August 25, 2004

Olympic PFFTs

I have my own Olympic PFFT to tell. I've been reading Television Without Pity for a long time, ever since my husband's buddy Sonny mentioned that it's a good place to get Alias recaps. I signed up for an account about a year ago, but I never posted on the forums at all until they opened up a section for discussing the Olympics in July. Since then I have begun to branch out into other forum areas, but anyway. The other day, during the gymnastics event finals when the riot nearly broke out after Aleksei Nemov's woefully underscored high bar, the forum got a little chatty, which is against the rules. I said something that was almost substantial, but was maybe a tad bit chatty, and I got a warning for it (along with everyone else. Glark seemed pissed). That's my first warning, and I guess after 5 you get booted forever. I knew better, and it's their site and their rules, but still, PFFT! And, whatever. How many times will you get to listen live to a gymnastics riot??

Oh, I had to listen live, and not, you know, watch because frigging NBC paid SO much for the rights to be the sole broadcaster in the US that they bullied the BBC and most other broadcasters that put live content on the web to keep American viewers out. As some people noticed very quickly, there is an Italian feed and a Chinese feed available online to Americans, in decent quality but with the commentary in their respective languages. Still, I was at work and didn't want to push it. NBC, you idiots, LEARN something next time already.

Now, about the actual Olympics, did anyone else see Maurice Green after he won the bronze in the 100 m singing and licking his lips (what is up with that anyway?) during the whole medal ceremony like he won? Maybe Justin Gatlin should have jabbed him to clue him in that HE won. Just a thought. Everybody has already talked the gymnastics brouhaha to death. I don't have anything to add, other than Svetlana Khorkina is a diva only in her own mind. It was a sad loss for the Australian triathlete who got the silver, since she was ahead the whole way until the last bit when she got passed and beat by the Austrian, but still, props to both of them. I'm impressed by anyone who can do a triathlon, in the Olympics, and get a medal. The NBC commentator said that she felt the Australian had given a gold medal performance, and I guess that's true, but not a real classy thing to say considering it kind of takes away from the real winner.

And, finally, Ian Thorpe is hot. Smokin. The PFFT is that my best Australian buddy Alex doesn't know him personally. What a shame. Just in case. *cough*

Published: August 25, 2004
Editor: stacy