Olympic Fever - I Has It.

I sit here at 7:30 in the evening, barely able to keep my eyes open. As a life-long night owl, I find this unacceptable. It's not even dark yet! My powers of concentration have diminished considerably over the last week and a half, and this condition is not likely to change for at least a few more days. The reason?

I am a freak for the Olympic Games.

From the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies, I'm there. Summer or winter games, it doesn't matter. Heck, I had a Dorothy Hammil haircut for the vast majority of my childhood, and I didn't ice skate. My 65 inch HD TV allows me to see who wins, frequently before the judges do. It's the only time that life-long couch potatoes feel completely justified watching an olympian compete in some impossible event, and then complain about the athlete's form.

While track, swimming, gymnastics (and inexplicably) beach volleyball get the majority of the prime-time air time, I love the less popular sports, like horse jumping, synchronized swimming, trap and skeet. These athletes get less of the glory, but are just as teary when standing on the medal stand.

My love for the games started in 1984. I was 12 years old and the games were in my own back yard, almost literally. The torch passed right by my house, the cycling and aquatics events were just a few stops up the freeway, and Mary Lou Retton gave every girl my age the idea that flight (and a gold medal) was possible.

The fam and I waiting for the Olympic Torch to Pass by our house - 1984

A complete lack of coordination and skill made any thought of an olympic career impossible, but that doesn't mean I am not moved by medal ceremonies and human interest pieces that NBC plays between events. Yes, I know most of those stories are overblown and written by agents and publicists, but I'm just a sucker for every single one of them. It doesn't matter what country an athlete is from. I celebrate their wins, feel for their losses, and nothing gets me more than olympian who cries on the medal stand.

On a side note, I wish more athletes would sing (or at least mouth the words) along with their country's anthem. Yes, I know, I know, we shouldn't mandate it, but it's still nice to see someone so invested. A few years ago, an American gold medalist did not have the chance to hear the anthem played because the broadcasting system broke. In stead of passing on the opportunity, she started singing it herself. The crowd joined in, and it was such a beautiful moment that gives me chills to this day.

But I digress.

Overall, NBC is doing a pretty good job broadcasting the games. Some of the travelogue pieces are a waste of time. (The one on Panda Porn comes to mind....Really? Panda Porn? Really?) My only real complaint about the games broadcast is the fact that every news agency tells you who wins before the event is run. I understand it's news and everyone wants to be the first to broadcast it ...but give a warning before displaying the outcomes to give us a chance to tune out and be surprised.

But whether I know the outcome or not, I can't help but be drawn in. It doesn't matter if Nigeria is playing Quatar in table tennis, I stay up to watch. 12:30, 1:00am...no problem. Well, it's not a problem until the alarm goes off a few hours later. I've been able to hold it together during the day pretty well so far, but I don't know how much more I can take.

I'd better get more coffee. :)