So the Olympics are over and here we are, once again lost in a world without sequins.
Yes, afternoon TV has exchanged Curling’s skips and stones in favor of Springer’s sticks and stones. Prime time is left to the devices of lesser, scripted dramas or inferior reality shows. And judging by the ratings, we’re poised for a collective withdrawal.
Because naysayers aside, this country simply loves the Olympics. Early estimates by Nielsen report that NBC’s broadcasts drew a total of 187 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched Olympics in history.
And lest you think it was just the figure-skating-fond soccer moms driving the numbers, witness the response to that eminently manly sport of hockey. Interest in Sunday’s gold medal classic between the United States and Canada beat every sporting event this side of the Super Bowl. If you owned a TV set in America, there was a 33 percent chance you had the game on. That’s more viewers than every World Series game since 2004, every NBA Finals game since 1998 and every NCAA men’s Final Four since ’94. No hockey game has so captured this country since the 1980 Miracle on Ice, and this one didn’t even have the Russians to boo.
So indeed, despite evidence to the contrary, the Olympics were more than some elaborate marketing campaign for “The Marriage Ref.” They were actually something we cared about. A lot.
Ask 10 people why and you’ll get plenty of different reasons. Nationalism. Globalism. Athleticism. And yes, sometimes, even sequins. But in the end, I think every reason is connected to one very simple idea.
I think we watch to see happiness. Pure, uncontained happiness. Day after day, feel-good moment after feel-better moment, until it’s eventually capped by a feel-everything moment.
No other sporting event is so filled with joy, experienced at such regular intervals, expressed at such heart-bursting levels. For two weeks, it’s an endless stream of smiles spread across finish lines, medal stands and spectator galleries.
For half of February, the stories were there for all to share and sponge up. Steve Holcomb, borderline blind two years ago, giving the U.S. its first four-man bobsled gold medal since 1948. Shaun White. Lindsay Vonn. Evan Lysacek. Apolo Ohno. The guys from Nordic combined – an amazingly taxing sport that pairs ski jumping with cross-country skiing – giving the U.S. its first medals in the event’s history. The hockey teams. And on and on.
Yes, the Games have their share of tears. They’re even interrupted by tragedy. Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili literally gave his life to his sport.
But the overwhelming tapestry on our TVs, born of lifelong commitments boiled down to fleeting moments of success, is one of bliss. Sure, we prefer it on the faces of our team, but when it comes to delight, does it really matter? Elation sounds the same in any language, and I’d contend that we can’t get enough of it.
Cynics will say the Olympics are just a nonstop batch of sap stories, a sickly sweet cauldron of syrup, this time of the Canadian maple variety. And yes, maybe NBC does go overboard on the overcoming-adversity scale, especially when we have those Proctor & Gamble commercials to watch.
But show that cynic the video of Canada’s Joannie Rochette giving the skate of her life mere hours after her mother died. And if the detractor’s still not moved, well, then it’s his loss.
London 2012 is less than 900 days away. More happiness awaits.
Hockey Buzz?
The real problem for the U.S. men in their overtime hockey loss to Canada? Easy.
They weren’t coached by Buzz Williams.
Because clearly, Williams and Marquette just don’t lose overtime games, especially on the road.
Hard to see any way the Eagles don’t make the NCAA Tournament. And if they can do this in a “rebuilding” season, what does the future hold when Buzz finishes building?
Marquette fans must love it.
Bucks Up
Call it the Sal-bathia trade. Since the Bucks dealt for John Salmons, he’s averaging 20.1 points per game and Milwaukee has won six of its seven games. Most importantly, nobody laughs when you mention Bucks and playoffs in the same sentence these days.
Scott Skiles was just named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for Milwaukee’s surge into the playoff picture. But save a little praise for General Manager John Hammond, who made the trade for Salmons without sacrificing the master plan of prepping for 2011.
Blog of the Week
You simply won’t find a more comprehensive blog about the Milwaukee Bucks than BrewHoop.com. Fronted by Frank Madden and Alex Boeder, it reads like a Bucks-only sports section. Game recaps, previews, commentary, analysis, it’s all there. Not to mention a very active fan forum. Good stuff all around.
No ballgame to watch? No problem. Check out our new TV Guru column to get the lowdown on your remote control options.
Feel free to follow me on Twitter, where I tweet as howiemag. And tune in every Tuesday morning at 6:30 when I join Doug Russell and Mike Wickett on SportsRadio 1250 AM for Tuesdays with Howie. You can also find the segments in their Audio Vault. Finally, I’ll join Mitch Teich to chat sports on WUWM’s “Lake Effect,” Friday at 10 a.m. and again at 11 p.m.
