archived entries for August 2004

Tuesday, August 31, 2004
fruity sensation
I don't know man. I just don't know. See for yourself.

»Comments (0)

Monday, August 30, 2004
in the big town tonight
Well, well ladies and gentlemen the <sarcasm> diversion </sarcasm> that was the Olympiad has now past and so begins the real show. The Republicans are rocking NYC in the four day infomercial known as the Republican National Convention. As you know, the Democrats pimped themselves from Boston and now its time for the GOP.

An interesting venue for the Republicans considering the highly Democratic disposition of the Big Apple, but it would have been hard to resist considering the President’s platform. Of course we all knew the moment it was said days and months after the September 11th attacks that the event and its memory would not be used for political machinations that it was a complete wishful thinking. Sad really that it couldn’t be avoided. I understand the need to remember (really how could you forget) but to be used as something to evoke emotional response to a personal agenda is truly odious. But tis the world of whoring for power.

At any rate, our elected leaders on the other side of the spectrum (heh, well apparently not all that far to the right side) are out to have their say and it’s just as important to listen to them. Not with malice, cold hearts and prejudice but to genuinely listen for their message and what they want to accomplish. You’ll have to wade through much of the muck as you did with the Democrats in Boston but there is a message there to hear.

So McCain and Giuliani are up tonight. Interesting. Just as intriguing, are Ron Silver, Jason Sehorn and Angie Harmon? Especially Silver considering his role on The West Wing. But then again I don’t know much about the guy anyway so… on to C-SPAN, which by the way is the only way to watch if you like your convention presentation unmolested by inane “color commentary” and actually want to see what’s going on not just the bits and pieces. That or PBS, but no commercials and a better picture with C-SPAN. By the way, some the “protesting” it showed yesterday was hilarious. They should have kicked it like Bill recommended in the 8/27 diatribe.

»Comments (0)

Tuesday, August 24, 2004
look what we can do
Oh man the Games! I love me the Games! Last night I witnessed some of the most amazing performances I've ever seen. Gervasio Deferr (that vault deserved at least a 9.9, come on dude did something never attempted at the Olympics, you should get mad props for that), Catalina Ponor (whoa.), Nicoleta Daniela Sofronie, Daiane Dos Santos, Carly Patterson, Igor Cassina, Alexei Nemov! Ridiculously awesome. You don’t have to be a gymnast to appreciate what was on display. You just have to enjoy seeing what one can accomplish chasing a dream. That goes for all the athletes competing in all the events. It’s an absolute joy to behold and every four years on a truly global stage with the whole world watching we are reminded of just how far we can reach when we strive for the unattainable, and just how close we can get to perfection. The culmination of dedicated years, arduous repetition, blood, sweat, tears can play out magnificently in the victories of Justin Gatlin or Jeremy Wariner or heartbreakingly in the breakdown of Paula Radcliffe or Alan Webb. The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat indeed. Oh how I love these Games so.

As for the world of gymnastics though, and I’ll admit, what I know about gymnastics and its judgment could fit in a thimble, but from what I saw, some of those gymnasts were flat out robbed. It's a shame too. I do sincerely hope somebody does something to change the judging. Really, I think some of the scorers were hitting the pipe a bit too much. And what the hell?! Just what does a person have to do to get a 10!?!? I know it’s literally perfection and that score demands it but damn is it that impossible to get above 9.875?

Oh and the beach volleyball; May, Walsh, McPeak and Youngs, that was some excellent volleying going down! Damn shame it wasn’t for gold and silver.

On a tangent, my faithful readers may have noticed my last few posts have been consumed with Olympic hysteria and rightfully so. These games have been great so far I’ve been feeding any spare time I’ve got to the coverage. As an athlete, my Mecca is the Olympic games and I dare think in 2008 I’m going to make the trek to Beijing to witness them in person. Anybody want to go with?

»Comments (0)

Friday, August 20, 2004
the games roll on
Okay it’s been almost a week of Olympic HD and I got to admit, I’m somewhat disappointed. Oh, the picture is gorgeous, especially the same panoramic shots of Greece which are repeated every hour. The problem is that, despite the beauty of HD, you don’t really feel like watching the same broadcast you saw the night before… repeated all day long. I mean sure in the afternoon or something but I mean was it that hard to simulcast the primetime broadcasts? Or even better, show more expanded coverage of what was being broadcast? Or perhaps some other events that are happening live or something. Really, the HD feed NBC is putting up is a big disappointment as far as content goes.

As for the games themselves. Very exciting indeed. But perhaps I’m being overly cynical or just suffering some internal backlash to all the Drama, sad stories and overcoming adversity tear jerkers that drips off of NBC’s presentation of the games but the too-good-to-be-true come back of Paul Hamm and Carly Patterson in gymnastics seemed to be almost scripted, nearly… clichéd. Of course part of the scripting could be due to the editing for prime time broadcast several hours after the events actually occurred. But it was like you almost knew when Paul almost fell into the judge’s lap or from Carly’s low balance beam score that they’d come back and just barely snatch the gold. Though, I think in Paul Hamm’s case, the Koreans could have a legitimate beef. Subjective judging should not be allowed and everyone should be assessed the same points or deductions if warranted not maybe or because the judge may decide to be strict. What’s up with that? When the scores and winners are separated by .01 of a point, it’s not fair that it comes down to if a judge had a bad taco or doesn’t like the way someone’s hair was parted. Just not cool. Speaking of judges, what was up with the dude trying to shakedown Peirsol in the 200-meter backstroke? Sheisty man, shiesty.

Anyway, the big time of the Olympics are about to bust everything up. That’s right baby, Olympic Track and Field! Would be nice to watch it live in HD but I shouldn’t be so harsh, at least we have something. However, with what’s going on with drugs, investigations and whatnot, there may be a cloud over the racing events even more so of the U.S. But I look forward to them nonetheless. Ready. Set...

»Comments (0)

Monday, August 16, 2004
time zones suck
So the much hyped race between the “Thorpedo”, Michael Phelps and a “flying Dutchman” played out in a simple banner headline when I popped open IE. Unemotional, uninspiring and largely uneventful. Now watching the replay in primetime won't be the same. Robbed. Robbed, I say, of that glorious moment in sport when you watch triumph unfolding before your very eyes. It’s a pretty cool thing in itself, but to share in that moment with the rest of the world holding its breath all at the same time is what makes the games magic.

Sadly, much like the 2000 games in Sydney the Olympic events this year will be largely anti-climatic. The effort to avoid all media until the delayed rebroadcast in primetime of the day’s most hyped events was too much last time around and I’m not in the mood to do it this time. Yet, the level of sucktitude one experiences when denied the opportunity to watch events live knows no bounds. Perhaps not as much as paying for tickets to the Olympic games when you may be able to score them free, but pretty close.

Oh well, at least some of the games are being broadcast in HD. Despite it just being the airing of the previous day’s events it’s still cool to watch. And the commentating is much better than the overly dramatic drivel featured in NBC’s primetime. And in HD you actually get more of an idea just how many different countries are represented in the games, not just USA! USA! USA! There is a whole world out there besides us and it’s refreshing to see them compete among each other and not just in competition with the US.

»Comments (1)

Sunday, August 15, 2004
inconceivable
Are there parallels to be drawn following today’s US men’s basketball loss? The US, once untouchable in its sphere of dominance. Be it military, economic, political might or say, basketball. But how far have we fallen? Or is it possible that we’ve just been standing still while the rest of the world catches up or perhaps progresses forward? Maybe it isn’t so much standing still as being caught steadily gazing and admiring ourselves for the tricks we can do, so enamored with style that we’ve forgotten substance.

I’m not sure but watching the US get their behinds handed to them buy Puerto Rico was more than disappointing. Hopefully Larry Brown will be able to salvage something more dignified from his team as the Olympics roll on, but I can’t seem to get this nagging thought out of my head – those punk ass kids. And it seems to become more acute when Iverson is doing post game analysis.

so long Charley
Not even a hello. The weather patterns known as tropical storm Bonnie and hurricane Charley swung through Florida, one a little more rowdy than the other. However here at the homestead, nothing more than a slight drizzle. You’d think it would have been more with a preamble full of dire warnings and reminders to have flashlights and bottled water. But no, for much of the weekend there was nothing more than menacing clouds, some drizzle and at one point around midnight Saturday there was some gust of about twenty to thirty mph. Unfortunately, some other places in Florida weren’t so lucky. A prayer for them and the long recovery they face.

»Comments (0)