I don't know about you, but the Olympics have been keeping me from getting enough sleep. I set the DVR, but then stay up and watch it anyway. Oh well, I guess I'm addicted and here are some of my blurry-eyed impressions:
SWIMMING: Just one word says it all . . . Phelps. Then add the word history, or unbelievable, or . . . what? Will this be remembered as his Olympics - hard not to think that. Size 14 flipper feet, 7-foot wing span, what a machine! That first relay was amazing, aren't relays in sports just so fun to watch. The 1/100th touch win, technology saves the day! And where did swim suits go? Saying someone wore a Speedo is a different image now. Across the events, how many world records?? Wow!!
EQUESTRIAN: Okay, understand that I grew up riding horses (Dad was a cowboy before he became a college coach) and my daughter, Adria, has been riding since she was seven - even competing for her college team (proud parent taking here). So, all those years, and even with Adria watching the Eventing competing with me, I still don't get dressage. The jumping parts are easy, either they make it over or not, but "flying lead changes", "counter-canter", and "in a frame", I struggle to understand.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Think hip. Beach volleyball is to the summer Games as snowboarding is to the winter Games. Definitely not your parents Olympics! Cool sunglasses, rock anthems between points, the crowd chanting "Match Point! Match Point!", players introduced by their nicknames - "The Thin Beast" and "The Professor". And no rain delays . . . hey, just like track!
WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS: Chinese age controversy. I was 5' 1" and 84-pounds as a freshman in high school. Did I look 16 . . . probably more like 12! That being said, the "pixie" gymnasts that took over the sport beginning in 1976 still dominate. Power, grace, and for someone like me with not spatial awareness in my body, just amazing.
NBC COVERAGE: They keep trying, but network television is still an endangered species with cable, pay-per-view, and the internet, moving viewer expectations ahead of the old big three networks. Here's my good news / bad news viewpoint: Bob Costas as the anchor is a little to light and casual sometimes - one exception was his interview with President Bush, who I don't think thought he was going to be asked substantive questions; I like the Johnson & Johnson ads with Olympians thanking their moms - we should probably all thank our moms more often; the Chinese culture segments . . . as a former art student, I liked the piece on the artist that designed the Games logo and as a committed "foodie", the piece on Chinese food made me hungry (but not as much as Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on the Travel Channel); former NFL football player Chris Collinsworth as a commentator is soooo bad - he's good!
TRACK & FIELD-DAY ONE: Or "Athletics" as the rest of the world calls our sport, is finally underway and now I will have an even harder time getting sleep! Men's 100m hype - Bolt, Powell, Gay - fastest human stuff. For the track geeks watching, Usain Bolt in the quarter finals answered the question with a 9.92 like a walk-in-the-park. NBC analyst, Ato Bolden (who holds the L&C stadium record in the 100m) stated the obvious . . . Bolt made a 9.92 look way too easy. Good luck to all the others 100m guys!
Other random thoughts - I hate the false start rule of charging to whole field with a false start after one guilty sprinter jumps and every other sprinter gets penalized. The college/high school no false start rule is more severe, but just seems more fair to the best starters; aerodynamic sleeve cuffs for the 100m - huh? think fashion statement like the hooded full body suits of the sprinters in the 1992 Games; I love the camera moving along with the runners, the camera on the crossbars, the stop action of the foot on the takeoff boards, all those views - not new, I know, but still great.
TRACK & FIELD-DAY TWO: With a 15-hour time difference, I think day two is actually already over . . . except in the world of NBC. I'm going to take a nap now. I've got a long night ahead.
