Winter Games Exciting

To the editors:

Bryan Lee's flippant dismissal of the Nagano Winter Olympic Games (Sports, Feb. 18) is narrow-minded, to say the least. The Winter Olympics are a display of human athletic talents pitted against harsh elements. I am a huge fan of the Winter Games and often bring my books to the couch in the common room and watch for hours. When I can't catch the prime-time coverage, I sometimes stay up for the late-night coverage.

The events may be obscure, but they are nonetheless fascinating. Lee dismisses luge and biatholon as "stupid," and for not making any sense. I ask him how much sense football makes. The biatholon at least arises from the context of hunting during icy conditions. And many of the Winter Olympic events, while not as flashy as some of the sports Americans are accustomed to, are very technical and difficult to master. How many of us could negotiate a luge course without getting killed?

The Winter Olympics are special because they only come around once every four years. For the athletes, this is the moment for which they have worked their entire lives. These athletes are the best in the world at what they do, and we should admire their achievements and dedication. Most of them will not be rewarded with huge contracts, and will fade into obscurity once their moment in the spotlight is over.

When we see the emotions of these Olympians, we have to feel privileged to share in their moment, and while we may not fully understand their events, we can appreciate their striving and their unequalled athletic abilities. GRACE I. LIU '00   Feb. 19, 1998