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August 14, 2008

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I hear you, but I've been enjoying the Olympics. I like seeing all the countries get together and compete...I do find it odd that all swimmers, not just Phelps, are just shattering one world record after another. It is telling...but really, you're bringing me down here, dude... ;)

I'm with ya on this one, weboy; though I'd add the predictability of Phelps' wins is the way many outside of NY characterize Yankee baseball.

This NY Times piece about Phelps and his mother (in the Westchester section last weekend) humanized Michael Phelps for me. I don't think you will see him as an automaton if you read it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/sports/olympics/10Rparent.html

My Mom just mentioned it too... my only question... why is it in the Westchester section? They're not from Westchester.

I should have added that what bothers me about the NBC coverage is the institutional bias to present the Olympics as something about American sportspeople... and occasionally others. China has the most gold medals. There are literally dozens of interesting results already from people who are not American. But there we are, following Phelps and the American women swimmers (who are not nearly so dominant), telling the gymnastics story as if it's about Johnson and Luken (when clearly several other women are having considerable impact), and grudgingly accepting that CXhina and Japan have the Men's Gymnastics story this year. And all this is bound to get worse when we get to Track and Field. It's not that this is new; but ABC, I think, fought this when they had it when I was a kid... NBC just capitulates at every turn.

Finally, as I said, I admire Phelps for his accomplishments... but I think there's just not a lot there that's all that compelling. That's not meant to minimize him or the accomplishments... but I think there's a lot of energy to warm up something that's just... not all that warm. And in part, I think it's a reminder that our cultural imperative to draw sports figures as larger than life (and twice as natural) is a curious, and in some ways, mistaken, one.

I don't know...you just seem so angry... ;)

Yes, I agree it's overwhelmingly only about the US - and that makes it much more dull than it needs to be.

I recommend watching Olympic videos on nbcolympics.com. They are commentary- and commercial-free, and show full competitions from beginning to end. They're still overly focused on the US athletes, but they are a pleasant departure from all the relentless NBC coverage.

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