Olympic Snippets

Short thoughts on the Olympics... I haven't watched as much over the past 2 days, yesterday because of TV conflicts and today because I was out for a good part of the day. But here's some snippets:

• Synchronized swimming is so hard. I didn't get to see the finals in the free routine (I don't even know if they aired today, but if they did, they were probably on Bravo, since NBC only shows certain things it seems), but watching the Russians in the preliminary was mesmerizing. They were just so perfect. I just don't know how you can do 4 minute routines like that in the water and still have so much energy at the end! The medal results were really no surprise though... but it's still amazing to watch. I really want to see the team routines. It would look just like old movies!
• I only saw 2 or 3 gymnastics routines from the gala, but I did see Carly Patterson fall on her butt. Oops.
• I missed most of the men's springboard diving because I was watching The Amazing Race. But TAR is worth it, every time.
• I did get to see Morocco's El Guerrouj win the gold, and I was so happy for him. I was also glad that NBC did a spotlight on a non-American athlete. It was so exciting to watch him win!
• You know, ever since I complained that Bob Costas was being overly melodramatic and moralizing in his closing monologues, they've gotten more tolerable. The one about El Guerrouj's phone calls yesterday was sweet, and the one today about the Polish men was fascinating. I think it was me... because I said something, the monologues got better. ;-)
• What explains the difference in physical appearance between platform divers and springboard divers? In any daydream I ever had about diving (over many, many years), I was always a platform diver. But who am I kidding... I can't even dive off the side of the pool.
• I was hoping that Kimiko Soldati would make the top 18, but oh well. :( But she doesn't look 30!! No way, that can't be possible.
• I could never do hurdles. I'd go straight into the first one, and cause a major wipeout. I was so excited for Joanna Hayes yesterday that I was hoping the race wouldn't get re-run.
• Athens is so beautiful. :-) The Olympics + The Amazing Race probably account for my sudden interest in researching airfares to and within Europe last night. Oops.

Okay... enough for tonight. Need to take Azure in for another visit tomorrow. Poor girl.