Brandon's Buzz

Gym Class Heroes (featuring Ryan Tedder) — “The Fighter”
(from The Papercut Chronicles II) —

Now that the cauldron is lit — the creative process of which action was easily the highlight of director Danny Boyle’s otherwise oddly muted (if not downright droll) Opening Ceremony event, a massive comedown from the stunning spectacle that kicked off the 2008 Games in Beijing — and the initial contests are underway, the Buzz officially has Olympic fever. It’s a fever that only grows more intense whenever I run across this hopelessly inspirational tune, the smashing video for which features the extraordinary John Orozco, the Bronx-born reigning national champion in men’s gymnastics who is set to score a handful of shiny hardware in London over the next couple of weeks. Over the course of the last few Games, most of the spotlight’s white-hot glare has justly tended to fall on Team USA’s female gymnasts, but hear me when I tell you that, at least on paper, we are fielding the strongest and most roundly talented quintet of young men — including past Olympian Jonathan Horton, Cuban-born sensation Danell Leyva, blue-eyed cutie Jake Dalton, and that shaky-ankled wonder boy Sam Mikulak — that we have ever placed on the world stage. As ever, stiff competition looms from China and Japan, but with the team competition beginning later today (and concluding Monday, setting up what looks to be the most hotly-contested individual all-around race in memory later in the week), I hereby predict you’ll quickly see that these five men belong squarely in the middle of the conversation for gold. (Best of luck, boys; I know I’m gonna drive my beloved nuts with it over the next few days, but I’ll be savoring every last second of your superlative brilliance.)