Tape Delayed

I post my comments usually in the early afternoon each day.  I write as if I was writing at the end of the previous day.  It is possible my comments are 24 hours behind live action.  One could claim that I have made my predictions after the events have occurred.  For some events, that would be true.  However, some time around 1 pm Eastern US time I begin my media blackout.  I cut off ESPN and the NBC Olympics website until I get home and start watching hours of recorded action.  I have to be very careful listening to the radio on my drive home.  In general, I have been successful in not knowing what happened until I get a chance to see it on TV.  There are exceptions (see below) and a couple of glorious success stories.

My greatest success was in 2004.  The Australian men's 800 freestyle relay was heavily favored to win the gold medal.  Athens is seven hours ahead of Eastern US time.  The 800 freestyle relay was probably swum around 9 or 10 pm local time, so 2 or 3 pm where I was.  I had to shut myself off from the world for 5-6 hours to prevent myself from knowing what happened.  This included a CD in the car on the way home, because radio DJs were not helpful with "media blackout."  I managed to pull it off by getting in front of the NBC telecast at 8 pm.  At that point I was safe.  Of course, they didn't show the relay until 11:45 pm.  I stayed up and watched that relay, by myself, in the quiet of my basement.  And as Klete Keller out-touched Ian Thorpe for the gold medal, I jumped and leaped and screamed like I had won an Olympic Gold Medal.  It is a wonder I did not wake my wife or 4 month old baby.

Athens was tough to pull off.  But it was doable.  Beijing was not as hard.  Part of this is because my favorite event is the swimming and NBC was able to muscle the Chinese into holding event finals in the morning local time, so they could be live in prime time in the US.  I don't know what other sports did, but I know I saw Nastia Liukin win all around gold, Usain Bolt win the 100 and the 200, the US girls choke away the team gymnastics gold medal, both beach volleyball gold medal games, and several other events without knowing the results.

London has been a little more difficult.  With so many different avenues for information, it is easy to accidentally learn something and difficult to shut yourself out.  Two days ago, with Phelps looking to break the all time record for medals won and the US girls going for team gold, I received three messages from my NBC Olympics app and two email news updates from the Washington Post before I left work.  I knew I had to be careful, so I managed to delete the emails (I am glad the world wasn't coming to an end, I never would have known) and ignore the messages.  I also heard a little on the radio (the words "silver in the 200") and saw an NBC promo to link to the gymnastics medal ceremony.  This led me to the (correct) conclusion that the Pixie Parade had won gold.  I was in complete denial of the 200 butterfly silver medal for Phelps.  That is still incomprehensible.

Today, it has become even more difficult.  I just got an email from the Washington Post telling me what happened in the girl's gymnastics.  I won't say anything, but the subject line of the email gave everything away.  I had no chance to delete.  Now I am being extra careful, because Lochte-Phelps Showdown # 2 is also today.  It has probably already happened.  I would prefer to see it without knowing the results.

NBC has been criticized for how they are showing the Olympics.  I guess, specifically, they have been criticized for tape delaying the big events.  I like it.  I have a job, three sons, and a long commute.  I am happy to go blackout in the afternoon, get home, get the boys to bed and sit back to enjoy the competition without knowing the ending.  Well, except for the 200 fly and the men's 400 free relay.  Those just hurt.  Of course, you have to take that pain to get the absolute joy of Nathan Adrian winning the 100 free, Allison Schmitt winning the 200 free and the Grevers-Thoman 1-2 in the 100 back.

I don't really have a point.  I would say this is not one of my better posts.  (I have a great one, but I need more time.)  Maybe I am just trying to explain why I seem to be 12 hours behind, and why my predictions, although made without knowledge of actual events, may be made after the events occurred.  Maybe I am tired and doing this every day is getting to me.  When I do a big volleyball post I will have a lot to give you, thanks to my Volleyball Insider.  When I do my big Baltic States post, I will have a lot to give you, thanks to my Baltic States Insider.  I have a couple other good ones in store for you.  What?  No one wants my Baltic States Post?  Hmmm.  Today is my version of Stephen Strasburg's 4 inning, 8 hit, 6 earned run outing v. the Phillies from a couple days ago.  A bad day by a great performer.  We are all entitled to one every once in a while.  I hope Lochte and Phelps, and Rebecca Soni, and Lochte and Tyler Clary, and either Jessica Hardy or Missy Franklin, and our men's volleyball team don't join me.

Today's Olympic Story Line - Kristin Armstrong.  Yesterday, Kristin Armstrong defended her gold medal in the women's cycling time trial.  After winning gold in Beijing and winning the world championships in 2009, Kristin retired as a professional cyclist to start a family.  She had a son in 2010, then started to ride again.  In May she crashed and broke her collarbone.  She recovered in time to get to London and become, at 38, the oldest gold medalist in a road cycling event.  The cycling time trial was an awesome event.  It started at Hampton Court Palace, the castle of Henry VIII.  When the riders finished, the medalists went to a little stage with three chairs that can only be described as thrones and sat there like royalty before the medal ceremony.  For the men's race, no one sat on the throne until he was basically assured of a medal.  For the women's race, they had riders in the thrones if they were in medal position, even though faster riders were still on the course.  So when people finished with a faster time, the previous riders had to leave, or move to a different throne, as their place changed.  That was just funny.

Despite her name, Kristin is not related to Lance Armstrong.  It is oddly coincidental, however, that the best female cyclist in the world is named Armstrong.  And that Lance's first wife was named Kristin.

Reflections on What Has Happened (Focus for this will be on US sports and medals, but we will touch on other stuff as time permits) -

1.  Saw another judo match this morning.  It lasted 56 seconds.  Kayla Harrison of the US won and is apparently a gold medal contender.  I am more confused than ever.  It is likely I will change my Obscure Summer Sport to Judo.  I need to know more about this sport.  Plus, we have an American who might win gold.  And we have never won gold before.  The Perfect Storm is rising again.  Tune in tomorrow.

2.  I saw three rowing finals.  The US finished fourth by about a millisecond in two of them.  Aye coramba!

3.  I am beginning to think I am a US Beach Volleyball jinx.  I predicted Rogers and Dalhausser would win efficiently, and they struggled to a 3 set win.  I predicted Misty and Kerri would keep their set winning streak alive and they lost their first set (see Predictions Wrap Up below).  I am now going to leave beach volleyball out of my predictions.

4.  I watched some archery.  The US men have the top ranked archer in the world, Brady Ellison.  He is a Paul Walker look-alike.  That's right, Lance Harbor went into archery after his devastating knee injury.  My West Canaan Insider also told me he heard about the whipped cream bikini and dumped Darcy Sears.  I was thinking as I watched that Paul Walker could play Brady Ellison in the made for TV docu-drama, The Brady Ellison Story, a Local Football Star Becomes Robin Hood.  Then he lost in the round of 32 and I realized no one cares if you lose in the round of 32.  Too bad.  That was one bad made for TV movie opportunity missed.

5.  Women's kayak finals were today.  We didn't win a medal.  Man, I chose poorly.

6.  NATHAN ADRIAN!  Well done.  The US won their first gold in the men's 100 freestyle since Matt Biondi in 1988.  Adrian had a great swim and came from behind in the last five meters to win by .01 seconds.

7.  Allison Schmitt is the quiet assassin of these games.  She has won two gold medals, one silver and one bronze.  She almost won the 400 freestyle before dominating the 200 freestyle and destroying Australia's anchor leg in the 800 freestyle relay.  The bronze came in the 400 freestyle relay.  For all the Missy Franklin, Ryan Lochte, and Michael Phelps talk, so far Allison Schmitt has had the best Olympics of any US swimmer.

Predictions Wrap Up (I realized this is more a Wrap Up than a Sum Up) -

1. Misty and Kerri keep their "Never lost a set" streak alive tonight - WRONG - But they won the match.
2. China wins gold in Men's Synchro Diving - Correct - And shocking.
3. US gets a medal in All Around Men's Gymnastics, but not gold - Correct -Bronze for Dannel Leyva.
4. Kitajima fails to threepeat in 200 breastroke - Correct - Didn't even medal.
5. US women win 800 free relay - Correct - In dominant fashion.
6. Nathan Adrian gets silver in 100 free - WRONG -And I couldn't be happier about it.
7. US fails to medal in women's 200 fly - Correct.
8. US women beat China in Women's Volleyball - Correct.
9. Someone will violate my Rule #1 Advice for Watching the Olympics tonight - Pending - Come on people, fess up.  Someone had sex last night.

Predictions -

1.  Lochte and Clary go 1-2 in 200 back.
2.  Phelps and Lochte go 1-2 in 200 IM.
3.  US women get 1, and only 1, medal in 100 free.  I'll say silver.  For Missy.
4.  Judo Breakthrough - Gold for US, and I will change my Obscure Summer Olympic Sport.
5.  US Men's basketball team beats Nigeria by more than 40.
6.  US Women defend their gold in Women's 8 rowing.  Mary Whipple screams the National Anthem during the ceremony.
7.  I will be back on my game tomorrow.

What to Watch For -

1.  Phelps - Lochte Showdown #2.
2.  Men's Volleyball v. Brazil.  Remember, its OK to lose, just don't lose to Brazil.  Heard this will be on NBC's Prime Time coverage tonight.
3.  Women's All-Around.  I'm sure you know what will happen, it is unavoidable.
4.  Women's Eights in rowing.  It has already happened, but should be cool to watch.
5.  Track cycling - kind of bizarre, but really cool to watch.
6.  Fat Old Man updates at some point.
7.  Am I going to crash and burn before the Olympic flame is extinguished?