Warning: Grumpy Old Man Ahead!
I'm not real happy with the American media's spin on the Olympics this time around. First there was the whole Michelle Kwan disaster -- you'd think Kwan was competing in figure skating, alpine skiing, bobsled, and curling by the way the media cried "the sky is falling!" when she dropped out. Michelle is gone! No reason to watch anymore! We'll
( Read more... )
The conventional wisdom is that people like colorful characters and fairy tales. So we get a lot of rebel-without-a-clue skiers and fairytale princess skaters. I'm not sure if the CW is correct, nor am I sure we could change it.
I do know that I like the simple biographies of the curling squads, who are the embodiment of the extraordinary ordinary person (nothing to do with local pride; heavens, no!). I hope NBC takes the time to do a better snapshot of Ligety, who comes across as a gracious winner and a good competitor (and lives with his parents).
As far as other overhyped personalities go, one I don't mind so much is Ohno. He's got a sort of bad-boy/outsider thing going on, but he also comes across in interviews as a hardworking competitor and a decent guy. I felt bad about his spill in the early short-track event, and hope he enjoys a lot of success in his upcoming appearances. The other is Shaun White, who by rights could be the most arrogant son of a bitch in the world, since he's got the mad skills to back up the talk. But he's just too goofy, thank Mantis.
All in all, I have to say that this round of Olympic coverage has been better than the last couple. But that could quite easily be the TiVo talking.
Reply
Leave a comment