Before these 21st Winter Olympic Games began, all I kept hearing was, “Wow, the Winter Olympics start tonight? I didn’t even know. Whatever, they’re not as good as summer anyway.” At the other end of the emotional spectrum, I was excited as could be. How can a competition, occurring only once every four years, between the best athletes from nearly every country, with the eyes of the world on it and national pride hanging in the balance, be anything but riveting?

“Dude, the Summer Olympics are so much better. Is Michael Phelps competing this year? Are LeBron and Kobe trying for another basketball gold medal? Do I get to see smoking-hot (but weirdly tiny) American gymnasts? Is there any way the opening ceremony will be as epic as Beijing? No? That’s what I thought.”

I’ll give you that. But we were definitely spoiled by 2008’s Summer Games. With Phelps setting a record with eight gold medals, a dream team of NBA stars finally retaking the top of the medal podium, Americans overcoming formidable opponents to win gold in volleyball, gymnastics, and other high-profile events, and perhaps the greatest theatrical spectacle of all time in the epic four-hour plus opening ceremony, it is possible that no Olympics, at least for a while, will live up to the standard of excitement and drama set by Beijing. Nonetheless, any Olympic Games is worth watching; athletes spend basically their entire lives training for as few as a couple of seconds of competition against others who have done the same. Every four years in each event we get to determine, with near-perfect accuracy, who the best is in the world.

After the first day in Vancouver, however, the doubters had a lot of ammunition. An ominous aura hung over the opening ceremony after a Georgian luger died during a practice run on the world’s fastest (and probably most dangerous) luge course. The ceremony itself was lackluster compared to the colorful, musical delight that was Beijing’s opening ceremony. One of the USA’s best hopes for gold, skier Lindsey Vonn, said she might not be able to compete because of intense shin pain, a brutal obstacle in downhill skiing.

But after a few days, it has become clear that Olympic competition rises to the occasion every time. Athletes from numerous countries have treated us to outstanding performances, including the Chinese winning the pairs figure skating event. But these Games have been all about America so far. Vonn overcame her badly bruised shin to win the downhill skiing event, crashing into the snow past the finish line as she shrieked and cried in joy and disbelief. Chicagoan speed skater Shani Davis defeated an upstart field in the 1000-meter race by almost two-tenths of a second, despite being in fifth place as he began his final lap. Short-track speed skater extraordinaire Apolo Anton Ohno already won a silver in the 1500 meter race and has three more opportunities to medal.

Even the Flying Tomato is getting into the act; snowboarding/skateboarding wunderkind Shaun White dominated the half pipe event so thoroughly that the silver medal winner, Peetu Piioroinen of Finland, said, “It’s impossible to beat Shaun unless he falls.” The Americans are dominating the medal count, leading the second place country, Germany, in total medals by seven. The U.S. is also leading in each type of gold, silver, and bronze medals.  And it doesn’t stop anytime soon; there are still more than a week’s worth of events to watch. So even though “it probably won’t be as good as Beijing,” check it out. If you like sports at all, or even if you just love America dominating other countries, the Olympics are always worth watching. If you’ve been watching this past week, you know exactly what I mean.