Two Olympic Thoughts

Ordinarily I'm not interested in skating unless the skaters are also carrying sticks, but it is the Olympics after all, so I watched the finals of the women's figure skating. One thing I've always hated about Olympic coverage in this country is the network's filling time with puff pieces. I'm certain there are other events occurring over in Turin -- or Torino -- so that I don't have to watch some maudlin bit about an athlete whose parents have sacrificed to support them in their dreams. And I won't even go into the commentators' barely veiled pro-American bias. It's one thing to build up the USA athletes, but it's quite another -- and quite an ugly thing -- to denigrate other countries' athletes. It's so pathetic.

Then today I was thinking about how the Olympics have gradually incorporated more lifestyle "sports" in their attempt to keep themselves relevant to a generation of slackers -- the hot dog ski jump, etc. -- and I came up with a great idea for the summer games.

So here are my two observations/ideas:

1. Dick Enberg is downright nasty. I'm not sure what medication he's on, but I'm guessing he ran out of it and hasn't refilled it. He makes more meanspirited comments than that dude on American Idol. Can anyone back me up on this?

2. New Olympic Sport: Urban Bike Race. The idea is to run a race through a city without closing the course -- all traffic lights are on, pedestrians, delivery trucks, idiot commuters one to a car, etc. -- some athletes may be killed in traffic but it would make for some exciting television.