The 2012 Olympics in London have ended. Since the Olympic spirit has always been about competing, we congratulate the Long Island contingent who performed in a variety of challenging sports: Sue Bird of Syosset, Debbie Capozzi of Bayport, Brandon Escobar of Rocky Point, Amanda Clark of Shelter Island, Jamel Herring of Coram, Lisa Karcic of New Hyde Park, Erik Storck of Huntington and Maria Michita of Nesconset.
In recent decades the Olympic spirit has been debased significantly, most egregiously with the introduction of professional athletes as participants, even though this new rule has benefited Sue Bird who won her third gold medal as a member of the women’s basketball squad and is now the most accomplished female athlete in modern Long Island history. Still, it’s the achievements of amateurs that people often remember most: In this case, the sprinter from South Africa who competed manfully on an artificial limb. So congratulations again to the Long Island Olympiads and also to Tiffany Viola, who performed admirably in the always-difficult diving competition. Viola competed out of Minnesota, but the name is familiar to local baseball fans as she is the daughter of Frank Viola, the East Meadow native and star pitcher for both the Minnesota Twins and New York Mets.
—Joe Scotchie, editor of the Massapequan Observer
