Winter Olympics- Day III, Evening

Well the good news about the Canada v. Switzerland game on MSNBC is that it cut Tweety to only half an hour.

The bad news is that I had the misfortune to watch him at all.

Of course if you tune back in at midnight, you’ll get to see that fatuous gasbag for a full hour.

Be still my heart.

No changes in schedule since this afternoon, it’s still pretty much, Men’s Downhill, Pairs Free Skate (Long Program), Snowboard Cross, and Speed Skating (Men’s 500m).

The Snowboard Cross should be much more like NASCAR than this afternoon’s time trials but don’t expect asphalt collapses and flaming chunks of twisted metal (though it is entirely possible someone will slide across the finish line on their roof head).

But it’s really a failure of imagination, pure sports ignorance, and pandering to the “Bubba” audience not to compare it with Moto-Cross which it was modeled after.  It’s a twisty obstacle course with double jumps you have to carry by far enough or FAIL and frankly I saw a lot of people landing short.  The bottom of the turns tend to get rutted too so maybe asphalt failure is not that bad a metaphor (but a major NASCAR FAIL! at Daytona).

4 Boarders to a heat so you get some interaction, but in Moto-Cross they start them 8 or 16 at a time so it’s no worse than that.  In NASCAR you get 32 Cars in 2 Lines wrecking each other 4 or 5 at a clip in the last 2 laps which they have to restart over and over and over and over again until they get a clean White Flag (next to last) lap.

After that it doesn’t matter how many of them wreck eack other, the race is done.  The other 495 miles are just for shits and giggles.

They actually did stick with the (yawn) Cross Country this afternoon which surprised me, especially when it ended early.  Of course they did it out of crass calculation.

NBC Ruins Olympics Men’s Downhill For Millions Of Fans

Henry Blodget, Business Insider

Feb. 15, 2010, 2:17 PM

(A)s usual, NBC wants to maximize its revenue by delaying the event until the most people will watch it: This evening in primetime.  The live finals of the figure-skating pairs competition and other events presumably weren’t enough to ensure the massive audience NBC needs to lose less of its shirt on these Games.

Someday, perhaps, the NBC Sports brass will understand that the world has changed in the past 25 years.  Within an hour or two, the name of the winner of the Men’s Downhill will be everywhere–on the radio, on other TV stations, on the Internet, on news sites.  Even people who want to play along with NBC’s self-serving little game will have a hard time avoiding the news.  Thus, for most of them, the most exciting event at the games will be ruined.

h/t TheMomCat

And there’s some skating too.

Tomorrow evening Caribou Barbie will be handling Olympic coverage.  I urge you to make it a fun and exciting experience.

166 comments

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  1. Canada now has just as many Goals Against as USA.

  2. Schedule confirmed with the addition of Polar Bears (in half an hour, your kids won’t wan to miss it).

  3. That’s not good at all

    I was 10 or 11 and my parents had to carry me around to hunt for Easter Eggs.

  4. All USA all the time.

    Are they just going to do a half hour digest?

    What a rip off!

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:12

    Everyone is “interested” in his skis

  5. Then presumably a half hour for local news, a half hour recap, and then a repeat of prime time.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:13

    Blue marking on the hill. Lots of chattering and bumps

  6. Only the 2 Americans shown so far.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:15

    that is a tough course. Repeating Dr. TMC who is doing his owm commentary. 😉

  7. I knew it wouldn’t.

  8. Noon?

    At least it’s Curling.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:24

    Good run. Suisse now in the lead

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:25
  9. You know, this would be a lot easier to follow if the put up the current skier’s time along with the splits of the time to beat.

    But I’m betting that they just want to blow this whole competition off with a half hour soft focus narrative.

    MOTHERFUCKING ASSHOLES!

    This is the BIGGEST RACE IN ALPINE AND YOU’RE JUST GOING TO BLOW IT OFF!?

    FOR FIGURE SKATING?!

    Prove me wrong.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:30

    complains, “internets tell me who wins olympics. no need to actually watch.”

  10. Just competing bios.

    This coverage SUCKS!

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:33

    but not a contender

  11. 13 Minutes.

    YOU’RE GOING TO FILL WITH PICTURE OF POLAR BEARS!?

    And CRASH COVERAGE?

    YOU MEDIA MORONS!  YOU LAZY STUPID SONS OF BITCHES!

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:35

    They hope he’s OK but aren’t saying. This coverage is really horrid

  12. Downhill coverage I’ve ever seen.

    Everyone involved from Zucker down should be FIRED!

  13. All over.

    I can’t tell you how pissed off I am right now.

    You BLEW your biggest event ASSHOLES!

    I HOPE YOU LOSE BILLIONS!

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:47

    Retweet from Laura Clawson

    How much did Dreamworks pay for Bob Costas’ dignity? #van2010

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:51

    from Twitter

    SamSeder

    NBC, ur covrage sux, that movie integr8d in2 ur covrage seems crappy & my 4yr old is still up waitin 4 skating u said would start 45 min ago

  14. I got in late, saw the Canadian guy crash, and then interviews with the winners.

    That’s it for downhill?

    I (shudder) agree with ek.  Gosh darn awful!

    Thank goodness I caught the vikings and dragons.  The polar bears (as usual) pissed me off though.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 02:55

    Quarter Finals Are they live? NOT

  15. which of us won the snow-cross?”

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:00

    I’m at least enjoying dessert and a very nice bottle of wine, on a very confy bed. A real bed, not a cot. (sigh) my back is loving this.

  16. Women’s Basketball

    Connecticut at Oklahoma.

    Now there are plenty of reasons to hate Oklahoma, but I happent to be a big fan of UConn no matter who they’re crushing at the moment.

    This thread is for talking about that.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:09

    Vancouver Games continue downhill slide from disaster to calamity

    Snowboarding nonsense is the latest fiasco threatening to make these Games the worst in Olympic history

    Did the IOC make a mistake in giving the Games to Vancouver, the warmest city to be granted the “­honour”? The ­question has already been posed by some and it might be described as unfair. After all, unlike the organisers of the Beijing Games, Smith-Valade and her colleagues are not in a position to control the weather. But what about the transportation system, which some would call sporadic and others would describe as chaotic? And the same goes for the electrical wiring on the Cypress mountain, which blew a fuse at the weekend and closed the concession stands?

  17. gettin’ to hear Cris Collinsworth’s “analysis” of the winning margin in the downhill sure makes up for not seeing the downhill.

    Sure makes ya think about hummingbirds.  

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:14

    i can do the commentary on  pairs fairly well

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:19

    Not any chance of placing. Classic music one of my favorites Borodin. So far, smooth and well executed performance. Very nice. They are the US champions

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:27

    Now back tot he snowboarding

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:34

    2 Americans, a Canadian and Frenchman in the medal Final

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:37

    Poor ice surface after initial 10 pairs skated warmed up throwing everyone off their training

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:40

    This is the most disjointed coverage. Now back to Pairs Finak

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:43

    You would think there wasn’t any competition to watch. This is just really bad

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:45

    Did well in short program but not medal contenders.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 03:58
  18. To this day, it still reminds me of Tommie Smith and John Carlos giving the Black Power salute at the ’68 games.

    My parents were horrified.  I thought it was cool.  

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:09

    Very nice ceremony

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:12

    1st lift well done. So far nice but not impressive.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:24

    from Sam Seder

    How did Bob Costas get George Stephonaupolos’ hair?

    NBC Olympic coverage= I’ve never watched so much of nothing in all my life

    From KagroX (David Waldman)

    Now the NBC announcers are just repeating what the venue announcers are saying. Why not just shut up?

    People live their whole lives to hear their names called as the Gold Medal winner. But Bob Costas can’t shut his fucking mouth for it.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:30

    how gratuitous of NBC. Grand Canyon Suite is the music.

    That fall will cost them but they aren’t “contenders”

    Very pretty but not adventurous enough to even get into the top 10

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:40

    skating to Scheherazade.

    Oops that’ll cost points but nice flow after . Good recovery

    Death spiral, too slow

    Nice throw & One hand lift good but too short

    Spins are too slow

    Not very enthusiastic, a little mechanical in execution Bland

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:47

    Music: Love Story. ugh Nothing creative

    Another slow “death spiral”

    Nice complex spin but, jeez, so slow, No energy

    Good execution on the lift

    Well, that was it eh

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:50

    from KagroX

    When will someone skate to the theme music from The Simpsons?

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 04:56

    Music: “the way we were” jeez The costumes are as drab as the music

    Reigning Canadian champions

    Nice jumps good but, lord, the music sucks

    missed a standard jump

    If the is gets any slower, I’ll fall asleep. Yay something that will make me sleep

    These pairs programs are not very daring or even imaginative

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:01

    From {http://twitter.com/GoldnI GoldnI]

    What’s awesome about the Westminster Dog Show is that it’s the one time they can say “bitch” on TV without the FCC going crazy.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:05

    KagroX

    A dude skating in normal clothes. Novel.

    response from Karoli

    Well, I normally dress in feathers and sequins, so, you know… uh…

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:09

    Gold USA Seth Wescott back to back

    Canada and France, Silver and Bronze

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:14

    I guess they need to fill in waiting for the LIVE programs. I shouldn’t complain

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:17

    TeeVee commentators, including elected officials should have to comply with hockey-type penalties. Tell a lie. Penalty box for two weeks.

    Are those snowboarders wearing jeans? Or snowpants made to look like jeans?

    Snowpants made to look like jeans. That’s how hip they are.

  19. ….. they are showing us Men’s downhill skiing and I just watched Bode Miller do a run and make a good time here on the Left Coast.

    It was pretty warm here today and up in the Sierra.

    I can’t believe they have these blue guide lines painted on the ice/snow.    I have some depth perception problems in very bright light even with polarized lenses, and usually am watching the people ahead of me so I can tell how steep it is ahead if there’s a lot of glare.

    Okay, now the Norwegian has the lead.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:27

    Not a good start. Good unison on side by side spins. They look good together

    Oops screwed the double axle and a fall. Certainly out of contention.

    Good speed on last death spiral spin but not a good performance  

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:35

    Nice execution on the first jump but she doubles the second jump. Good throw.

    Another fall. I’m glad I stpped playing that game.

    Can this music get duller?

    Well done on the lift but I’ve seen better :death spiral’s” at the local rink

    Well that final element was good ut damn this is really dull

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:43

    A little more energy in the ,music..Impossible Dream

    Good start. They don’t seem to be keeping pace with the music but that’s not to bad

    Man of LA Mancha. OK I’m awake  Very nice

    Perfect throws Beautifully done.

    Spectacular!111

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:53

     1ast after the short program

    Very nice execution on the jumps but the music lacks the energy  of the last pair. Very dramatic

    Oh mistake on the lift that may cost them

    Great throw and last throw was good.

    Hard to say. They are the favorites even though they made mistakes.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 05:58

    from KagroX

    I believe you should compete in the Olympics in the order of the deliciousness of your native cuisine.

    • TMC on February 16, 2010 at 06:08

    I will be celebrating tomorrow night but certainly will be reviewing CB’s commentary later. I will be back in NYC late Wednesday so my presence will be sparse for a couple of days, Hopefully back to “normal” by this weekend

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