Much like he did during Michael Phelps' preliminary round swim in the 400 IM, Rowdy Gaines has to be questioning whether or not I came out too fast on the opening day of the Olympics and didn't leave enough in the tank to hold up over the next 2 weeks. After watching 5 hours of coverage last night, I woke up and watched the cycling road race live on the internet followed by 14 hours straight of TV coverage on the NBC family of networks. There was a bit of everything - I watched cycling, boxing, team handball, beach and indoor volleyball, gymnastics, weightlifting, badminton (I'm so going to dominate the next family get together), swimming, rowing, fencing and something else I'm sure I'm forgetting.
And you know what? It was AWESOME. Maybe because we're just coming off of the two worst sports months of the year and I'm starved for good sports TV content, maybe because there's just something about watching athletes play for their countries that gets me fired up, maybe it's because the sports I competed in growing up (swimming and cycling) only get attention in the US once every four years, or maybe because this is just such a remarkable global event for so many reasons - these Olympics have really hooked me. I don't know if I can do 14 hour days for two more weeks, or even pull another one tomorrow, but today was a great start.
Highlights of the day? Samuel Sanchez bringing home the gold in the road race for the Spanish cycling Dream Team, Michael Phelps' scintillating world record swim in the 400 IM, the USA sweep of the women's sabre competition, watching an 18 year old man win the 400 free 4 years after he was a 14 year old boy who fell off the start blocks and didn't even get to swim, the velour finish on the uniforms that China's gymastic team is wearing, Bob Costas' live report from Tiananmen Square and the expected domination of one dominant American beach volleyball team being matched by the complete failure of another. Just a complete smorgasborg of sights, sounds and drama.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-10-2008 @ 9:43AM
caltexbhb said...
My sons are first timer "Olympians" being 9 and 7 years of age. They are opting to watch the Olympics in lieu of cartoons. They are asking wonderful questions and have decided to be real "Olympians" in equestrian and rowing events. (There is no water around us! :) ). They have made a permanent bed in the lvivng room for 2 weeks.We love the coverage and the opportunity to bring us together as a family and the opportunity to blow any type of bedtime for the next two weeks!
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