USE THIS: Winning the Gold in Epic Literature

Sadly, the title of the post isn't some clever promotional stunt for the interp vendors in the market. Or is it? (Seriously, it isn't.) 

It's been a week since we were able to tune into competitors from around the world competing in gymnastics, track and field, underwater basket-weaving and a host of other Olympic sports. There are those who will wait patiently for the summer games to return in 2016. There are others who are more than relieved to only endure the games that often. 

If you're not a fan of the current incarnation of the sporting event, maybe you would have preferred some of the earlier events the Olympics offered, such as epic literature, chamber music, water colors, and others. While the Olympics once gave medals for arts, the practice was discontinued when it was dominated by professionals (something the organizers believed went against the goals of the games). 

Today, you may not be able to win an Olympic gold medal for Duo Blocking or Source Accuracy in Extemp. You can, however, use the Olympics as an example of how our interests evolve over time. Or maybe, we should consider bringing those events back as a way to encourage the recognition of international creativity. Either way, it's fun to picture a world in which millions of people tune in to watch final rounds of forensics being played out on an international stage. Yep, that would be golden.