Swengali: Olympic Spirit Made in the USA

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IF IT'S NOT dead, patriotism is certainly muted in this country a majority of the time.

Yet this first week of the Olympics has brought a noticeable, and refreshing, change.

If you'e like me — and some may pity such souls — you are watching for two reasons: to see world-class athletes expertly perform feats we did in gym class and to cheer on Americans.

Two prime examples were the historic men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay that the U.S. swim team won and the women's team gymnastics competition that the Chinese captured.

It was amazing not only that the Americans set a world record in the pool last Sunday night, but also that the French's boasting motivated the team to a thrilling victory. There's nothing better than beating France, is there?

Oppositely, a loss to China's gymnasts has sparked more than a few whispers that Chinese gymnast He Kexin is 13, not 16, which would make her ineligible to compete. For the record, she doesn't look 13 — she looks 9 — but the budding rivalry between the democratic United States and communist China must have something to do with the bitterness.

Surely, the new wave of patriotism will diminish along with the Olympic torch a week from now. We should enjoy it while it lasts.

Then life can return to normal: Cowboys fans will have no place in D.C. and LeBron James will transform from an Olympic hero into a Wizards killer.

The Olympics are like a vacation from our typical rivalries. No wonder we're so into the spirit.