It's a shame that the first we're hearing about the Olympics this summer concerns threats of terrorism. That's just the reality of the 21st century.

This summer should be about so much more than terrorism. The Olympics return to Athens for the first time since 1896, the very first Olympiad. That alone is a great story.

But Serena Williams broke the latest story, serving up fears that are most likely shared by other Olympians.

"My security and my safety and my life are a little bit more important than tennis," Williams said on Sunday after her third-round match at the Nasdaq-100 Open.

"And so, if it became a real concern to where I personally wouldn't feel comfortable, then I wouldn't go to Athens."

Williams later backpedaled on Monday after receiving some flak from the media.

"I'm 100 percent going to Athens," she said.

It's good to know that Williams feels secure enough now to compete at the games, but the issue has been raised and the damage has been done.

Here at Penn State, we have two people ready to travel to Athens when the games open on Aug. 13th. Penn State women's track coach Beth Alford-Sullivan will be coordinating and coaching the American distance runners at the Olympic Games.

Penn State senior Connie Moore hopes to qualify for the team at the Olympic Trials in July as a sprinter in the 100- and 200-meters or sprinting relay events.

Alford-Sullivan said the issue of terrorism has been discussed briefly in meetings with the other coaches in the track and field camp, but it hasn't been a primary focus -- probably a good thing; don't focus too much on such a negative image of the Olympics.

"Any event of this magnitude, especially in the sporting world, always has the possibility for political expressions interfering with the event itself," Alford-Sullivan said.

"I know that myself, personally, and the rest of the coaches hope it remains a peaceful time where the focus is on the competition and the athletes, not on tragedy."

Alford-Sullivan couldn't express enough the hope for a peaceful games, something the world needs, but she was still cognizant of the increased threat.

According to Alford-Sullivan, the staff has addressed the most high-risk situations: transportation to and from the Olympic Village, where the athletes live during the games, and the issue of visibility in Athens.

"Everyone has been real positive and made sure not to dwell too much on the issue," Alford-Sullivan said.

It's comforting to know that the U.S. Olympic Team staff has addressed the possibility of encountering terrorism at the games, and that it has addressed the safety of American athletes.

But how secure do the athletes feel about the games?

"There's always that fear factor involved of traveling anywhere as an American, either overseas or even flying within the United States," Moore said. "I mean, if you really think about it, football games here even could have threats. You have 110,000 people in one place at one time, so there's always a risk."

Maybe that's what it's really about. Traveling anywhere as an American, there is always that risk. Why should the Olympics be any different?

I spent spring break abroad this year in Paris and, I admit, I was a little nervous about the flights home and back.

I didn't let those thoughts ruin my trip, though, and the Olympians won't let terrorism ruin their experience either.

The popularity of the Olympics in America is not even close to what it used to be, which is really another story.

The sad truth to the whole debate is that many around the world will only hear, or care, about the Olympics because of the possibility of terrorism.

Will they watch because they want to see 18-year-old swimmer Michael Phelps try to break Mark Spitz's record of seven gold medals?

Will they watch Marion Jones go defend her gold in the 100- and 200-meters less than a year after giving birth to her son?

Will people watch to see if the U.S. basketball team regains its throne as the dominant squad in international hoops?

People should watching the Olympics for the athletes and the millions of NBC-produced human-interest stories.

People should watch to cheer on the heroes of their hometowns and home nations.

People should watch the Olympics because of what it's supposed to be, like Alford-Sullivan said: a two-week time of peace.