Waiting for Dwyer

It has been nearly two weeks since I first stepped foot into the Olympic Green Field Hockey Stadium venue. In that short span of time, I have learned quite a bit about field hockey. Growing up in the Midwest where football is king, I had no experience with the sport whatsoever. But thanks to the knowledge and patience of a Sports Information Specialist Andy and a Olympic News Service Reporter Fidz, I have expanded my sports knowledge and mind.

This past week I have had the opportunity to watch some of the best field hockey players in the entire world. I have had the opportunity to interview coaches, chat with players, meet journalist and stand toe-to-toe with future colleagues. It has been quite a learning experience. I have learned who the best players are, who is favored to win, who has a tradition of winning and who could potentially play the role of spoilers.

I can tell you that Luciana Aymar from Argentina is one of the greatest female athletes of the generation. She plays a sport that gets little attention in North America, but when she laces up those bright pink shoes and grabs a stick, she is something else. I can also tell you that on the men's side, Teun de Nooijer is the best player I have seen in field hockey. I can tell you that fellow Dutchman Guus Vogels is one of the best goal keepers in the world, Australia's Melanie Wells is a great interview and Argentina's coach Gabriel Minadeo speaks Spanglish.

I haven't seen it all... yet. I am still anxious as ever to watch a real game and not just a training game. I am anxious to interview more athletes. I am anxious to see who will win, who will lose, great scores, great saves and totally embrace the sport of field hockey. I cannot lie, I am also anxious to see Australia's Jamie Dwyer play. Most regard him as the greatest hockey player in the world. He scores a lot of goals and has won countless awards and trophies, but there is another reason why I am so eager to watch and interview him. He is the best. According to sources at least, he is better at his job than anybody else is at his. What a thing to strive for.