I have watched probably as much athletic fare as the next person, and I certainly have witnessed first-hand as many inspiring events as most people have.

I always came away from this enthusiastic stuff wondering what other things could be accomplished in life if we could just harness that excitement and that energy into other more worthwhile causes than sports.

While watching the Beijing Olympics the other night, I sat in awe of the 90,000 people gathered there at the National Stadium (a.k.a. the Bird’s Nest), excited to see the finals in women’s gymnastics.

I was amazed at the excitement, and each and every participant was awestruck to see such support.

What if, I’m thinking, we could just channel all that energy into something more valuable than the spirit of nationalism that those young gymnasts evoked from all those watching in attendance, to say nothing of the millions gathered at home, huddling to watch the same spectacle.

Nothing quite unites countries for the cause like Olympic competition, does it? But can you imagine if we could get people as excited about such issues as, for example, solving world hunger?

Can you imagine the collective good that could come out of such an affair? How much good could be done with worldwide events for causes we could begin to market on a worldwide scale?

The end results could be mind-boggling.

Think in your own mind the enthusiasm that a walk-off home run creates at Fenway Park in Boston.

It sends shivers up my spine when I witness that, and I often come away thinking if only we could instill that enthusiasm in much more valuable ways.

So the operative discussion, then, is how do we accomplish all that?

Let’s list a few needs that could be offered up in stadiums across the world which are certainly vital to the survival of our planet that could be addressed and sought out for more research and funding if done in the right way, in front of the 90,000 or so folks I saw the other night in China.

How about 90,000 people being motivated to the cause of cancer research? Think about that. Send the teams who do the research and promote the cause.

Or how about sending a team into a large stadium to discuss the need for eliminating heart disease from the planet? Or how about a team to speak on the issue of global warming? Or how about rallying around the cause of eliminating diabetes from the planet? Can’t be done, you’re saying. With 100,000 folks to tap enough enthusiasm for such work into the hearts and the minds of excited crowds everywhere to grasp the cause and make it one’s life work would be quite a spectacle. Checkbooks in hand, spectators could be led to go wild, and then write large checks.

Too farfetched, you’re saying. Perhaps the human spirit is far underrated as a mechanism for change.

Think of all those stadiums across the world and all those fans, screaming loudly to evoke change in their respective teams to win one game.

“What if” has been said for years. I wonder who will take the bull by the horns and make the move.

Instead of saying “Why?” be like the late Robert F. Kennedy and say, “Why not?”

30-Second Time Out

All this Olympic action takes me back to local stars such as Dale Reid of Bangor YMCA fame, a physical specimen on the rings, including the famous iron cross move; volleyball sensation Tim Rice also of Bangor YMCA fame; balance beam whiz Nancy (Speirs) Dawson of Bangor High; championship horse vaulter Lynn Fleming, another Bangor High sensation; and swimming breaststroke phenom Lennie Gordon of BHS renown.

I am certain that the 29th Olympiad will inspire other young people like Olympic action did in my generation to excel in what they recently witnessed in China. The next Summer Games will be held in London, England, in 2012.

Let the inspiration begin.

bdnsports@bangordailynews.net