by The Cowl Editor on February 1, 2018
PCI
By Chris McCormack ’18
Sports Staff
With the Winter Olympics right around the corner, there is always some debate on which Games are better: Summer or Winter? With that in mind it is necessary to understand the basic facts of the two. The Summer Olympics have been around for over a century, starting in 1896 in Athens, Greece. The Winter Olympics have not been around for as long, dating back to the 1924 Games in Chamonix, France. The summer games also host more countries, 206 countries participated in 2016 compared to the 91 that are participating in this year’s games. With just history and the number of participants in mind, it is hard to see why one would prefer the winter games.
As Americans, however, we tend to like the winter games because of sports like ice hockey and games like the one in 1980, in which the U.S. defeated the Soviet Union. However, athletes like Michael Phelps, Simone Biles and Usain Bolt have increased the popularity the Summer Olympics with their incredible athleticism.
Another reason the summer games are more entertaining than the winter games is because of Team USA Basketball. With the NHL no longer allowing their athletes to participate in the games, USA Basketball is really our country’s only chance to see the professional athletes of our country participate against their worldwide counterparts. It is always enjoyable to see the best basketball players combine forces in super team fashion and compete.
For reasons that include history, inclusivity, and the inclusion of big name professional athletes, the Summer Olympics are more enjoyable than the Winter Olympics. Regardless of how you feel, however, it is always nice to see the increased patriotism around the times of the games and for that reason, it is hard to dislike either one.