<p>Wow - visa was quick with that advert - (scared to say what in case it is a spoiler).</p>
<p>I am so glad that NBC is not obsessing about gymnastics the way some coverage in the past has been. Of course, it does save me viewing time since I DVR everything and can skip the stuff (like gymnastics) that puts me to sleep.</p>
<p>Re: softball and baseball – it’s easy. They are sports not played in Europe, and when they try it they stink. Therefore, these sports are not needed in the heavily European-dominated “international” Olympics organization.</p>
<p>Synchronized Diving - </p>
<p>I don’t remember this from the previous Olympics. Is this new?</p>
<p>WashDad, they’re obsessed with beach volleyball instead.</p>
<p>^^^^ that’s the truth</p>
<p>I like beach volleyball.</p>
<p>I will have a full head of gray hair after this gymnastics segment. YIKES.</p>
<p>SamLee, you’re not the only unhappy person out west; read this: [Is</a> It Live or Taped? Pay Very Close Attention - 2008 Olympics ? Sports and News from China ? The New York Times](<a href=“Summer Games Blog - The New York Times”>Summer Games Blog - The New York Times)</p>
<p>While I was happy to see the swimming, I too was disappointed that NBC never showed a lot of the men’s gymnastics, like the men on rings. </p>
<p>I do find it interesting that NBC dictated the schedule – usually the big swimming and gymnastics events are at night, and this year they are in the morning, so they can run live in the US. I heard the swimmers were worried that their times wouldn’t be good with morning finals – that, clearly, is not an issue.</p>
<p>I love watching beach volleyball. Different strokes for different folks.</p>
<p>Synchro diving was in the Olympics 4 years ago; that may have been the first year. </p>
<p>What a difference watching the joy of the men getting bronze in gymnastics last night and the disappointment of the girls tonight. I wish those girls smiled more. Especially on the floor routines – they are just too serious.</p>
<p>Ahh, the 100 free! The French dude is not wearing his PJs though. Pfft!Gooooo, Jason! I do not like the Frech dude. </p>
<p>OK, Jason was third, but one more heat is ahead.</p>
<p>After the last Olympics, we adopted a black lab mutt, and my DD named him “Phelps”. Trying to get him to watch his races, but he seems to not be interested. Tis ok, all the neighbor’s are commenting on how well my “dog” is doing!</p>
<p>Does anyone else wish that Andrea Kramer would just go away? She is incredibly inane! Adds nothing nothing nothing to the coverage.</p>
<p>What’s up with the synchronized showering?</p>
<p>I found beach volleyball very boring. It’s so predictable–with a decent set, a kill is almost a given. The field isn’t even that competitive anyway. I live not far from Manhattan Beach which hosts some of the biggest beach volleyball tournaments and I’ve never seen a crowd of more than 500 watching it there. Sometime I even wonder out of that small crowd, if some of them are really watching the games or the bodies, especially the women in bikini! :rolleyes: I do like watching indoor volleyball a lot though.</p>
<p>WashDad,</p>
<p>That’s because they got something else to be obsessed with–Michael Phelps! How his mother cheers and screams also seems to be NBC’s interest lately.</p>
<p>I thought the organizers said all the tickets were sold out.</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081203262.html?nav=rss_print/asection]washingtonpost.com[/url”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/12/AR2008081203262.html?nav=rss_print/asection]washingtonpost.com[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Rats! Misty’s just lost her OR to a Chinese swimmer :(.
…
OMG, Jason got the bronze!!! The French dude got his medal, but not the world record! Bwa-ha-ha! Should have swam in his PJs! :D</p>
<p>I just realized why I enjoy watching swimming so much. When DD used to swim, I learned enough about the sport to understand what’s going on. But I always had to watch the races from the pool decks while timing a swimmer in my lane, feeling wet, hot and miserable. It so-o-o-o much more enjoyable to watch the action sitting on a comfy couch sipping Shiraz. :)</p>
<p>And BTW, here is the explanation of the synchronized showering:</p>
<p>[The</a> mystery of the showering divers](<a href=“Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games - Yahoo Sports”>Sports News, Scores, Fantasy Games - Yahoo Sports)</p>
<p>Wow, anyone watching the tennis this morning?</p>
<p>Oh, BusenBurner, I had two kids do rec summer swim team a couple of summers. After that, I swore I’d never complain about another kid activity again, because I’d found the most miserabe. They tell you to be [in some town over an hour away] at 6:45 am to warm up, then your kid swims for less than a minute at 10 am, 11 am and noon, and by then it’s 100 degrees and you have to watch other people getting wet. The indoor venues were just as bad, because they kept the AC pretty warm out of respect to the swimmers, and you’re crammed into the stands with no room to move and thinking you will pass out because there’s not enough oxygen in the humid air.</p>
<p>Hats off to all those swim parents out there. Give me a 4 hour gymnastics meet or 6 hour dance competition any day. (The 15 hour drill team competitions are wearing in their own way, but at least they’re indoors!)</p>
<p>Well, its a good thing we can trust the Chinese and IOC officials. There are several chinese gymnasts that have been written about being 14 as a of a few months ago, and VOILA, they have passports stating they are 16. UhHuh.</p>
<p>They will check for all kinds of “drugs” but will take the word of the coaches,e tc that the girls are 16, and that all the previous reports of their ages, the several articles have it wrong.</p>
<p>That is why the Olympics are irrelevant, cheating is rampant, its a corporate event and we the public are lied to, and expected to take it.</p>
<p>I find them boring and trite and false.</p>
<p>^^ Did someone get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?</p>