I saw the caller id as all of my Jamaican wife's Jamaican friends were calling the house earlier in the day. I did not know what they were calling for.
The Penn Relays represent the one thing that the Jamaicans have a shot at beating "The United States Of America" at something (and they have been doing so lately).
If you have ever attended the Penn Relays in person you will see that many of the food concessions vendors that line Chestnut Street in Philadelphia are selling Jamaican food - because this is what the balance of the crowd in attendance is - JAMAICAN!!!
During yesterday's broadcast of the Penn Relays, right after the relay race that the Jamaicans won the sports commentator asked one of the runners "Are we in Kingston or in Philadelphia based on the support that the Jamaican team has in the stands?".
For me I get to hear the antics of one rabid fan of the Jamaican team as they go against the USA at home: My Wife. She epitomizes how badly they want to beat the United States at track and field and reign supreme. I am forced to go to another television in another room, record the Penn Relays and then watch something else. I can hear her giving an event by event commentary as to who is winning. Yesterday the Jamaicans beat down the American teams. (USA Blue team and USA Red team)
Ironically - as she points out, many of the people on the American team are also Jamaican immigrants (or from other Caribbean countries).
I learned recently that schools in Jamaica compel all of their students to participate in track & field. You have to request permission to opt out and have a good reason for doing so. Intramurally everyone is assigned to one of many teams that each compete against each other. From there the school identifies the best performers and they are sent to compete against other schools in the area. Whereas
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