This sucks
I turned on my computer this morning at 1:30 a.m. and then hopped in the shower. When I returned the first headline I saw made my heart plummet.
First, back during a time when I had a life, say around May (?) we had an Olympic training seminar for the on-air talent. It was designed to introduce the new and old, address the goals for the games, serve up some kool-aid and open our eyes to the major stories of the summer.
Michael Phelps was one.
Liu Xiang was the other. His name (pronounced Loo Shawn) was used in sentences like:
"1.3 billion people are counting on him."
"He has the weight of an enitre country on his shoulders."
"To these people, he's bigger then Yao Ming."
"It will be the moment of the Olympics."
Now, I'm not sure about you but I can't relate to any of that. As the oldest of four, I remember feeling responsible for my two sisters and brother if I was babysitting and that was pressure. But this?! Unfathomable.
However, and it happens so often, the athlete forced to take on the pressure normally succeeds. See: Michael Phelps. We expect it and they deliver. So what happened with 25-year-old Liu?
He's out. Done. Finished. The defending Olympic champion had his dreams dashed without even a second of the race happening. From the AP article:
Liu's personal coach, Sun Haiping, said Liu was bothered by a right foot injury that has lingered for six or seven years - and that the pain intensified Saturday. Sun's shoulders shook and he wiped away tears as he spoke about Liu's withdrawal. Feng said the injury is where the Achilles tendon attaches to Liu's right foot, "his takeoff foot, so there is a lot of stress on that area."
He lined up, the gun went off, but there was a false start by another competitor. Liu took a few steps and then promptly ripped off the numbers from his legs and walked off. (click on the link to watch the video)
A little history from the same article: At the Athens Games four years ago, Liu became as the first Chinese man to win an Olympic track and field gold medal. A Chinese insurance company volunteered more than $10 million of coverage for his legs. His image appears everywhere in his hometown of Shanghai, and he has sponsorship deals with Visa and Coca-Cola, among others
I walked into the Football Night in America room this morning to look over the script our trusty Kyle-from-Vassar was writing for today's While You Were Sleeping.
It was obvious the most important story was Liu and that it should lead. What was surprising was the reaction people had upon hearing the news. Yes, he represented another country and it's common sense NBC would benefit from having such a popular figure in the finals. But after the inital shock, people felt for him. You never want someone not to be able to compete. If he loses on his own, then fine. But to not even get the chance? In your own country?
Instead, he sat against a wall alone, that smiling face that adorns so many advertising billboards now sullen. At that moment, some members of the Chinese media watching the scene unfold on a TV under the stands began to cry while thousands of his disappointed countrymen were heading for the exits.
Certainly not the exit Liu or any of the Chinese had hoped for.
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Tiffany Simons is NBCSports.com's host extraordinaire. Watch Fantasy Fix, NBA Buzzer Beater, MMA Fight Weekly and Irish Live with Tiffany at the helm. The Florida State grad shares her thoughts here on all things sports.
Do you know what really sucks? What sucks is Bob Costas having the audacity to complain about Usain Bolt's so-called "showboating" at the end of the Men's 100 metre final. Has Costas forgotten about the arrogant American sprinters that have come before Usain Bolt. Maurice Greene? Tim Montgomery? How about Ato Bolton of Trinidad who is now a member of the NBC team in Beijing. He may be one of the most arrogant sprinters ever. Were these guys classy in victory - not at all. They were cocky and much more arrogant than Bolt. Bob needs to give his head a shake and realize maybe he was just a little bitter because Tyson Gay did not make the final and little Jamaica is the #1 nation in sprinting and without the help of steroids no less!
Hey Dave... thanks for reading. Point taken.
watched your programme olympics update today,how can you insult the general public with this puerile banter between your reporters.....i was waiting for the olympic update......apparently just in name only
It's really suck because NBC station lies to all resident on Pacific. They replay the Olympic show, but they said that they live. It's so same on you NBC. Don't try to fool every one like that. For example, the semifinal basketball game USA - Argentina, they lived at 7:15 am eastern time. that is right. However, at 10:00 am pacific time they rebroadcast, but they still said that they live....it's really bad. All the program has been showed has been replayed only because other station had delivered already. Sorry NBC , don't try to lie to all audiences.
As bad as you think NBC (Nothing But Childish) is, at least you are allowed to receive their programming. I haven't seen NBC programs for over 2 years now because I don't live in an area that can receive broadcast signals, even with a 30 ft. antenna. Also, since I don't have access to cable and don't live in a "locals" market, they won't even allow me a waiver to receive out-of-market satellite programming. All other networks have, but not these idiots! I am not surprised that they are consistently last in the ratings given that they actively keep the public from viewing their programming.