The Glade 4.0

No this isn't a post about olympic hockey: Quite the opposite really, but being the hack I am I really couldn't resist.

Why does television have to die for the olympics, especially in the age of DVR? At least USA Network had the guts to air new episodes of Burn Notice and White collar so I had -something to watch these week.

So yay them and boo everyone else.

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

'Cause it's all about the relative value of a 60 second commercial slot.

But you knew that.

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In time, this too shall pass.

Because the networks are under the illusion that they can't compete with the Olympics.

They're incredibly wrong, but whatever.

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“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government.” - Thomas Paine

People watch the Olympics?

Why Yes Mr. Sky. We do...

Sky... I must say... I am happy to have you back among us... you have forever been one of my favorite posters... being honest I disliked you as a moderator... I regret you being there so long... it isn't your best place... you're best place is as our friend...

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Ezekiel 23:19-20 

As is (not really) my custom, I'm actually sincere in my questioning. Olympic competition seems to me to be one of those things that everyone is culturally expected to be aware of, but few actually watch, like awards shows or presidential addresses. Part of it is, I'll admit, an almost genetic lack of understanding of why people are compelled to watch any sporting events, period, particularly on television, but mostly it's a question of how: with Olympics taking place across the world, and Stephen Colbert and Conan O'Brien having made me aware that NBC bought the rights to lose $200 million broadcasting the Olympics (keep shootin' for the stars, NBC!), is there some serious time-shifting going on? Is it happening on viewer's DVRs, or do they (Olympic committee or NBC) schedule the "good" events (i.e. the more popular ones) when audiences are most likely to watch, or what? Is it appointment television for the people who want to view them, or do you just flip it on and watch whatever sport they happen to be serving up at the moment? Has NBC gone off the air for the...what is it, two weeks? of competition, and have become The Olympic Channel for the entirety of the run (because of a quirk of the market delineations, we don't actually have an NBC affiliate, so I can't just flip it over to them and see the answers to some of these questions)?

Rynar:
Thank you. I often hold an opposing viewpoint from you politically, but your posts are always well-considered, exceptionally articulate, and a very missed addition to our Glade mélange. Good to have you back.

And yet NBC's coverage, as bad as it sucked, especially for those of us on the west coast where everything was tape delayed, it still beat the most popular TV show on the planet (American Idol) in ratings two weeks in a row. That has never happened before.. so apparently there are 'people' out there watching....

Well The end is coming, Chuck will be back tomorrow so I'm a happy camper.

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I prefer to think of them as "Fighting evil in another dimension"

Yes people watch the Olympics.

Maybe it's my age. I almost feel I need to watch the Olympics, probably because back in the day, we didn't have a billion and one channels to pick and choose our entertainment. The Olympics were this big huge thing that only happened every four years, so it was special.

Now, with the alternating 2-year schedule of Winter and Summer games, it seems to take away a bit from the special nature. (Unless they're taking place or about to, I don't actually know when the damn things take place, at this point. Ask me a year from now which one is next, and I'll have no clue.) Plus, of course, there's so much more entertainment to take in.

That being said, I didn't watch much. Once I realized that most of it was on tape-delay (yes, another West Coaster here), I became disinterested. For example, I was watching the Giant Slalom, I think it was. OK, kind of interesting, let's see what happens. And then ... "Coming up next, we talk to some schmuck about some schmucky sport." I changed the channel.

Now, as to why people watch sports ... that's another question entirely. I'm with you, for the most part, except for baseball, which is the perfect sport, if there is one.

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This cold and dark tormented hell
Is all I`ll ever know
So when you get to heaven
May the devil be the judge

I will watch the winter games a hundred times before I watch the summer. Most of the summer sports are just not as fun to watch.

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Raell Kromwell

I stopped watching the Olympics once they started officially allowing professionals compete.

You mean back in the 70's when the Eastern Bloc athletes were professionals in all but name? :p

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Holy shitsnacks!

Yup. Just because someone else is cheating, doesn't mean that letting everyone cheat is the right answer. Further, back when it was amateurs only, there was much more in the way of background stories on the athletes. You'd get 5-10min mini-documentaries on their training regimine, how the local guy/gal was holding down a full time job and training their *** off, etc. i.e. they made you care about the athletes.

And the fact that the Eastern Bloc athletes were "professionals" just made winning against them all the sweeter.

Bleh to background crap. I don't care that Joe Skiier has a paralyzed sister that he cares for while working 60 hours at the mill. Forced mawkish crap. A couple of words while Joe is skiing his *** off to beat the red menace is all that's necessary really. Tell me about Joe *after* he wins

I watch to see Joe Skiier go 300 mph down a snow covered hill. To watch Jane Speed Skater go 195 mph around a mirror slick ice rink. To watch Shawn Snowboarder slip the surly bonds of earth and touch the face of god while doing a double Mc.

More sport, less talk

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Holy shitsnacks!

When you change the rules to allow something, you're, by definition, not "letting everyone else cheat". Especially when it just levels the playing field. As it is, we've got Vladimir Putin claiming his country's disappointing overall medal count is a "serious political issue" which is really about Russia wanting a big medal count to pretend it's still a superpower.

When one side is fielding it's Army team, claiming "they're in the Army, they're not professionals" and conveniently failing to mention that their MOS is "Ice Hockey Defenseman" you've got to do something to even up the playing field, of for no other reason than that most countries are showing up to let their athletes compete in the spirit of things and the other side is turning it into a political propaganda event.

The thing that annoys me the most is when they're replaying and realalyzing some play of a hockey game while the actual game is going on behind the scenes.. especially when they cut to a goal that now you only get to see in replay because the announcers think their dissection of the play actually matters.

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"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."