The top ten themes of the Summer Olympics 2008 in Beijing China

Each Olympics has several main themes that catches the viewers attention, and it is the job of the television company (NBC here in America), to grab hold of these themes and sell them to the viewer so that ratings stay high. In 2004 the main story line of the Olympics was the return to Athens, Greece, where the Olympics were originally held. What will be some of the top stories that viewers will be made aware of plenty of times during the 2008 Olympics?

Top 10 Themes of the Summer Olympics 2008 in Beijing

1. Michael Phelps Quest for 8 Golds- Whether you are an American or not, a main theme in these Olympics will likely be Phelps and his quest for the unthinkable. If Phelps is able to meet his goal he will beat the record for the most gold medals in a single Olympiad.

2. China and their growing economy- The Chinese want this to be a real showing of strength for their country. They believe this is an opportunity for them to show that they are a growing superpower. Will the rest of the world view it that way or will it view the spectacle as something that is staged?

3. Can this USA basketball team redeem themselves or has the world caught up? In 2004 the United States failed to win the gold medal and the rest of the world felt as if it had slayed the dragon. The United States has put more of an emphasis on this team, but the world has some great teams.

4. Liu Xiang in the 110m hurdles- In 2004 Liu Xiang became the first Chinese to win a gold medal on the track. In 2008 the weight of a country is on his shoulders to pull off another gold. Xiang will battle a hamstring injury and a very strong field.

5. Olympic protests regarding Tibet- While the Chinese won't want this to be a big story, it certainly has the potential to be a big one. There is plenty of a movement out there to let the rest of the world know about the rights of Tibet and the cameras will likely capture some of it.

6. Dara Torres swimming at age 41- The story of Dara Torres swimming in the 50m Freestyle will be a big one and it should be. Torres is 41 years of age and this will be her fifth Olympics, and yet she still has a legitimate shot at some kind of medal in these games.

7. The air quality in Beijing- The air quality in Beijing has been a big issue in the years leading up to the Olympic games here, and it could become a big issue during the games as well. If anyone starts complaining about the air quality after the events, expect the coverage to shift toward this story rapidly.

8. Yao Ming and the Chinese basketball team- For much of the world Yao Ming has been the face China in the last several years. China is expecting big things out of Yao and the basketball team in these Olympics. The team isn't expected to medal, so any deep run would be a surprise.

9. United States vs. China in overall medals- A budding rivalry in these games and upcoming summer Olympic games is the United States vs. China in overall medals. The Chinese have been catching the United States quickly and some believe they will pass them this year.

10. Libby Trickett- In past Olympics Australian Libby Trickett, former Libby Lenton, was seen as a disappointment. She is the fastest female swimmer in the world and she is out to make 2008 her coming out party. Don't be surprised if she dominates.

These are likely to be some of the top themes of these summer games. The great part is, it is really tough to predict exactly what will become the biggest story until the games actually take place. We will have to revisit this after the Olympics to see what ended up as the biggest theme of the games! Enjoy the 2008 Olympic Games!