NBC Olympic Coverage-WTF?

Every two years they hold some sort of Olympic even. This year it is the Winter games in Torino, Italy.

I have been watching this on NBC and so far I have not been impressed. The opening ceremonies started with non olympic competition of some sort. I really don't know what it was because I was watching the last night (probably ever) of Arrested Development. 2 full hours of all new shows and a wrap up essentially of the series. It was well worth the time to view. I guess I will have to get a hold of a DVD compatible TV, a DVD player and discs of all 3 seasons of Arrested Development if I ever want to see it again

But I digress, back to the opening ceremonies rant.

So at 8pm I tune into NBC and see things that are not a grand pageant but people doing snow sports. So I go to FOX and watch AD. At commercials I go back to NBC. Still no pageantry. Finally at 9pm they start the opening ceremonies. Why did they wait so long. To make sure I would be asleep with an hour to go? I mean the ceremonies ended at 9pm GMT (4pm EST) which means NBC could have aired it anytime after that. And they did not have to include the hour long quasi Olympic sports hour.

On the first full day of competition things did not get started on non cable NBC until 3pm. Why so late in the day. Are the really badly drawn and animated cartoons and vapid Teen reality shows that important? I guess they do sell a lot of sugar frosted crap and video games and that means big $$$$ to the network/GE and its' shareholders.

And when things did get started all we saw were qualifying events. Why? if there were medal events (even ones the Americans do not have a chance in) than show those and don't waste our time with qualifying.

And now because they made figure skating squeaky clean as far as judging is concerned and we don't seem to have a psycho trailer bitch like Tanya Harding whacking other competitors lurking around the rink we have to hear about Michelle Kwan quitting. Look she shouldn't have gotten a spot on on the team to begin with. She is past her prime and not world class material any longer. but she was given a spot anyway it seems for old times sake. To give her a final chance at a gold medal. So now she has become the soap opera of the games thus far.

I give her high marks for seeing the folly in the selection committee and stepping aside so her team will be able to to do as well as possible. She has a lot of class.

And today it sounds like a few hours of the Olympics will be preempted by the NASCAR Nextel Cup Budwieser Shootout that was rained out yesterday. I have no problem with NASCAR Nextel Cup racing. I am a fan, not a major fan, but I follow the sport and have favorite drivers. I have yet to go to a race much less travel around the USA in a huge RV/Bus going to all the races and spending 4 days a week getting drunk and BBQing hunks of meat in the infield of a superspeedway. Nor do I collect Jeff Gordon or other official NASCAR paraphanailia like my friend Rosie (and so many other fans of the sport)

Look NBC if you are going to do this Olympic thing you need to commit to it and go full out. So far you have not done this and I fear tomorrow there will Soaps and no sports in the afternoon.