During the Olympics everyone becomes sport obsessed. Personally I find it weird how I become totally engrossed in sports that I didn't even know existed. In the current Winter Olympics I've found myself enthralled by the mens and womens snowboard cross, the ski jump, the luge and the moguls. Each of those sports has probably had about 5 minutes air time on Ski Sunday in the past year, yet they now get blanket coverage. (With the exception of the snowboarding events which get a fair amount on satellite channels.)
I find it equally strange how within half an hour I find myself becoming an instant expert on that sport. I can't help but start to mimic the commentator. I'll find myself turning to my girlfriend and commenting on how the luger seems to be taking too high a line through the fifth corner, or how the skier in the mens moguls is getting too much air between his ski's and the snow. During the summer games I sat through cycling, marathons and shot putts, activities that I normally wouldn't give a second thought to.
The effect is doubled when there's a British medal hope, as everyone becomes a living room critic. And if there is a chance of a medal for a Brit, that sport receives blanket coverage on terrestrial TV, relegating more exciting events to the red button. Unfortunately our best chances this time are in the Bobsleigh (not yet started), Womens Snowboard Cross (through Zoe Gillings) and in both the mens and womens Curling. So far the only sport to have had me switch off. I'm afraid Clare Balding waffling on about Curling is a crashing bore.
Any sport that markets itself as 'like bowls, ON ICE!' is onto a loser from the off.
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