Olympics

OK....I admit it...I am an Olympic nut(ball). I love the Olympics. Ever 4 years, summer or winter I am glued to the TV watching the games.

Not sure why, but it seems to just bring out the best in the world. I wish we could get over this cheating thing, but when I hear of Michael Phelps being offered 1,000,000 for getting 7 gold medals, or was it for 8; point is the same.....that ruins the sport. Nor sure why the Americans seem to feel the need to place a price tag on their achievements, it is as if they are meaningless unless you can get something out of them, the achievement itself is not worth anything.
Is this not exactly what the Olympics DO NOT represent?

I think that the downfall was the allowance for professionals into the games. Therein came the 'Dream Team', who thankfully lost their first game. The whole point was to win, to smother the competition and put on a show. I think that this needs, begs for a review of this policy. It has obviously gone too far.
Maybe we cannot return to the way things were, when the Olympics were for amatures, but we need to tone it down. As for Michael Phelps, it would appear he cannot achieve his goal at this Olympics. He is an amazing athlete, I hope he will return and do well at the next Olympic games. Although it is much hard to achieve now, than when Mark Spitz set the record of 7 gold medals, it is certainly good to have these goals.
Did it not take 26years to break the long-jumping record set in Mexico City....maybe we will never break the records set by Mark Spitz, or the drug-enduced onces of Carl Lewis, but striving to achieve these will set our sites high...is that not the goal of the Olympics?