than-life athletes since, well, the first modern Olympic Games. Superb athleticism, international recognition and a squeaky-clean image have all attributed to the Legend of the Olympian. There has been this idea for years that all Olympians do, day and night, is train and prepare their bodies for endless competitions. What we've learned during the Summer 2012 Olympic Games is that this perception of Olympians could not be more inaccurate.
Sure, the Olympians participating in the Summer 2012 Olympic Games still maintain the allusion of super-human strength and possess unequivocal athletic ability, but for the first time in history we are viewing these athletes in a different light. Why? The internet phenomenon that is Twitter.
Take Michael Phelps, for example.You would think that the most decorated Olympian of all time wouldn't have a moment to spare for Social Media networks or interactions with fans. Wrong. Phelps has Tweeted his way through this Olympics, making sure to publicize every triumph and failure he's endured. Phelps even got a Tweet from Barack Obama congratulating him on his historical win that earned him the title "The Greatest Olympian of all Time" by the media. The best part? Phelps Tweeted him back and we got to see it all. I'm sure this isn't the first time that a U.S. President has extended a warm congratulations to an outstanding U.S. Olympian, but it is the first time the general public has been in on the exchange.
Twitter has given us (the public) a vehicle into the intimate thoughts and feelings of nearly every U.S. Olympian this games. We are there to offer our heartfelt support when they swim a tenth of a second too slowly or when they fall off the balance beam during a routine. We're also there to praise them when they win and even to let them (i.e. RYAN LOCHTE) know how attractive they are. Where once there was the opportunity to send in fan mail to a favorite
Olympian who might have gotten to read it after a manager sorted through the
content, there is now a streaming, uncensored direct line to the
athletes. A great thing about Twitter is that once a Tweet is out in the
Twitterverse, it's there to stay. With Twitter, you don't experience the delay of sending
traditional mail or even have to worry about an email only getting as far as a "Junk" folder. Tweets are direct and actually reach the receiver in a matter of seconds, not days-- not even minutes.
We've even gotten a glimpse into the Olympic drama via athletes like U.S. Goal Keeper Hope Solo, who now infamously Tweeted her unhappiness about a journalist's critique of her playing. In the time before Twitter, who knows if we would have ever even heard about Solo's distaste for the report. More than likely, a comment such as the one she Tweeted would have been stopped by her representative, or perhaps broadcasted on a few TV stations. Thanks to Twitter, Solo's unhappiness was broadcasted to her Twitter followers the second she experienced it-- no filters or PR person to slow it down.
Twitter has revolutionized the Olympic Games. Olympians are no longer the out-of-reach super stars they have been in the past. The general public is now starting to view them as average people who are completely reachable and even responsive on Twitter. The Legend of the Olympian has been severely watered down this Olympic Games. While history will remember Olympians for their medal count and athletic greatness, we'll remember them as down-to-earth people who we feel like we know personally, all thanks to Twitter.
No comments:
Post a Comment