For months it had been predicted that the tidal wave of tourists would turn our beloved freeways into parking lots. But as a result of that fear, locals were so afraid to get in their cars that traffic was a light as it’s ever been.
From start to finish it was a celebration — a three-week party. The athletes were housed in the UCLA dorms (Olympic Village). Living close to UCLA I would walk to the area around the student store and there were these athletes just hanging out. I met kids from Korea and Chile and places I’ve only heard of because of JEOPARDY. Very informal. Everyone was having fun. Vendors were selling food and drink and commemorative pins. Those pins were a big collector’s item during the games.
The Soviet Union boycotted that year, but that’s like Republicans not participating in the Congressional Investigation of January 6. Who needs ‘em?
I went to a day of track and field events at the Memorial Coliseum. Unlike this year where only 50 spectators are allowed to each venue, 100,000 people filled the Coliseum to watch Carl Lewis and Edwin Moses perform their heroics. Buses provided transportation so the party libations came out before 10 am. Our seats weren’t great, but who cares? We were there. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event and I didn’t have to park my car in a bad neighborhood.
We also got tickets to see the women’s gymnastics at Pauley Pavilion on the UCLA campus. No traffic problems there either. We walked to the venue.
Four or five events were going on at once and there was no real scoreboard. I had purchased a portable TV that looked like a big walkie-talkie. Through that I was able to follow the scores. But it didn’t take any assistance to see that Mary Lou Retton was crushing it. I was there the night she won all her various medals. It was truly thrilling.
As the competition continued, a few of the winning athletes would show up at the student store with their medals around their necks. If my Emmy wasn’t so bulky I would have done the same thing.
This year the Olympic Village is in somewhat of a bubble, although that’s a joke since athletes themselves are spreading the virus. The athletes can’t go out and sight-see, which is always one of the perks. They can’t mingle with adoring fans. They play in empty stadiums. And if they are on TV, NBC might have farmed out their event to cable channels no one’s ever heard of. In many cases the announcers are not on-site, they’re in Secaucus, New Jersey calling the events off a monitor. If only the athletes could be in Secaucus.
The LA Olympics were a blast. That’s the way they’re supposed to be. And hopefully will be again.
from By Ken Levine
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