As I reflect back on the first four days of competition, here are the five things I've enjoyed the most:
- The non-stop chatter of those female gymnasts during their teammate's individual routines. I don't think they ever shut up. Last night, during the team competition, it was particularly crazy during little Gabby Douglas' parallel bars routine. Every second, one of her fellow American pipsqueaks with the crazy pulled-back hair would scream out a "Go, Gabby!" or an "Awesome!" or a "You got this!" or a "Yeah" or a "That's it!" You never heard the same thing twice in a row. Do they script this? And, how do they know not to yell when someone else is yelling? Listening to the Chinese women's team do the same thing was even more enjoyable.
- Watching the male water polo players pulling themselves out of the pool on their line shifts. It made me wonder. Why do the regular male swimmers, who, thankfully, mostly stopped wearing little Speedo's years ago, shave all their body hair while the burly water polo players, who still do wear those little Speedo's, don't shave? If one of these groups of guys is going to shave, shouldn't it be the water polo players? Ryan Seacrest, could you do an investigative report on that one for us, please?
- The expert analysis of Cynthia Potter and Elfi Schlegel. Cynthia covers diving. Elfi covers gymnastics. Their breathless, over-the-top enthusiasm gets me every time. Please, NBC, pair them together for synchronized swimming. It would be so awesome. I might even watch.
- Women's team handball. Who knew it was so exciting? I'm going to have to go out and sign Kim up for a league.
- Reading all about the badminton scandal. Seriously, can you believe I just typed those words next to each other? Tell me the Olympics aren't great. I dare you.
