Friday, February 24, 2006

The Olympics No One is Watching

The closing ceremonies of the Torino (Turin) games are Sunday and I'll bet you haven't watched a minute of the Olympics. The ratings indicate few Americans are watching -- although millions are watching that freak show American Idol.

I actually have watched a fair amount of the Olympics, partly because I am home a lot during the day (being unemployed). So I have seen my favorite winter Olympics sport, biathalon, quite a bit. If you don't know, this is cross country skiing and target shooting with a rifle -- very cool.

I have also seen endless hours of the world's weirdest sport, curling. Yes, it is even weirder than cricket. Having grown up in border cities, I have seen curling on TV all my life on Canadian TV, but I will never understand or appreciate it.

I also like speed skating, but not short track, and the bobsled-luge type sports, especially skeleton which I did not see at all. The skiing gets mighty boring after awhile, although I like the ski jumping. I don't care for the X Games sports or hockey, and I just can't stand figure skating or the even more ridiculous ice dancing.

One thing that has just irked me, although not surprised me, is NBC's soap opera coverage of the games. They can't just cover the events and tell us a little about the athletes -- they have to build up these ridiculous junior high like relationship conflicts. They have focused so relentlessly on the Shani Davis Chad Hedrick disagreement -- its insane. But given that's the way elections and politicians are covered in this country, its no surprise.

And I am proud to say I have not watched minute one of America's favorite freak show this season and I intend to keep it that way.

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