Pre-Olympic Thoughts

I have very mixed feelings about the Olympics.  I love to see the athletes, the pomp and circumstance.  I don't love the complete American bias.  Eight years ago, we were in London for the Olympics for a few days.  Did you know that there are many sports and competitions that we don't know anything about here?  It was captivating to see and watch events that will never get play in America.  I can only presume it won't get any airplay because there are no Americans threatening to win a medal.  I don't know exactly when it changed or I changed, but having had that experience, I wish that I could watch the British feed.  I wish I had choice.  

The last summer Olympics there was far too much beach volleyball.  I didn't like it. I know why it was on all the time, but I could've cut it down to one segment.  I never saw the indoor team volleyball given airplay.  Maybe it was on in the middle of the night and I missed it.  There are so many sports in the Olympics.  Why exploit the beautiful women in bikinis.  Is that what the Olympics have become or is it just NBC's producer?  

I love the beauty of the competition. The thrill of the win. The tension of the races. The diversity in every respect.  I also wish that television viewing could progress so far that we could actually choose what events we wanted to watch, not what NBC wants us to watch. Don't make me pay for it or watch on my computer. I long for the day when everything we watch isn't so obviously "live on tape."  Will I be watching? Yes. Will I get caught up in the hoopla and hype? Yes.  If you have the chance to watch outside the US, should you?  Yes.  It will be eye opening. It will clarify why the Olympics were created and why they are so important internationally. Enjoy the next two weeks!  I hope all the participants do their best!  Go athletes!


Please take a moment to remember the tragic loss of life at the 1972 Munich Olympics. If you weren't alive, learn about it. If you were alive, share your memories. I will never forget the sensitivity and brilliance of ABC's Howard Cosell and Jim McKay.

Sidebars:  Two shows playing out on summer television: NYC 22 and Rookie Blue.  They are interchangeable. Both cop shows in NYC.  I know NYC 22 isn't back.  Don't know about Rookie Blue. No exciting movie openings for the weekend. Hot and humid after surviving a big lightning, thunder, wind, and rain storm last night.  Not much difference. Yankees play the Red Sox. Go Yankees!  Enjoy the weekend.

Feel free to re-post or forward to a friend.