The Reading Journal of RMS

I am such a sucker for the Olympics!

1. I've scoured the NBC Olympics site, but cannot find a place to complain about the West Coast tape delay. Any of you have any leads? I mean, what, am I supposed to avoid Facebook and Twitter and the entire internet so I can be spoiler-free? Just air it live! We manage to survive when it comes to football, so why not air the Olympics live? Plus, I'm out of practice in staying up to 12:30 a.m. to watch sports.
   
   
2. Is NBC actually showing us more sports and fewer stupid profiles this year? Or do I not notice because I have a DVR and fast-forward through all the crap?
   
   
3. I like gymnastics, but I swear the commentators are going to give me a stroke. So far, the most annoying comment (which I can't quote directly, as I can't find a video of it online) was from the women's team prelims, where the commentator was talking about how the Romanian team used to be singularly focused on their routines during the podium exercises. Now, apparently, they also chat over the chalk, and the commentator found this "sad". Yeah, I'm sorry that they're not little gymnastic robots anymore.
   
   
4. Although watching the American men try to figure out if it was mathematically possible for the Germans to beat them, at the very end, was hilarious.
   
   
5. Whose idea was it to invent synchronized diving?
   
   
6. I totally judge athletes by their behavior at Michigan hockey games. So I love Jake Long, who came to quite a few games, stayed for the whole game, and I think even did the Bullwinkle dance. Michael Phelps came to a couple games, but sat there and texted the whole time (like a hockey girlfriend). Boo!
   
   

Back to work, so I can watch more Olympics tonight! Whee!

I love speed skating, and have ever since the 1988 Olympics, when my eight-year-old self was entranced by Bonnie Blair. I love the form and technique and endurance of the athletes, and I love watching them on the turns. (The love for the form on the turns goes double for short track. Such grace and balance!) And I totally love the Dutch speed skating fans! Wheeee!

I must confess that I love love love Apolo Anton Ohno. He clearly loves competing and loves his sport, and it shows every time he races. And not only does he appreciate the attention that his obscure sport gets during the Olympics, he loves the Olympics themselves. As a total Olympics geek, I love it when the athletes are thrilled to be there, and see the Olympics as more than just another competition. Bode Miller should take notes.

(And oh my god is Ohno hot. Yeow.)

Meanwhile, due to traveling, I missed all the petty Shani Davis-Chad Hetrick drama. Ha! As far as I can tell they're both giant tools, so I'm focusing on Enrico Fabris and Clara Hughes. Yay! What incredible finishes they had.

At one point I was considering going to the SLC Olympics, and tickets for the various speed-skating events were only $25-$35. But I knew I couldn't afford a hotel or anything like that, and I wasn't keen on driving from Michigan to Utah in February. However, I should have no excuses for Vancouver in 2010.