Living up to potential

The Olympics don’t start until 8:00PM, and I’m already sick of swimming and running.


There are numerous problems with The Olympics.


Oh boy...here we go again.


So, let's start off with the fact that there are hundreds upon hundreds of events packed into a 2-week span, which means that at any given time, some sport is happening. That said, NBC and its affiliate networks are going to show games in 3-minute increments when an American is supposed to win, amid hours of "fluff" about Little Johnny's life back on his Wisconsin farm and growing up without a left pinky toe. Here's a tip, NBC...I don't give a crap. Show Little Johnny when he's actually running, riding, or jumping off of something.


Yes, yes...the well-documented "Fluff" speech. This is your big issue?


Far from it. My second biggest gripe is the diversity in the same events. There will be plenty of airtime for running. Why? Because We get to watch people run 100 meters. Then 200 meters. Then 400 meters. Then 800 meters. Then 1500 meters. Then 3000 meters. Then 5000 meters. Then Marathon. Then the same thing in relays. Then repeat most of those with crap in the way (Hurdles, I guess they're called). Seriously? It's people running. We need 2 of these. Maybe 3. Same with swimming. 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, medley, relay. It's all the same thing! People trying not to drown. Let's whittle that list to 4 events and say, "Here's people swimming" and move on. Did you even know that 10-Meter Air Pistol Shooting is an Olympic event? No. Why? Because we spend too much time on running and swimming.


But people like running and swimming.


You're assuming that people won't like Judo and Fencing and Field Hockey. People never get a chance to appreciate these other sports. Why not? That brings me to my biggest issue...

The focus on events simply because Americans are supposed to win. We're going to get treated to lots and lots of gymnastics because of Shawn Johnson. We'll also get to watch lots and lots of swimming for Michael Phelps. That's all well and good, but there are MANY perfectly worthwhile sporting events that will be more entertaining than the 1500m freestyle swim (That's 30 laps for those scoring at home). Americans, and the United States as a whole, put more time and effort into training for the Olympics than any other country in the world. This is based on an exhaustive study performed without research while writing this paragraph. But it makes sense, since the US typically has the largest contingent of athletes in the games and takes home the most medals (at least for the Summer Games). Despite that, Americans are not favoured to win every event. We likely won't be medalling in ANY women's shooting event, or Rhythmic Gymnastics (Which is totally worth watching for Various Reasons), and the US didn't even manage to qualify a Team Handball Team. So, despite the fact that elite athletes from all over the world will be competing in these equally entertaining games, we won't get to see them.

NBC bases all of their Olympics coverage around the fact that the people are more interesting than the games themselves. It's why we get to watch Fluff instead of Sport, and it's why we get to watch Americans winning instead of sports that we normally don't get to watch. That said, I enjoy watching the Olympics for the brief moments of Badminton, Table Tennis, Rowing, and Indoor Volleyball that are harder to come by in between Olympiads. It's something different. I'll just have to wade through a whole lot of swimming and running to get to it.