February 17, 2010
Leading up to the Women’s Snowboard Cross final in the Olympics yesterday, all the talk on NBC was about Lindsey Jacobellis and her redemption arc. Telegenic young U.S. athlete making up for the boneheaded hotdog move that caused her to fall and throw away a certain gold in the final in the Torino games four years ago.
But there was a better story right in front of them. A more heartwarming story. Vancouver-area native Maelle Ricker had been in that same final four years ago. And unlike Jacobellis, Ricker didn’t walk away from the hill with egg on her face. Maelle was airlifted off the hill after a scary crash the product of trying too hard to win.
When I finally heard that story last night (belatedly told in midcompetition by NBC talking heads looking for some redemptive quality for the final once their golden girl choice had failed again), I had no trouble cheering for the Canadian snowboarder to take the gold she won with an aggressive but controlled ride.
While Jacobellis post competition was trying to sell herself as having learned a lesson because at least she didn’t just quit in the consolation heat like she normally would (why, how noble of you angelic one!), Ricker was celebrating a home field hard fought victory.
Maybe by the time Jacobellis finds her way to the other side of 30 she’ll have figured out what it means not to take the competition for granted.
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Olympics, sports, sports media, sports on television | Tagged: Jacobellis, Maelle, Olympics, Ricker, snowboard, snowboard cross, Vancouver | 
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Posted by sportsdiva
August 25, 2008
As I said yesterday, there is another way to look at the medal totals at the Olympics. So for those Americans threatened by the dominance of China in gold medals, I present the final tally in the official SportsDiva Medal Count.
China won 51 events, yes. But there were only 74 gold medals awarded to Chinese athletes and only 185 total medals awarded to Chinese athletes.
By this measure the United States, which won only 36 events, actually won the gold medal race and completely overpowered in the total medal race. American athletes are bringing home 124 gold medals and 314 total medals.
Leave a Comment » | Olympics, sports | Tagged: China, gold medals, medal count, Olympics, sportsdiva medal count, total medals, United States | Permalink
Posted by sportsdiva
August 23, 2008
So there is a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth that the U.S. has fewer gold medals than China does. But not if you look at it my way. The special SportsDiva Medal Count right now (11 am EDT) has the United States at 87 versus China with 72.
How can that be, you may ask? China has 49 gold and the United States has 33. Au contraire! Look at the Chinese and U.S. medal winners. Note that 72 Chinese individuals are wearing gold medals around this week, while 87 Americans are. By the end of the weekend, if a few more U.S. teams come through with gold, it won’t be even that close.
Of course, there are those who want to parse medals by population and GDP. They’re from smaller or less wealthy countries who have their own ax to grind. The United States doesn’t come out too badly per capita, but using both population and GDP, it looks pretty bad compared with Zimbabwe!
I like to think that China’s concentration on sports in which there are more medals for individuals to win has backfired. Team sports, at which the United States is excelling in this Olympics, are the key to winning the SportsDiva Medal Count. So, for those of you who weren’t feeling dominant enough this morning, relax and root on the volleyball, basketball, and water polo teams. Building world domination one team sport at a time.
I’ll get back to you with the overall total tomorrow.
5 Comments | Olympics, sports | Tagged: medal count, Olympics, SMC, stubborn mule, stubbornmule, total gold, world domination | Permalink
Posted by sportsdiva
August 22, 2008
If the IOC finally is willing to admit to doubt about the ages of Chinese gymnasts, asking the Chinese government or gymnastics federation is unlikely to resolve the issue in anyone’s mind. You don’t ask a liar if they are lying and expect them to say, “Oh, yeah, you caught me. I was lying.” DOH!
The only thing that might help, and even that is unlikely to bring resolution, is a hearing before The Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the doubters bringing forward the documentation and video that they offer as proof of the gymnasts’ true age. Won’t happen.
Leave a Comment » | Olympics, sports | Tagged: Chinese gymnasts, gymnasts' age, IOC, liars, lying | Permalink
Posted by sportsdiva
August 20, 2008
[For some reason, the images aren’t showing up the way I expected them to. To see the photos I’m referencing, right click on the bold (and no, that isn’t working right, either) phrases/names and select “view image.”]
What you missed last night, because NBC only cares about U.S. medalists and last night they cared only about LoLo Jones losing, even though an American, Dawn Harper, won the 100 meter hurdles, was this, the 
. We did, rather belatedly, see just a tiny bit of the 
of both silver-medalist Sally McLellan and bronze-medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep. And we saw Harper’s face during the anthem. But with all three young women clearly delighted with the result, the opportunity to show that winning any medal IS winning was lost on NBC. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Olympics, sports, sports on television | Tagged: Aaron Peirsol, athletics, celebration, Dawn Harper, elation, equestrian, Gina Miles, jingoism, LoLo Jones, Matthias Steiner, medalists, Michael Phelps, NBC misses, Olympics, Oxygen, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, running, Sally McLellan, Shalane Flanagan, Stephanie Brown Trafton, swimming, weight lifting | Permalink
Posted by sportsdiva
August 13, 2008
I am, of course, an Olympics junkie. And I’ve spend countless hours already glued to NBC’s various outlets’ coverage of sports as diverse as equestrian 3-day eventing, badminton, and the ubiquitous swimming.
I love the swimming. I love tall men with arms long enough to hug the world clad in lycra, or sometimes barely clad in lycra. Do you suppose they half strip those suits off just so we can see exactly how shaved down they are?
And NBC is doing a pretty good job, whether the commentators are at the venue or in New York, they mostly seem awake on all counts and provide the kind of information you need, whether neophyte or afficionado.
I’m particularly happy with Andrea Kremer as the poolside interviewer. First of all, and probably most importantly, she’s a really really good interviewer. She asks good questions, listens to the answers (when the director is yelling in her ear, that has to be hard), and handles the task with appropriate composed excitement.
But there’s one rotten spot in my Olympic apple. Her name is Cynthia Potter. NBC decided to continue to employ as a diving commentator a woman with a dramatic command of the obvious who at the same time has a tenuous command of her facts and, worst of all, has the most annoying, loudest, unmodulated fingernails on a blackboard voice in the history of sports broadcasting. I’d take Dick Vitale over this woman in a heartbeat. And I HATE Dick Vitale. Read the rest of this entry »
45 Comments | Olympics, sports on television | Tagged: Andrea Kremer, annoying voice, color commentary, Cynthia Potter, diving, men in lycra, Olympics, sports, synchronized diving | Permalink
Posted by sportsdiva
April 20, 2008
How does deadly force on an Olympic torch relay possibly fit in with the spirit of the games? How does it possibly enhance China’s international image, which is the whole purpose of its hosting the games in the first place. Somewhere, are there cooler heads in China to prevail? Somewhere, is there someone in China who understands the loss of face that would accompany deadly force being used on protesters at an Olympic-related event?
Oh, and by the way President Bush, the Olympics aren’t in the United States this year, weren’t in the last summer cycle, and won’t be in the next summer cycle. So there’s no legitimate reason for you to be at the opening ceremonies in the first place. Attending under the circumstances of China’s current deafness to any international dissatisfaction with its actions in Sudan or Tibet is against U.S. interests. Why not skip the Beijing Olympics and show in one last little action that you actually ever cared about those.
1 Comment | Olympics | Tagged: Beijing Olympics, deadly force, President Bush, torch relay | Permalink
Posted by sportsdiva
The Original Sportsdiva's Weblog 
Enough Already!
August 13, 2008I am, of course, an Olympics junkie. And I’ve spend countless hours already glued to NBC’s various outlets’ coverage of sports as diverse as equestrian 3-day eventing, badminton, and the ubiquitous swimming.
I love the swimming. I love tall men with arms long enough to hug the world clad in lycra, or sometimes barely clad in lycra. Do you suppose they half strip those suits off just so we can see exactly how shaved down they are?
And NBC is doing a pretty good job, whether the commentators are at the venue or in New York, they mostly seem awake on all counts and provide the kind of information you need, whether neophyte or afficionado.
I’m particularly happy with Andrea Kremer as the poolside interviewer. First of all, and probably most importantly, she’s a really really good interviewer. She asks good questions, listens to the answers (when the director is yelling in her ear, that has to be hard), and handles the task with appropriate composed excitement.
But there’s one rotten spot in my Olympic apple. Her name is Cynthia Potter. NBC decided to continue to employ as a diving commentator a woman with a dramatic command of the obvious who at the same time has a tenuous command of her facts and, worst of all, has the most annoying, loudest, unmodulated fingernails on a blackboard voice in the history of sports broadcasting. I’d take Dick Vitale over this woman in a heartbeat. And I HATE Dick Vitale. Read the rest of this entry »